People of color disproportionately experience homelessness in our community and throughout the country.
We launched the Andre Ellison Equity Fund last year to help address this inequity, in collaboration with those most impacted by the systemic injustice. Through this fund, named in memory of our friend and colleague Andre Ellison, we’re building partnerships with local grassroots organizations led by people of color and/or those with lived experience of homelessness.
With intention, the grants we’re providing are unrestricted and low-barrier, so our partners have the flexibility needed to increase their capacity to help solve and prevent homelessness. Today we’re honored to share the growing impact of our first seven Andre Ellison Equity Fund grantees and announce a new round of funding.
Shifting Power
Those most impacted – currently or formerly homeless people who are disproportionately people of color – must be at the forefront of our solutions, but philanthropic structures often leave them on the sidelines. Part of the challenge is the historic underfunding of nonprofits led by people of color. Money holds power, and the systemic disinvestment in these organizations ultimately robs our systems of new solutions and invaluable perspectives.
Through the Andre Ellison Equity Fund, we’re working to share power with those most impacted by homelessness, while building a larger and stronger group of organizations working collaboratively to achieve the goals of the Community Plan to End Homelessness and ultimately solve this crisis.
Building Local Capacity to Solve Homelessness
We’re now midway through the first 3-year funding round, which has provided a total of $2.75 million to seven organizations, and we’re celebrating their growth in efforts to end and prevent homelessness.
Here are a few highlights from our Andre Ellison Equity Fund partners:
African American Cultural Center has secured control of a site and is nearing design completion for their African American Community Hub, located within a deeply affordable housing development in San Jose. They have also raised millions of dollars in new public and private funding to go towards this signature project, while adding staff and infrastructure to strengthen their organization.
Asian American Center of Santa Clara County has developed a homeless outreach program tailored to non-English-speaking immigrant communities who often face language and cultural barriers accessing support services, while developing awareness campaigns to foster understanding of homelessness, reduce stigma and mobilize additional support.
Carry the Vision has tripled its operating budget in the last year, attracting new funding from sources such as REDF. The increased capacity is enabling a new lived experience workforce development program and other expanded community-based services.
Elevate Community Center is now able to offer its financial and legal services in Vietnamese and Spanish while also creating a drop-in legal clinic at the downtown San Jose courthouse.
Latinas Contra Cancer has evolved to sustain full-time staff and become a strong partner of the Homelessness Prevention System.
Latinos United for a New America has increased its tenant organizing efforts to new neighborhoods in an effort to prevent displacement and homelessness. You can support their efforts with a fun night out at their 5th annual LUNADA event August 19th.
Razing the Bar has secured nearly $1 million in Federal funding, increasing its ability to provide homes for youth aging out of the foster care system. The organization is on track to quadruple housing placements for young adults by the end of 2024, and is always looking for new partners to get involved.
New Funding Available
We are thrilled to be launching a new round of capacity-building grants through the Andre Ellison Equity Fund and are accepting applications through August 31st.
Please help us spread the word among your networks!
