New Initiative Will Drive Investments To Black, Indigenous, And Communities Of Color In The Greater Seattle Region

SEATTLE, March 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of funders is announcing a new, pooled fund that will drive investments to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-led and -rooted organizations, coalitions, and movements as a pathway for inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fund for Inclusive Recovery aims to raise $50 million over the next five years.

Coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the launch of the COVID-19 Response Fund, which deployed more than $30 million to communities and organizations disproportionately affected by the pandemic, the creation of the Fund for Inclusive Recovery aims to bring the region together to address the widening inequities placed on BIPOC community members. The COVID-19 Response Fund galvanized thousands of donors and supported 375 grantees working across critical issues such as emergency financial assistance, childcare, mental health, food assistance, and more. The widening inequities in Greater Seattle threaten the region's overall growth. By investing in the most vulnerable communities, the Fund will foster shared prosperity and inclusive recovery that benefits everyone. 

"It's clear that COVID-19 and the economic slowdown have disproportionately impacted Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and immigrant people across King County and the Puget Sound, and the experience of the past year only exacerbated the inequities that have faced these communities for decades," said Tableau President and CEO Adam Selipsky. "Seattle has been Tableau's home for the past 17 years. We're proud to be a part of the Fund for Inclusive Recovery and help chart a more inclusive course for the region's post-pandemic future." Tableau, through Tableau Foundation, has made a five-year commitment totaling more than $1 million to the Fund.

"This is a defining moment for our region, and for philanthropy, which has both a responsibility and an opportunity to do things differently. The inequity in our community has been laid bare for all of us to see and we must rebuild with equity as our guiding principle," said Tricia Raikes, co-founder of the Raikes Foundation, an early supporter of the Fund. "For too long, those who have been the least well served by our systems of care – from schools to housing, healthcare, justice, and beyond – have been denied the power to change them. We must ensure the voices of those most impacted by COVID and by racial injustice are guiding the work that we do to ensure we are the inclusive, resilient, and broadly prosperous community we can be."

The Fund is being led by a Community Advisory Group, consisting of a diverse cross-section group of leaders from communities most impacted, reflecting a range of perspectives and strategic expertise from across the region. This group will provide strategic guidance into program priorities and processes, as well as the Fund's approach to impact assessment and accountability measures, ensuring that the Fund invests critical philanthropic dollars in the best way possible to reach our goal of a more equitable region.

The Fund for Inclusive Recovery is also rooted in research conducted in partnership with The Bridgespan Group, who worked closely with the COVID-19 Response Fund Community Advisory Group to prioritize areas for short-term investment and long-term, systemic change. The striking and intensifying racial disparities in health, well-being, and economic security are all underscored in the report and in data collected by outside entities.

The US Census Bureau reported that, by late October of 2020, Black and Hispanic households in Washington State had much less confidence than white households that they could afford rent. King County's own data revealed that COVID-19-related deaths, hospitalizations, and cases have been significantly higher in many BIPOC communities than among white people. To learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on BIPOC communities in King County, we invite you to read the research we recently released in partnership with The Bridgespan Group linked here. 

Housed at Seattle Foundation, the Fund for Inclusive Recovery brings together cross-sector partners to collectively tackle challenges and create meaningful impact in the Greater Seattle region. Early contributors include the following (alphabetical order): Norm and Lisa Bontje, The Butler Community Foundation, Deloitte LLP, Delta Dental of Washington, DOWL, Orion and Jackie Hindawi, The Raikes Foundation, The Seattle Mariners, Tableau Foundation, and Umpqua Bank, with $7.7 million and counting raised so far.

To learn more about the Fund for Inclusive Recovery, visit www.seattlefoundation.org/inclusiverecovery.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES ABOUT THE FUND FOR INCLUSIVE RECOVERY:

Several individual philanthropists have also made significant early gifts to the Fund. These include Tanium CEO Orion Hindawi and his wife, Jackie, who recently relocated to Seattle from the Bay Area. "As we settle into our new home, our family is extremely grateful for the opportunity to coordinate with Seattle Foundation to make a quick investment during this critical time," stated Hindawi. "We are hopeful that the Fund's focus on impact-ready investments to those most affected by the pandemic will drive both short-term and systemic change in the Seattle community."

"Resources can be transformational for our communities, if we can ensure that we're leading it, and we're guiding how it's done," said Sili Savusa, Executive Director of the White Center Community Development Association and Community Advisory Group member. "We need funding that's bold, guided by the wisdom of leadership of BIPOC communities that we know is already in place. The Fund for Inclusive Recovery is our chance to show what impact can look like if we do this work together."

"The COVID-19 pandemic made our region's disparities impossible to ignore. This is a critical moment for our community, and it's important we continue coming together to support those closest to the solutions. Inclusive recovery will require us all to reimagine a different future for Seattle, one that centers on those most impacted by the effects of COVID-19," said Tony Mestres, President & CEO of Seattle Foundation.

ABOUT SEATTLE FOUNDATION

Seattle Foundation ignites powerful, rewarding philanthropy to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all. As a community foundation, it works to advance equity, shared prosperity, and belonging throughout the region while strengthening the impact of the philanthropists it serves. Founded in 1946 and with more than $1.1 billion in assets, the Foundation pursues its mission with a combination of deep community insight, civic leadership, philanthropic advising, and judicious financial stewardship. Read more at www.seattlefoundation.org.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

For media inquiries, please reach out to Malia Mackey at [email protected] or 206.734.0053 (mobile).

SOURCE Seattle Foundation

Related Links

http://www.seattlefoundation.org/inclusiverecovery