We See You Grants
The Black Future Co-op Fund invests in the Black folks and Black-led organizations who have invested in the wealth, health, and well-being of Black communities for generations. Grant recipients are Black-led organizations throughout Washington state that are serving their communities through arts and culture, restorative healing, educational innovation, policy development, and more —all to further Black self-determination.
Up until now, Black-led organizations have been systematically under-resourced for centuries. Only 1.8% of traditional philanthropic dollars go to Black-led organizations.
Our intent is to shift the philanthropic paradigm by breaking down obstacles to accessing needed resources. Grants are general operating support for organizations to use as they see fit to advance their missions. Grants are made barrier free, with no burdensome application process or reporting requirements. And grants are renewed for eligible organizations to provide multi-year funding.
Since our launch in June 2020, the Black Future Co-op Fund has invested more than $8M to ignite Black generational wealth, health, and well-being.
2023 Grant Recipients
For the visionaries, healers, and shapers of our community
We are honored to announce our investment of $2 million in grants to these organizations, focusing on arts and education. This third round of grants supports arts and education because both are foundational to creating a liberated future, yet are often the least resourced. We wanted to recognize leaders who are visionaries, historians, creators, and shapers of our culture and communities. Artists and educators are the heartbeat of Black communities going back generations. We celebrate you, we believe in you, and we see you!
Acts On Stage | Greater Seattle area
Acts On Stage centers the talents, works, stories, and initiatives of people of color and creatives of faith. They are on a mission to change lives dramatically through the production of high-quality programs and performances that elevate the arts, artists, and all audiences. Their vision is to be a driving force behind a new era renaissance where creativity creates change.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
BlackPast.org | Greater Puget Sound and Worldwide
A curated collection on the history of African Americans in the United States and people of African descent around the world, BlackPast.org strives to provide comprehensive, reliable, accurate, and freely accessible information to more than 6 million global visitors annually.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter)
BLK WINS | Washington and beyond
BLK WINS strives to be a direct resource for Black people, specifically Black youth, to discover and identify who we truly are, where we come from, and how we got here — and to pass this knowledge on to future generations.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter) | YouTube
Brotherhood Initiative | Washington and beyond
The Brotherhood Initiative empowers University of Washington undergraduate men of color to thrive on campus and graduate prepared for a lifetime of leadership, service, and success.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter) | LinkedIn
Buffalo Soldiers Museum Tacoma | Pierce County
The 9th and 10th Horse Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Museum serves to educate, preserve, and present the history and outstanding contributions of America’s Buffalo Soldiers from 1866 through 1948, including WWI and WWII. The museum is a community partner with public schools for students’ learning about history and government.
Website | Facebook
Building Youth Through Music DBA WayOut Kids | Pierce County
WayOut Kids uses music and media to engage children through edutaining (education+ entertaining) programs that improve their life choices, overall health, and long-term success.
Website
Pierce County Community Action Programs Division | Pierce County
Pierce County Community Action Programs Division is committed to serving, promoting, and strengthening our communities by effectively presenting and addressing issues of poverty. Programs help residents with early childhood education, energy and rental assistance, home repairs, weatherization, and more.
Website
Community Equity Initiative | Jefferson, Kitsap, and Clallam counties
The Community Equity Initiative (CEI)’s BIPOC Family Excursion Program is fiscally sponsored by Well Organized. CEI works for racial justice and wellness by supporting engagement and deep connection among people of the global majority with activities facilitated by educators, artists, and activists of the global majority.
Website
Cornish College of the Arts | Seattle
Led by President Dr. Raymond Tymas-Jones, Cornish College launched the Syvilla Fort Scholarship Fund to support the next generation of artists of color in pursuing a bachelor’s and achieving their dreams.
Website
Family First Community Center | Greater Renton area
The Family First Community Center serves all-ages with a variety of programs focused on recreation, education, wellness and togetherness. It is the first community center in Washington state that also includes a health clinic, providing medical, dental, and behavioral health services all under one roof!
Website
FamilyWorks | North Seattle and parts of Snohomish County
FamilyWorks nourishes, connects, and empowers thousands of families through its food banks, mobile food pantries, resource center, and array of education, health, and other supportive programs.
Website
Fly Start | Greater Tacoma area
Fly Start offers an artistic platform, along with mentorship, community support, and connection to resources, to promote the growth and consciousness of the people.
Website
Freedom Church of Seattle | Puget Sound Region
Freedom Church of Seattle leads the Jesus Center Community Outreach Programs and Ministries that provides food, rent, mortgage assistance, transportation, and other supportive services to primarily low-income individuals and families who are striving to live a good life yet face barriers from centuries of racist systems and practices.
Website
Look, Listen + Learn TV | Greater King County area
Look, Listen + Learn TV is a media organization featuring the brilliance of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color to support early learning, social-emotional skill development, and healthy interactions that encourage school readiness for 3- to 8-year-olds.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Spectrum Dance Theater | Greater Seattle area
Spectrum Dance Theater brings dance of the highest merit to diverse audiences so that the arts are integral partners in civic dialogue and considered part of the solution to challenges facing our communities.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter)
The Tacoma Chapter of The Links, Inc. | Kitsap, Pierce, and Thurston counties
The Tacoma Chapter is part of The Links, Inc. one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations, whose members are committed to the cultural and economic enrichment of African Americans; and locally seeks to increase and expand art activity throughout Black communities.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
SWAG: Strong Women Achieving Greatness | Spokane County
SWAG seeks to equip people with the necessary tools for success; empower them by their own abilities through which they gain confidence to fulfill their potential; and connect them to strong women mentors who support them in achieving their goals.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Village Life Project | Greater Seattle and South King County
Village Life Project forwards the development of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (S.T.E.A.M.) scholarship in the African American community and facilitates solutions to contemporary global problems impacting the African Diaspora.
The Way to Justice | Spokane
A community law nonprofit led and created by women of color, The Way to Justice provides direct representation, impact litigation, policy reform, and advocacy to address the barriers facing individuals who have been negatively impacted by our justice system.
Website
Black Women’s Leadership Network | Statewide
Black Women’s Leadership Network creates open, equitable, and inclusive spaces for Black women to come together and speak truths without fear, affirm and celebrate accomplishments, and be supported personally and professionally.
Website
