INDIANAPOLIS AFRICAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVE (IAAQLI) ANNOUNCES FIRST ROUND OF GRANTS
Grants will fund programs and initiatives to improve the quality of life for African American residents
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – (August 1, 2022) The National Urban League has selected 40 Indianapolis/Marion County not-for-profit organizations as the first recipients of grants from the Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative (IAAQLI). The organizations represent 52 grants awarded with funding totaling more than $21M. The initiative is a partnership between the National Urban League, the Indianapolis Urban League, and the African American Coalition of Indianapolis. IAAQLI was created in 2020 through a $100M grant to the National Urban League from Lilly Endowment Inc.
The awards follow intensive community conversations and analysis of the most critical issues impacting the quality of life for African Americans within Indianapolis /Marion County. The focus of funding is to help non-profit organizations implement IAAQLI’s goal, which is to support effective programs, policies and ventures that will make measurable improvements in the daily lives of African Americans. The National Urban League awarded grants to organizations whose programs, services, and advocacy will address historic inequities existing within Indianapolis’ Black communities. “As a place-based racial equity initiative, this is a historic opportunity that comes with a sound commitment to make a change and eliminate longstanding education, economic and social disparities for African Americans in Indianapolis/Marion County”, said National Urban League President, Marc Morial.
“For the past two years, the IAAQLI team has spent countless hours listening to the concerns of our African American community,” said Indianapolis Urban League President and CEO Tony Mason. “This first round of funding will provide a wide range of organizations with the resources to create and implement sustainable programming to address the issues our community has identified.”
“The time is now,” added African American Coalition of Indianapolis Chair Willis Bright. “This is just the first of many steps the IAAQLI is committed to taking as we strive to eliminate disparities and conditions created by decades of systemic racism. We encourage the entire community to follow our progress and to invest in organizations such as those we are funding and others working daily to eliminate disparities in health, education, and other areas, and stay tuned for the announcement for our second round of funding this fall.”
To learn more about the Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative and review a complete project listing along with descriptions visit www.iaaqli.org.
Listen to the live announcement on Tuesday, August 1, 2022, with remarks from National Urban League President and CEO Mark H. Morial, President and CEO of the Indianapolis Urban League, Tony Mason, and grant initiative leadership.
Grants in the first round of funding are to the following organizations:
Category: Technical Skill Development & Employability
Flanner House of Indianapolis $250,000
Martin University $250,000
Community Alliance of the Far East Side (CAFÉ) $250,000
Edna Martin Christian Center (EMCC) $250,000
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) $250,000
Fathers and Families Resource Research Center, Inc. $250,000
Ivy Tech Foundation $250,000
Category: Health & Wellness: Food Justice and Quality Options
Center of Wellness for Urban Women $285,276
Felege Hiywot Center, Inc. $300,000
Flanner House of Indianapolis $300,000
Kheprw Institute $300,000
Business & Entrepreneurship: Capacity Building
Indiana Black Expo $300,000
Indy Black Chamber of Commerce $500,000
Kheprw Institute $500,000
She Event Indy, Co. $250,000
Northwest Vision Development Center $150,000
Business & Entrepreneurship: Equity
Edna Martin Christian Center $500,000
GangGang $333,800
Indiana Black Expo $200,000
Indy Black Chamber of Commerce $500,000
Flagship Enterprise Capital $500,000
Intend Indiana $500,000
Education: Professional Development
Children’s Policy & Law Initiative of Indiana $300,000
Indiana Council on Educating Students of Color $382,206
Indiana Black Expo $50,000
Eclectic Soul VOICES Corporation $170,100
Teach Plus Incorporated $400,000
Education: Professional Development & Recruitment/Retaining Teachers & Early Childhood
A Learning Bee STEM PreK Academy $200,000
Judah Ministries $400,000
New Beginnings of Indianapolis $236,379
SBC Development Corporation/Purpose of Life Academy $400,000
Education: Professional Development & Recruitment/Retaining Teachers
Educate ME Foundation, INC. $399,211
MSD of Washington Township Schools $230,000
MelanatED Leaders $60,000
Education: Recruitment and Retaining Teachers of Color
Indiana Black Expo $200,000
Teach for America Indianapolis $40,000
Indiana University Foundation $400,000
Education: Early Childhood Education
Martin University $400,000
Housing and Homeownership & Economic Mobility
Community Action of Greater Indianapolis $500,000
NeighborLink Indianapolis Foundation, Inc. $500,000
United Northeast Community Development Corporation $500,000
Housing and Homeownership: Racial Equity & Housing Development
Eastern Star Church Jewel Human Services Corporation $1,000,000
BUILD (Believers United in Local Development) CBDO $752,000
Westside Community Development Corporation $850,000
Martindale Brightwood Community Development Corporation $800,000
Intend Indiana $126,600
United Northeast Community Development Corporation $500,000
Flanner House of Indianapolis $1,000,000
IFF $1,000,000
Kheprw Institute $1,000,000
Pathway Resource Center, Inc. $1,000,000
Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership $1,000,000
About the National Urban League
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. The National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its 92 local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research, and advocacy, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people annually nationwide.
About the Indianapolis Urban League
The mission of the Indianapolis Urban League is to empower African Americans and disadvantaged individuals to achieve social and economic equality and improved quality of living through programs, services, and advocacy in education, workforce development, entrepreneurship, health, and housing.
About the African American Coalition of Indianapolis
The African American Coalition of Indianapolis (AACI) is a non-partisan collaboration of African-American civic, social, professional, service, and community organizations with a goal to educate and engage African Americans in the local, state and national political process.