Support Black Nonprofits on Juneteenth and Beyond
Considered the “longest-running African-American holiday,” Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. On June 19—and throughout the year—we encourage you to celebrate and support Black-led and Black-benefitting organizations in their work to improve our region.
Click here to view a directory of Black-led and Black-benefitting nonprofits.
Research shows that, though making up around 10% of nonprofit leadership in the U.S., Black and Latinx nonprofit leaders only receive 4% of philanthropic funding (The Bridgespan Group, 2020).* A recent study by Echoing Green and the Bridgespan Group shows that the funding received by BIPOC led nonprofits is smaller and more likely to be restricted than that received by white-led organizations.
Despite disproportionately low funding, local organizations continue to create widespread positive change in our region. The following organizations are some of many Black-led and Black-benefitting organizations operating locally.
Girlz 4 Life founded in 2023, won this year’s Give STL Day BILPOC Leadership Prize. Girlz 4 Life hosts free workshops each month to help girls learn critical life skills not taught in schools—promoting confidence, leadership, and resilience. With a longer institutional history, The Griot Museum of Black History is a premier resource for Black history and culture in the Midwest, and the first cultural institution in St. Louis solely dedicated to the broad scope of Black History.
On the other side of the Mississippi River, Join Hands ESL seeks to build personal relationships and walk in solidarity with the children and families of greater East St. Louis through youth programming, education advocacy, and mentoring programs. Preston Community Garden works to ensure that East St. Louis residents have access to fresh produce, focusing on “neighborhood cohesion through cultivating.”
Frizzy By Nature‘s mission is to encourage self-love and inspire confidence among women of color. The nonprofit’s annual natural beauty festival, Frizz Fest (pictured at top), provides a space for women of color to feel safe and empowered with their natural hair. Archway (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated is committed to addressing the health disparities Black Americans face targeted programming and collaborative partnerships, including health symposiums, health screenings, and webinars. These are just a few examples of the Black-led and Black-benefitting organizations that are working every day to make our region more vibrant.
Find More Organizations
We have compiled a broad (though not comprehensive) directory of nonprofits that the St. Louis Community Foundation has supported through Give STL Day, the Black Communities Investment Initiative, the Brighter Communities Fund, fundholder grant recommendations, or other activities.
Click here to view the directory.
We are committed to supporting these and other black-led nonprofit organizations. Please contact Elizabeth George, Director of Community Investment, at grants@stlgives.org or 314-880-4956 for more information or to add your organization to this list.
Donors who have a fund at the St. Louis Community Foundation can make a grant recommendation via Fund Central or by contacting their relationship manager.
Last updated: June 7, 2024.
