St. Louis Community Foundation: Charitable Collaboration
Change happens when big ideas meet funding.
That idea speaks to the core mission of the 106-year old St. Louis Community Foundation as it continues to bring civic and community leaders, businesses in our region, and donors together to address regional challenges.
Foundation employees refer to this role for the organization as being a “community convener” — where stakeholders and funders can gather to discuss regional opportunities, explore ideas, and ultimately fund solutions that help the region. A few of the initiatives that have recently emerged from these efforts include:
- St. Louis Graduates — St. Louis Graduates is a collaborative network of K-12 and higher education providers, youth serving non-profit organizations, business and philanthropy organizations committed to eliminating equity gaps in postsecondary educational attainment for low-income students and Black students.
- Community Carryout Fund — Created by a Community Fund donor, Community Carryout offers grants to restaurants and caterers struggling during the pandemic so that they may keep their businesses open and employees on the payroll, while feeding citizens in the area with food insecurity.
- COVID-19 Response Efforts — As pandemic-related business shutdowns took hold across the region, two relief initiatives anchored by the St. Louis Community Foundation provided assistance to nonprofits serving the isolated and the vulnerable and short term financial assistance to bar, restaurant, and small business employees who lost their jobs. Combined, these efforts touched nearly 150,000 lives, thanks to the nearly $9 million raised by a coalition of donors, businesses, and foundations.
Finally, on May 6, from midnight to midnight, the Community Foundation will again rally St. Louisans to convene and support hundreds of the region’s nonprofits by visiting givestlday.org and giving. Presented by the Berges Family Foundation, and powered by the St. Louis Community Foundation, the event raised $4.5 million last year and has raised $17.5 million since its introduction in 2014.
Visit stlgives.org and find out more about the St. Louis Community Foundation, its donors, and the ongoing efforts to secure a vibrant St. Louis.
