Over the course of the pandemic, we’ve been working hard getting grant funding into the community to support our city’s black-owned organizations that are suffering due to COVID-19 impacts.
We asked them to tell us how they are using the money and what impact the support has had. Here’s what they told us:
Black Archives of Mid-America, Kansas City, Missouri (Awarded $10,000)
The Black Archives wants you and your organization to know how very appreciative we are for the grant award from the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. The money has allowed us to continue operating, even with our severely reduced income streams – visitors, facilities rentals and community events. Your support of the Black Archives is deeply appreciated. Please know that you are an amazing community partner. We want to reciprocate and be a good partner to EDC. Please call on us anytime.
Dr. Carmaletta M. Williams, Executive Director
Delta Educational and Economic Development Foundation, Kansas City, Missouri (DEED) (Awarded $10,000)
“The “$10,000 grant from the EDCKC was a critical lifeline for the DEED Foundation, and it came at just the right time. We had lost more than $20,000 in event rental revenue since the COVID pandemic and were unable to do routine maintenance and repairs to keep our 107 year-old Delta Athenaeum building in good shape. The grant allowed us to make plumbing repairs and restore a historic stained-glass window that was leaking cold air. We were also able to stay current on utility bills during that difficult period when our revenue sources had shut down.”
Lisa Hardwick, DEED President
Friends of Alvin Ailey, Kansas City, Missouri (Awarded $10,000)
“Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey is incredibly grateful for the grant we received from the EDC. The funding ensured that we had the staffing and operational support to provide virtual Arts education programs for underserved youth in Kansas City, community-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives, and conduct essential fund-raising and business operations during this pandemic.”
Melanie Miller, Chief Executive Officer
Friends of Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center (Awarded $10,000)
“The grant that EDCKC awarded the Friends of Bruce R. Watkins was a lifeline in the midst of this devastating pandemic. In the interest of public safety, we were closed to the general public and unable to have in-person programs or events. The money we were awarded has helped us to implement virtual programs and to use this time to develop a strategic plan for our reopening. We are re-envisioning how our cultural center can uplift the community with robust education and public programs and compelling exhibits that will focus on civic engagement, social justice, and economic empowerment.”
Glenn North, Executive Director
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kansas City, Missouri (Awarded $10,000)
“On behalf of our team at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and our Board of Directors, I would like to thank the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City enough for its generosity. The grant provided much-needed operational support that helped offset the loss of admissions the museum experienced as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic,” said NLBM
Bob Kendrick, President
HELP (KC) (Awarded $10,000)
“The Help(KC) was in need of Help, and Help came by way of the EDCKC Grant Award. Because of the grant received, our Basic Needs program was funded for an additional two months. Both The Help(KC) and the women we serve are truly grateful.”
Candance Wesson, Founder/Executive Director
Generating Income for Tomorrow (G.I.F.T.) (Awarded $10,000)
The grant will help us to continue to provide grants to Black businesses in our urban core as well as providing business coaching and accounting services to those grantees. We truly, Truly! Appreciate all the help and support we’ve gotten from the EDC.
Brandon Calloway | Executive Director & Co-Founder
Soulcentricitea (Awarded $5,000)
The grant from the EDCKC will all be used for our community organizing fund. We currently have two community organizing projects we are working on. One is a youth internship program. Youth in the internship will learn about Social Entrepreneurship and create their own social business plan to address the issues they see in their community. They will participate in a peace building training and also receive Barista training and Food Handlers Permits to get them work ready. The second project is a Black Troost Business Association to address the effects of gentrification along Troost on Black Businesses. We will also be holding a listening session to understand the needs of black businesses along Troost or black businesses who are interested in moving to Troost to understand how a Troost Black Business Association can be responsive to their needs. I’m just excited to have this funding to get things started.
Shaunika Cotton, Owner
Prospect Business Association (Awarded $5,000)
The Grant award will support Prospect Business Association as we provide accounting support to those businesses seeking technical assistance with the PPP Loan process. We are extremely appreciative of all EDC does to not only support PBA but the over 180+ members, as well as all of the businesses we serve throughout Kansas City.
Simone Curls, Executive Director