Verity Credit Union Announces Spring 2023 Microgrant Recipients
Program awards organizations whose work benefits historically underserved communities with grants of $2,500 - $5,000
Verity Credit Union, an $859 million asset financial institution in Seattle that focuses on socially-responsible, community-rooted banking, announced today the recipients of its Spring 2023 Microgrants. Winners include Black Arts Love, BRAVE, Project Feast, Native American Reentry Services, and South King County Discipline Coalition who all received $5,000 to support their communities.
Launched in 2017, Verity’s Microgrant Program provides unrestricted monetary support for organizations whose work benefits historically underserved communities within Washington State. To date, the program has supported 48 organizations with more than $100,000, focusing on those with limited access to traditional funding due to organizational size, age, or tax-exemption status.
Recently, Verity teamed up with nonprofit partners to deeply understand what’s needed in their communities. The feedback they received was implemented into the program, allocating funding to organizations instead of projects, enabling them to use the funds where they are most needed. Verity also emphasized funding BIPOC organizations that are less likely to receive corporate funding. As a result of these changes and a more robust promotion effort, Verity received 115 applications, five times the number from previous years.
“Our Microgrant Program is a critical part of our commitment to support and address systemic barriers that historically excluded communities face,” said Ziquora Banks, Chief Impact Strategy Officer. “We’re thrilled to see the growth in applications and pleased to be able to surprise our recipients by doubling the expected grant amount to $5,000. We can’t wait to see the impact on both the organization’s growth and success and benefits received by those individuals, groups and businesses they serve.”
Verity Credit Union’s Spring 2023 Microgrant recipients are:
Black Arts Love amplifies the presence of black creators, culture, and entrepreneurship to foster community engagement, facilitate healing processes, advance social justice, and ultimately recognize art as a transformative force. The Verity Microgrant will fund the organization’s new art gallery and marketplace. Black Arts Love Founder Malika Bennett says, “We are extremely grateful to Verity Credit Union for supporting our mission. This microgrant is very timely, helping us invest more in our new gallery, store, and community art space.”
BRAVE (Building Resilience Awareness & Variations of Excellence) is a youth development organization dedicated to promoting social justice and working closely with scholars from BIPOC communities. Their mission is to forge collaborative partnerships with BIPOC youth, supporting and empowering them throughout their transformative journeys of learning and personal growth. BRAVE’s funding is being used for upcoming community events. Founder and CEO of BRAVE Theresa Hardy shared “Verity makes the process smooth, removing barriers to receiving such critical funds. Knowing they care deeply about the mission and organizations being funded.”
Project Feast offers comprehensive culinary training programs for low-income immigrants and refugees, equipping them with the skills, hands-on experiences, and knowledge necessary to pursue successful careers or entrepreneurial ventures within the food industry. This grant will support Project Feast in reopening its esteemed café in Kent this summer. Venna Prasad, Founder of Project Feast, says, “This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with a community-based bank and become part of a community that allows us to spread the word about our work and mission.”
Native American Reentry Services (NARS) program assists Native American community members during incarceration and transition and reentry into the tribal communities. Its mission is to actively confront and overcome the barriers encountered by Native individuals during the reentry process, with a steadfast commitment to promoting their holistic community integration.
South King County Discipline Coalition’s (SKCDC) mission is to dismantle the systemic issue of disproportionate discipline faced by students of color and to effectively interrupt the harmful school-to-prison pipeline. Their approach centers around anti-racist organizing, leadership development, and advocacy strategies that prioritize the active involvement of parents and youth directly impacted by these challenges. The Verity Microgrant will be used towards a youth reading program. SKCDC board member Shereese Rhoades shares, “This means a lot to us, especially having the grant be unrestricted so we can allocate the funds towards what the community has been asking for.”
This year’s Microgrant Recipients benefitted from a doubling of the anticipated grant amount, which increased to $5,000 from $2,500. Verity’s Microgrant program prioritizes organizations with a total asset size of less than $250,000. The program accepts applicants on a rolling basis, announcing new recipients in the spring and fall of each year. Visit Verity Microgrant Program for more information.