By ARNOLD A. AUGUSTE, Publisher/Senior Editor
More than 100 Black community organizations will benefit from the first distribution of funds announced by The Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC). The announcement was made at a reception hosted by the Nia Centre for the Arts in their beautiful new building on Oakwood Avenue in the Little Jamaica neighbourhood in mid-May.
The FFBC, which was created in 2020, is a national, Black-led organization that was selected to administer the federal government’s $200 million “Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund dedicated to supporting Black-led, Black-focused and Black serving non-profit organizations and registered charities in Canada”.
At its event in May, the FFBC announced the disbursement of some $9 million through its Black Ideas Grant “which focuses on the diverse needs, self-determination and aspirations of Black communities”.
The grants, which are for one year, are split into three streams, the Core Stream ($40,000), the Catapult Stream ($100,000) and the Community Capital Stream ($250,000) to qualifying organizations. The FFBC states that further calls for proposals will be made annually.
The Philanthropic Endowment Fund was established by the federal Liberal government in recognition of the United Nations proclamation of the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015 to 2024). Earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “announced an extension until 2028 of the federal government’s efforts within the frameworks (of the Decade), to promote equality, empower Black Canadians and strengthen their leadership in business, social justice and community”. (The Canadian government has also indicated its intention to support calls for a second Decade.)
Three government ministers of colour have been at the forefront of this initiative: Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities; Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development.
In her address at the event, Khera said: “Through the Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund, we have created a sustainable source of funding for Black-led not-for-profit organizations, ensuring that they have the means to address their priorities.
“The recipients of this first call for proposals will help in our fight against anti-Black racism and in improving the social and economic outcomes of Black communities across the country.”
Added Ien: “We know that anti-Black racism and systemic inequality have intergenerational effects on Black communities across Canada. Through (the Fund), we will ensure Black-led organizations in Canada have the resources to tackle historical and systemic challenges faced by the community.
“This initiative is about empowering and uplifting Black communities to shape their future and continue their vital contributions to Canada.”
Hussen, who was out of the country, addressed the audience on video.
This was part of the largest, most comprehensive and most impactful series of investments that have ever been made by any Canadian government in the Black community.
I deliberately mentioned that the ministers leading this initiative were people of colour. It showed the value of having representation at the table where decisions are being made.
A comment from someone who was not part of the event but who was impressed with what we had just experienced caught my attention: “The government changes and all this goes away,” he said.
Black Canadians are no different from any other Canadians. The things that worry them also worry us: the economy, the environment, the spiraling cost of housing, the increasing unavailability of affordable rental accommodation.
Then there is anti-Black racism and all that this means to the upward mobility of Black Canadians.
So, let me get political here for a moment. There is a tendency among voters to tire with political parties and their leaders who have been around for a while. Especially when we are not satisfied with how life is progressing for us. We might feel that giving someone else a chance to take the helm of government might change our fortunes. How bad could they be?
The current federal Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre is not the old Stephen Harper conservatives or the Joe Clark conservatives or the Brian Mulroney conservatives. Someone referred to Poilievre on social media recently as “an overtly antagonistic and frankly odious alternative…”
Ouch!
While they are doing very well in recent polling against the governing Liberals, there is a fear that they might be too far to the right. If that is true, where will that leave us as a minority community? Are they going to continue the programs aimed at fighting racism, for example?
I would not presume to tell anyone how they should vote except to say that we should be careful that we do not follow the crowd and act/vote against our own interests. What might be good for Alberta, for example, might not be good for us.
Here are some of the programs the Liberal government has funded since coming into office. This information has been gleaned from the government’s website.
- The Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative: $200 million to support projects that help Black-led, Black-focused and Black-serving charities and non-profits build their organizational capacity;
- The Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund: A $200 million fund that provides sustainable funding to Black charities and non-profits to fight anti-Black racism and improve social and economic outcomes;
- The Black Entrepreneurship Program: $265 million over four years to help Black Canadian business owners and entrepreneurs grow their businesses and succeed now and into the future;
- The Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund: $10 million to support Black Canadians to develop more culturally focused knowledge, capacity and programs to improve mental health in their communities;
- The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program (MARP): In recognition of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent, the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program (MARP) has included a new priority in its Events component, to celebrate events that recognize the history, culture, accomplishments, contributions and future of Black Canadians and their communities.The government figures show that some $860 million has been dedicated to improving the lives of Black Canadians. That’s not nothing.
None of this money has benefited us at Share because we do not accept government funding. But it benefits our community. And that’s what’s important.
Our community has been left behind for far too long while we were regaled with nice words from our political leaders. Now that those words are being met with action we have to pay attention. It would be in our best interest to ensure that this new attitude towards our community is nurtured and encouraged.
