Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Broward must be a place where all residents feel welcome, where we all have the opportunity to succeed. We know philanthropy can do more to help achieve long-overdue change.
To increase our efforts to champion social justice, the Community Foundation of Broward in 2020 launched a work plan focused on Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Why Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion matters to Broward
Injustice, bigotry and prejudice should have no place in our community. Everyone who calls Broward home should feel welcome and have a real opportunity to achieve success.
Heartbreaking events during the summer of 2020 brought renewed attention to injustices that have plagued our country — and our community — for generations. In addition, the health and economic repercussions of the pandemic shined a light on racial inequities that persist in Broward and beyond.
The Community Foundation of Broward is committed to providing local leadership to push for long-overdue changes. Support for Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion is one of the critical focus areas where we target our leadership and grantmaking to empower our community to reach its full potential.
Under our commitment to Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, the Community Foundation works to dismantle systems of racial inequality and social injustice to create a more equitable and inclusive community for all residents through systemic, sustainable and scalable change.
Solutions won’t come easy, but the Community Foundation isn’t new to tackling tough challenges. For nearly 40 years, we have partnered with our Fundholders to provide support that helps bridge economic, health, education and wealth gaps in our community.
We are far from finished. The Community Foundation is committed to shaping a brighter future for everyone in Broward.
Our goals
The Community Foundation is committed to dismantling systems of racial inequality and social injustice to create a more equitable and inclusive community for all residents through systemic, sustainable and scalable change.
In 2022, to bolster our efforts and guide our way forward, we formed a task force of Board members, former Board members and our staff to create a Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement.
Our Growing Impact
The Community Foundation treasures diversity, stands for equity and fosters inclusion within our organization and across our community.
Our leadership, grantmaking and innovative collaborations help break down barriers and empower Broward residents to overcome bias and injustice.
Here are 10 examples of the Community Foundation’s impact for Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion:
- Awarded nearly $1 million in arts and social justice grants to support communitywide opportunities for the arts to deepen knowledge, promote dialogue and encourage positive change in Broward.
- Collaborated with Our Fund Foundation to provide $400,000 in critical support to foster social justice and racial equity for LGBTQ residents.
- Teamed with the Broward Workshop, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and other local partners to broaden access to training sessions about systemic racism and implicit bias.
- Provided support for “Rainbow Justice” – legal help that LGBTQ residents can use to overcome obstacles to health care, housing and other necessities.
- Launched the $1 million BE BOLD Prize – a grant for the most innovative proposal to boost local employment, with an emphasis on residents of color who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic’s economic repercussions.
- Created the South Broward County Health Hub – a collaboration to empower residents of underserved communities to access health care, healthy food and opportunities for physical activity.
- Expanded LGBTQ access to health care with medical care for the uninsured as well as better training for medical care providers through grants targeted at addressing inequities exposed by the pandemic.
- Championed efforts for critical local facilities – including hospitals, government agencies and the Museum of Discovery and Science – to boost LGBTQ inclusion and outreach, with support from Community Foundation grants.
- Established new college scholarships to further the mission of Broward civil rights icon W. George Allen.
- Supported the Anti-Defamation League’s “No Place For Hate” program, which helps Broward schools celebrate diversity and foster harmony.
Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement
The Community Foundation of Broward commits to unite our community around a greater appreciation of differences, understand historic and structural racism, cherish diversity, stand for equity, and foster inclusion across our community. We embrace the inherent worth and dignity of all people. Now is the time to uphold our shared humanity.
Philanthropy is a powerful tool to address social and economic inequities, and our mission compels us to use our resources to overcome them. We leverage social, philanthropic, and intellectual capital, to use our voice to further this critical work. Our leadership inspires public will, drives action to remove barriers, and ensures diverse representation that is reflective of our community. This work is a shared responsibility, and our strategic plan holds us accountable to treat racial justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion as a cornerstone of our efforts.
We strive for humility, transparency, and openness through collaborative relationships with our donors and nonprofit partners. By listening and learning, we adapt and define success together to achieve lasting change with those most impacted in our community. We approach our mission with courage and optimism. This requires sustained efforts to make our community better. Building collective hope, we aspire to create a vibrant community where all can thrive, feel connected and reach their full potential.
