Unrestricted $500,000 grant will enable HFSF to accelerate its work with leading local institutions to collectively leverage their hiring and spending power for the benefit of underserved communities.
MIAMI, December 13, 2021 —
The Health Foundation of South Florida, the region’s largest philanthropic organization focused on achieving health equity in historically disadvantaged communities, was selected by Citi Foundation as a recipient of the Community Progress Makers initiative, which supports visionary organizations across the U.S. that are working to connect low-income communities and communities of color to greater social and economic opportunity. As a Community Progress Maker, the Health Foundation will receive a multi-year, unrestricted grant of $500,000 and access to technical assistance and a supportive learning community from 2022 to 2023.
Through Citi Foundation’s support, the Health Foundation will continue its work engaging more than 20 anchor institutions across healthcare, education and local government to collectively build a more just and inclusive regional economy. The group—called the South Florida Anchor Alliance—focuses on developing more local hiring initiatives and programs as well as purchasing practices that engage local, small businesses. The Health Foundation plans to further invest in the Alliance’s capacity to support the implementation strategic initiatives in 2022.
“At the Health Foundation, we have long focused on the racial and economic inequities that threaten our collective wellness and health. It was precisely that focus that drove us to convene the Anchor Alliance,” said Loreen Chant, President and CEO of the Health Foundation of South Florida. “We are beyond grateful to the Citi Foundation for selecting us as a 2021 Community Progress Maker. In doing so, they not only provide the resources needed to continue such impactful work, but also validation of our efforts and approach, underscoring the pivotal role local leaders and institutions play in achieving racial equity in the communities we serve.”
The newest cohort of Community Progress Makers includes 50 leading nonprofit organizations selected through a competitive Request for Proposals process, with a strong track record of supporting underserved communities across six U.S. cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, D.C. The Citi Foundation will provide a supportive learning community through which grantees can connect to share best practices and strengthen their work as social change agents. Technical assistance will also be provided by the Urban Institute to help measure the cohort’s impact and progress.
“Six years ago, the Citi Foundation launched Community Progress Makers with a vision of empowering community leaders to grow their transformative impact through unrestricted, trust-based funding,” said Brandee McHale, Head of Community Investing and Development and President of the Citi Foundation. “This kind of approach and support is more important than ever as the U.S. continues to address the root causes and impacts of income and wealth inequality. Through the Community Progress Makers initiative, these social innovators and advocates can continue to look for new ways of addressing long-standing societal challenges at scale.”
From 2015 to 2019, the Citi Foundation has provided $40 million in multi-year, unrestricted funding to 72 Community Progress Makers, helping to place over 45,000 people in affordable housing, train over 33,000 people for employment, save over $10 million in energy costs, and expand over 12,000 small businesses.
Below is a list of all South Florida 2021 Community Progress Makers:
aire ventures
Community Justice Project
Health Foundation of South Florida
Miami Workers Center
Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida
Solar and Energy Loan Fund, Inc. (SELF)
YWCA of Greater Miami Dade
For more information about Community Progress Makers, please visit: www.citifoundation.com/cpm
ABOUT HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA
The mission of Health Foundation of South Florida is to invest in and be a catalyst for collaborations and policy and systems changes that improve the health of South Florida communities, with a focus on vulnerable, low to moderate-income populations. Established in 1993, the foundation has awarded more than $131 million to nonprofits that provide programs and services in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. For more information, visit www.hfsf.org or follow us on Twitter @HealthSFL.
ABOUT THE CITI FOUNDATION
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.
