Our Connections Remain Strong, Purposeful

In this time of social distancing, Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) continues to prioritize our mission of connecting people with purpose. While we cannot currently meet in our Haile Community Hub, we are determined – now more than ever – to be here for you in meaningful, interactive ways. As we move forward with a post-pandemic vision, together we can build a stronger, more equitable community which works for everyone.

Thanks to the connective power of technology, we’ve scheduled virtual meetings covering a variety of important racial equity issues and topics:

  • GCF’s NEXT Fund engages, empowers and mobilizes future generations of generosity through our quarterly NEXT Up event series. On June 23 we welcomed four African American leaders from organizations on the front lines for a rich panel discussion on the Cradle-to-Career pipeline against the backdrop of Covid-19, capitalism and racism. To watch the recorded call click here; the discussion starts at 7:36. Stay tuned for future NEXT programs as we navigate the pandemic landscape while seeking creative solutions in the quest for a more equitable community. Learn more about NEXT, including the GCF NEXT Giving Circle, here.
  • The All-In Cincinnati Coalition is working to deepen and amplify local and regional efforts to build equitable neighborhoods where everyone can thrive. All-In Equity Coalition meetings are open to all. This month’s virtual meeting highlighted the draft committee strategic plan for health equity and economic security in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The COVID-19 policy platform is being developed in partnership with Human Impact Partners, a national health research and policy organization. All-In Cincinnati’s next meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 27. Registration and program information can be found here.
  • GCF’s 2020 Racial Equity Matters trainings, presented by bi3, resumed this month with a full-capacity virtual Groundwater session conducted by the Racial Equity Institute. Groundwater is a three-hour, stand-alone introduction to racial equity that uses stories and data to illustrate the structural and cross-sector nature of racism. We will be scheduling additional sessions later in the year; visit www.gcfdn.org/rem for updates.
  • In support of GCF’s Affordable Housing Impact Investment Pool (AHIIP) and the recently-released Community-Wide Housing Study, “Housing Our Future,” GCF is working with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Cincinnati and Community Building Institute (CBI) to present a series of educational webinars this summer. GCF helped fund the convening of the broad coalition of stakeholders who developed this Strategy for Hamilton County, which was published by LISC. The webinars, to be announced soon, will address various components of the affordable housing issue, such as evictions and cost burdens. Stay tuned for announcements about upcoming webinar dates and topics.