Empowering the Work

Our most vulnerable neighbors continue to experience the devastating impact of racial injustice while being disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not only our duty to help, we are called to lead.

Greater Cincinnati Foundation’s (GCF) Empowering Communities Annual Fund enables us to address two priorities in our region: affordable housing and racial equity. From hosting the Racial Equity Matters series to convening key players for the Housing Our Future initiative, we serve as a community leader, bringing the right partners together to exchange knowledge, share stories, develop strategies and inspire change.

Just as the Empowering Communities Annual Fund advances our mission, we are working to provide resources to nonprofits who are committed to making our region better for all who live here. As an outcome of our community leadership work, we awarded our most recent grants to:

• Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME): Families with children who are at risk of eviction now have more direct financial support and benefit from education outreach.
• LISC Greater Cincinnati: Lead organizations in the seven Place Matters communities have better operating and programmatic support.
• Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber: We championed community engagement around Issue 7, which, upon passing this year, will expand Metro public transportation services across Hamilton County and ensure more residents in need have access to jobs, healthcare and education.
• Home Ownership Center (HOC): The organization’s predominantly female customer base, who have limited income, will benefit from Pathways to Economic Participation, which helps them overcome their economic barriers.
• Connect Our Students: School-aged children around the region have access to low-cost internet connectivity from Cincinnati Bell – a necessity as the pandemic forces many districts to rely on remote learning at least partly.