The Government Alliance on Race and Equity is pleased to announce the first three recipients of the new Innovation and Implementation Fund. This Fund provides a flexible resource for local governments who are GARE Core Members to seed projects that are focused on eliminating structural racism. Funded projects work across institutions and further partnerships with communities. The Fund rewards the taking of risks and experimentation to try things that have the potential to influence systems. GARE appreciates the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The California Endowment, and The San Francisco Foundation for their investments in the fund. The following 3 cities have been awarded our Innovation and Implementation Fund in this current round:
Austin, TX:
This project is an effort by the City of Austin planning department, equity office and various community-based organizations. The project objective is to be responsive to community’s critique that the current draft of Austin’s land use code review, CodeNEXT, will exacerbate gentrification. It includes training for staff together with community members about Austin’s history of systemic racism, why a racial equity focus is critical, and the use of an equity tool. Austin Planning also proposes to do logic models for each of the plan’s 25 recommendations to look for potential disparate outcomes. This will inform the final draft of CodeNEXT that goes forward for approval.
Fairfax County, VA:
In late 2017, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the School Board jointly adopted a racial and social equity policy, “One Fairfax.” One Fairfax will guide both policy and service delivery. This project builds capacity in Leadership Fairfax, a leadership development non-profit to work through its alumni network and community to develop implementation recommendations that operationalize One Fairfax. It includes outreach, visioningand goal setting with community.
Michigan:
Leverages Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation work in Kalamazoo and brings the City of Kalamazoo andthe Michigan Department of Civil Rights together with community to develop and adopt a racial equity framework for the City of Kalamazoo. Their project brings together the City, philanthropy, faith leadership andfair housing advocates to develop this framework, explore strategies and ultimately apply this to the Consolidated Plan through the City’s Assessment of Fair Housing.
GARE’s next request for grant proposals will be released in late spring/early summer 2018!