Running Head: Analysis of the Black Belt Community Foundation

Analysis of Black Belt Community Foundation
Kenesia T. Cade
Week 6: Analysis of a Foundation Assignment
February 16, 2014

The Black Belt Community Foundation is headquartered in Selma, AL and provides scholarship and grant services to the counties of the Blackbelt Region of Alabama, in which the foundation services 12 counties: Bullock, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, and Wilcox (Black Belt Foundation, 2014). The information for this organization may be found at the following website: http://blackbeltfound.org/. The mission of the foundation states:
The Black Belt Community Foundation’s mission it to forge a collective stream of giving – transforming our 12-county region and connecting those interested in having an impact in our area with the nonprofits that are making a difference today. Founded in 2005 with the idea that those living and working in the Black Belt best knew the area’s challenges and opportunities, the Black Belt Community Foundation actively puts needed resources into the region to make a lasting impact. (Black Belt Foundation, 2013)
The organization has two types of grant funding programs: the Community Grants and the Black Belt Art Initiative (BBAI) Grants. The Black Belt Community Foundation provides services to nonprofit organizations within the 12 county region, but the organization does not provide services to individuals, fundraising drives, political organizations, school systems, tickets for benefits, lobbying activities, or scholarship or endowment funds. The Community Grants awards are available for, but not limited to, projects addressing the following areas:
Civic (empower the citizens to provide needed services, i.e., fire departments, libraries, etc.)
Community and Economic Development (offer economic opportunities and/or improve social conditions)
Education (provide additional instructional resources and activities)
Environment (protect, preserve, and/or enhance natural resources)
Health Services (offer resources, educate, and address health needs)
Youth Development (focus on youth enrichment, leadership and exposure)
Other areas benefiting the community (community organizing or organizational development) (Black Belt Foundation, 2013).
The Black Belt Art Initiative grant awards are available for projects addressing the following areas:
Visual Arts (drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, etc.)
Performing Arts (dance, theatre, music, etc.)
Literary Arts (creative writing, storytelling, literature appreciation, etc.)
Traditional Arts (quilting, pottery, folk or traditional music, etc.)
Cultural History (cultural research, interpretation, appreciation, etc.)
Interdisciplinary Arts (primary focus on a combination of arts categories, i.e. festivals, etc.)
Other Areas of Fine or Traditional Arts that coincide with the goals of the BBAI (Black Belt Foundation, 2013).
BBCF only provides grants to the organizations that have attended the various Grant Seeker workshops and completed an application by the specified deadlines. The awards programs for the various grants are held in June and September of each year. The Community Grant awards range from $500-$3000, and the BBAI grant awards also range from