Racial Equity Now & Later Fund
Common Good is Common Ground
The Community Foundation commits to do what we do best: mobilize generosity to address community needs. That’s why we – through the generosity of our Founding Donors – launched the Racial Equity Fund. This fund provides discretionary grant funding for local nonprofit organizations with programs and initiatives that create equitable opportunities across our region.
The Racial Equity Fund of Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville seeks to address equity gaps based on race in the following areas that affect the quality of life:
The Racial Equity Fund brings together a community of donors dedicated to advancing equity through strategic investments to expand opportunities to minority populations across our community so that all Greater Huntsville citizens have the opportunity to reach their highest potential.
The Racial Equity Fund is one of the collective impact funds in the “Now & Later” family of funds – an innovation of the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville that allows donors to give today with a focus on tomorrow.
This innovative approach leverages the power of connection by co-investing funds to position Greater Huntsville for a more equitable future.
“The Greater Huntsville community is continuing to grow, therefore we must continue to work collectively as a community to ensure that we are providing equitable access and opportunities to everyone who wants to be part of the success of our thriving community.”
– Gary T Whitley, Jr.
Racial Equity Fund Sustaining Donors
$50,000 - $99,999
- Meta*
- PGA Tour Inc.
$25,000 - $49,999
- Cadence Bank Community Reinvestment Fund*
- Google Fiber*
- h2O4CHRIST Foundation*
- Mike and Patty Lowe*
$10,000 - $24,999
- Ana and Jim Byrne *
- Centerstate/South State Bank*
- Drs. James and Violet Gilbert*
- Impact Assets
- Bob and Cindi Ludwig*
- Jim and Holly McCarty*
- Redstone Federal Credit Union*
- Andree Reeves*
- Sangeeta and Ashok Singhal*
- The Boeing Company*
- Torch Technologies*
- Vector Wealth Strategies*
- Wells Fargo Foundation*
- Frank Williams and Family*
- Yulista*
$5,000 - $9,999
- Adtran*
- Pam and Joe Alexander*
- Aruna and Amit Arora*
- Tommy and Eula Battle*
- Bridgeworth Community Fund*
- Cynthia Gay Brooks*
- J.R. and Kakki Brooks*
- City Of Madison*
- BG (R) Philip and Mrs. Sharlene Coker*
- Karren and Roger Crowson*
- Mike and Theresa Durboraw*
- ERC Helping Hands*
- Jim and Lynn Hudson*
- Huntsville Hospital Health Systems*
- KBR*
- Little Drummer Girl Fund*
- Lockheed Martin
- Larry and Amanda Lowe*
- Todd and Zara Lowry*
- Jean McCrady*
- Thomas and Anne Marie Reidy*
- Dianne and Jim Reynolds*
- Chris Russell and Sharon Doviet*
- Ryan Family Foundation*
- Woody, Myra and Sam Sanderson*
- Toyota Alabama*
- Richard and Wanda Tucker*
- Truist (previously BB&T)*
- Joe and Lynne Berry Vallely*
- The Widener Family Fund*
- Mariceli Ming Li Wu, Miguel Si Chiang Wu, Magali Rivera, and Ernie Wu*
$1,000 - $4,999
- Ability Plus*
- Bobby Bradley and Charley Burruss*
- Brown Precision, Inc.
- Julian and Betty Butler
- Dan and Donna DeFranco Clark
- Loni and Bryan Cleve
- Emmanuel: The Connection
- Torey and Gail Fisher
- Dr. Gregory Gum*
- Huntsville Committee of 100
- LSINC Corporation*
- Brenda M. Martin in Memory of W. Frank Martin
- Doug and Lauren Martinson*
- The Omega Select Investment Group and Other Omega Men*
- Raj and Kristin Prasad
- Charles and Debra Scruggs
- Tommy and Susan Siniard*
- Karen Stanley
- Synovus*
- Melissa and Tom Thompson*
- Hunter and Nancy Washington Vaughn*
- Vaughn Defense Services
- Womack & Associates, LLC
- Wendy Yang, Dr. Richard Myers, and Susannah Myers*
- Other Anonymous Donors
* Designates Founding Donor
FAQs
Who can donate?
Any member of our community can contribute to the Racial Equity Fund. When our community comes together to solve our most pressing problems, we are stronger and more impactful than any individual, company, or organization can be on its own.
How much should I donate?
Although all gifts are appreciated, donors who contribute at least $5,000 are invited to be listed as Sustaining Donors on the Racial Equity Fund webpage.
What assets can I donate?
The Community Foundation can accept not only cash and credit cards, but also non-cash gifts such as stocks and bonds. Assets such as real estate and other personal property may also be accepted, but are subject to Board approval.
How is my donation invested?
Fifty percent of your gift will be deployed in current year grantmaking. Fifty percent of your gift will be added to the Racial Equity Endowment. Each year, earnings from this fund are used to make grants addressing community needs. The principal of the fund will remain intact. In this way, your gift – and all future earnings from your gift and the gifts of others – will be a permanent source of community capital, helping to do good work forever.
What are the tax benefits of a donation to the Racial Equity Fund?
You receive the full tax benefits associated with your gift in the year your gift is made.
Who decides how grants are awarded?
The Racial Equity Fund Grants Committee will review all grant applications and make grant awards from the fund. This Grants Committee is comprised of a diverse group of community members with more than half of the members representing racial and ethnic minorities. It is critical that the groups being supported have a strong voice in the process and in the grants that are made.
If there are community needs, why create an endowment instead of spending all donations now?
Addressing systemic issues takes more than one grant cycle. An endowment provides a stable source of income to address these concerns of racial equity forever, and contributions to the Racial Equity Fund provide a lasting legacy for the donors who support it. The impact of these investments will continue to benefit the community long after the donations have been made. Additionally, our community is growing and changing each year, and the needs of tomorrow may be different from our needs today. The Racial Equity Fund will be here to meet the needs of the community both now and forever.
Can I make an honorary or memorial gift?
An honorary or memorial donation to the Racial Equity Fund is a perfect way to honor those who were committed to creating a better community for all of us.
Karen Stanley
Karen Stanley’s family has deep roots in the Huntsville community. Stanley Construction Company, which has received national, state, and local acclaim, has operated in North
Nancy Washington Vaughn
Nancy Washington Vaughn and her family firmly believe in the power of generosity to createpositive change. Their current giving priority is to donate annually to