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Source: Radio One Digital

A bold, new initiative, the Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) Arts Network and Fund, or BANF, welcomes eligible organizations and fiscally-sponsored artist collectives in Greater Houston’s Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern and other communities of color to apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.

This $2 million announcement represents BANF’s first round of funding, which will be awarded by the end of 2021 to eligible applicants across nine counties in the Greater Houston region, including Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller counties. BANF is currently a $12.4 million initiative that will provide funding over five years to BIPOC arts communities.

BANF was created to provide resources and networks that support the vibrant Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern and other communities of color of Greater Houston in fully displaying their power, values and traditions. Its goals are achieved through grant funding, advocacy, and community-building networking initiatives that revolutionize the local funding landscape, break down silos within the arts ecosystem, and welcome everyone to support and learn from BIPOC arts communities.

“This historic first round of funding is the beginning of a new story and a new way of how we recognize BIPOC arts communities inĀ Greater Houston,” Sixto Wagan, project director, BANF said. “Our BIPOC arts communities have demonstrated decades of leadership with work that has shaped this country’s culture and history despite being excluded from resources, funding streams, recognition and representation. In the face of that, Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern arts organizations and artists have thrived through systemic oppression and still stand in their power contributing as they always have to this country’s arts and culture narrative.”

This groundbreaking effort was born out of the Ford Foundation’s America’s Cultural Treasures initiative, which in September 2020 committed an unprecedented $156 million to support BIPOC arts communities across the country in response to the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The regional grantmaking initiative invested $35 million across seven regions, including Greater Houston, and invited local philanthropic partners to match funding in support of multi-year grant programs for cultural groups of color with exceptional regional or local significance.

Houston Endowment and the Ford Foundation led the way for BANF’s creation, equally donating $5 million, with additional generous contributions from The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Cullen Foundation, Kinder Foundation and The Powell Foundation.

BANF’s grant opportunity is open to BIPOC founded and led nonprofit organizations with arts and cultural programming, as well as fiscally-sponsored artist collectives who have a proven track record of work that benefits BIPOC communities. Applications will be accepted from September 21, 2021 through October 22, 2021 at 5 p.m. CST.

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BIPOC Arts Network And Fund Announces $2 Million Grants For Communities Of Color In HoustonĀ  was originally published on theboxhouston.com