Based on BMe Community’s Black L.O.V.E. agenda, the Black L.O.V.E. (Live. Own. Vote. Excel.) Philanthropic Partnership utilizes strategic guidance and leadership of Black leaders and philanthropic partners. The partnership structure provides a collaborative opportunity to pool philanthropic resources and collective thought leadership to invest in the seven core focus areas recommended by the Black Social Change Funders Network:

  • Civic Engagement & Political Power
  • Organizing & People Power
  • Policy Advocacy & System Reform
  • Economic Development & Economic Power
  • Research & Intellectual Power
  • Communications/Narrative & Social Power
  • Leadership Development & Strategic Convenings

 

Mission:

The Black L.O.V.E. Philanthropic Partnership seeks to advance a culture of philanthropy rooted in generosity, justice, and shared accountability.

 

Vision:

The Black L.O.V.E. Philanthropic Partnership (BLPP) envisions a philanthropic culture that attacks the roots of systemic inequality powered by the expertise and leadership of impacted people and communities.

 

Core Values:

  • Justice

  • Generosity

  • Shared Accountability

  • Asset-Framing

  • Humanity

The community-driven processes of the Black L.O.V.E. Philanthropic Partnership are essential for driving impact and designing effective philanthropic strategies that are more responsive to the needs of the Black community in the Greater Louisville region.

Black L.O.V.E partner spotlights:

BLPP priorities are as follows:

Live: Access to affordable and healthy food, equitable justice, safe and efficient transportation, health and human services, parks and green spaces.
Own: Affordable, safe housing and home ownership, public safety, economic development.
Vote: Increase of Black voter registration and turnout.
Excel: Equitable access to quality education, living wages, job training and strong neighborhoods.

Funded partners across MUW’s seven-county region received a total of $1 million over a two–year period in the first, initial round of investments in 2021. Based on the priorities outlined by Black L.O.V.E., the volunteer–led committee selected the following organizations (10 are brand new partners to MUW):

 

 

LIVE:

  • Joshua Community Connectors provides mental health therapy with weekly therapist sessions, weekly case manager interactions, job training through the Tech Louisville Program and the Kentucky Career Center in West Louisville, job security and placement assistance and housing advice and assistance.
  • MMHP works with community partners to provide mental health resources and education. It engages in public policy and advocacy to empower Black and Brown individuals, families, and communities in Louisville and its surrounding communities who have historically faced multiple barriers to accessibility, affordability, and availability of culturally-appropriate mental health practitioners.
  • 2Not1 Fatherhood & Families, Inc. promotes the safety and well-being of children by implementing strategies to keep fathers involved and families together.
  • Play Cousins Collective provides meaningful children's programming at community events and meetings to support an active citizenry where parents can organize and advocate for their families without experiencing the barrier of childcare.
  • Black CDC creates collaborative partnerships with faith-based groups, city and county government, the Federal Department of Labor and a host of agencies to increase the quality of life for our communities in West Louisville.
  • Somali Community of Louisville helps the more than 10,000 Somalis in Kentucky obtain necessary resources, services, information and skills needed to build productive and self-sufficient lives.

OWN:

  • The HJW Career and Financial Literacy Institute is an approved housing counseling agency and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to increase public awareness of nonprofit activities, improve the spiritual, physical and psychological well-being of local communities, and promote family strength, youth development and positive family growth.
  • For 57 years, CASI has supported and empowered individuals, families and communities to reach self-sufficiency, providing a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of vulnerable citizens while helping them achieve economic security.

VOTE:

  • Within the Shelbyville Area, the NAACP branch works to ensure political, educational, social and economic equality of the rights of all people with the aim to eliminate race-based discrimination.

EXCEL:

  • Built in 1891 for the education of African American children in Indiana, the Leora Brown school now stands as the oldest and only standing segregated school for African Americans in Indiana. Today, the space is an event hall and historic site open to the public, with a mission to rebuild a Black presence in surrounding neighborhoods.
  • AMPED hosts free music programs throughout Louisville at both schools and community centers, empowering young people and their families to work as a team and learn to express themselves effectively and productively as members of the local community and the world.
  • BrainSTEM University is an EdTech startup that provides online and in-person STEM education for students K-12, increasing STEM access and exposure to students, parents, schools and community organizations.
  • For more than 40 years the Center For Neighborhoods has cultivated grassroots leadership, provided leadership education, partnered with neighborhoods in community planning efforts, facilitated civic dialogue among stakeholders and actively participated in neighborhood-based development & improvement projects.
  • Decode Project’s mission is to eliminate inequities in education by fostering a diverse community of learners prepared to navigate the world. It provides training in evidence-based, multi-sensory structured information, teaching kids to read at grade-level proficiency, and developing a network of advocates to ensure all students have access to the necessary resources to become skilled readers.
  • MOLO Village CDC is a grassroots organization committed to engaging residents of the Russell Neighborhood, particularly from Beecher Terrace, in holistic approaches to community development.
  • Nativity Academy is an independent Catholic middle school that transforms the lives of students who have a commitment to achievement and whose families demonstrate financial need.
  • Roots 101 African American Museum promotes understanding and inspire appreciation of the achievement, contribution, and experiences of African Americans using exhibits, programs, and activities to illustrate African American history, culture and art.
  • Sowing Seeds with Faith is a Louisville-based private tutoring service, which uses a Village approach to provide the highest caliber of educational support to students of K-12 in every subject. Though Sowing Seeds with Faith particularly excels in math, reading comprehension and Black history, its team is committed to helping students achieve their academic goals no matter the subject.
  • Founded in 2012, The Pinwheel Group is a social justice behavioral health firm focused on removing the stigma around mental health and making mental health conversations more relevant with young Black men.

DONATE TO BLACK L.O.V.E.

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Questions?

Contact Metro United Way’s Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Trent Findley at trent.findley@metrounitedway.org for more information.

Email Trent

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