Kitsap Racial Equity and Empowerment Fund (KREEF) has awarded $107,500 to Kitsap County based nonprofits and fiscally sponsored projects who are Black-led and/or serve the Black community, as well as other communities of color.

“It is important to dismantle the long-held myth that Black folks and other people of color are not ‘the givers’ and are only ‘the recipients’ [of philanthropy]” said KREEF Steering Committee member Vicki Collins. “We at KREEF are leading the charge in pulling down the mistaken notion that philanthropy does not exist in the Black community and at the same time challenging traditional philanthropy and grant-making.

“What we know is nonprofit organizations led by BIPOC directors are often overlooked when it comes to receiving funding dollars in comparison to nonprofit organizations that are led by white directors. We want to move past that traditional construct and provide an opportunity for BIPOC-led and BIPOC benefiting nonprofits to be funded in a more equitable way.”

Grants were awarded to support local programs with general operating expenses. Awardees include: DocLuvTheKids, House of Hope, House of Refuge Outreach Ministries, Living Life Leadership, Love Me For Me, New Life Community Development Agency (The Marvin Williams Community and Recreational Center), OurGems, Partnering For Youth Achievement, Voices of Pacific Island Nations, NAACP Bremerton Branch -Unit 1134, New Day Ministry and Up From Slavery Initiative.

KREEF’s latest round of grant funding is drawn from $100,000 received from the All In WA grant, as well as individual donations given from community members throughout Kitsap.

“What we understand is when it benefits the Black community it will in turn benefit other marginalized communities of color. We will see to it, we always have, and we always will.” Collins said.

This is the second round of funding offered by KREEF, which awarded $10,000 in grants in fall of 2020, just a few months after its inception.