The California Black Freedom Fund
In 2023, SCG supported the California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF) in support of furthering investments in the resiliency of Black led and/or Black serving organizations in the state. The CBFF is a five-year initiative that would allocate over $100 million into Black power-building and sustain movement organizations in eradicating systemic and institutional racism in California. This fund originated from prominent Black leaders and organizers in conjunction with funders from the Executive Roundtable in Philanthropy and Equity, a group of 16 foundation leaders in California. Investing in and supporting CBFF would accelerate and expand how California can provide critical support to the ecosystem of Black-led and serving organizations by: bolstering the strength of connected networks and grassroots organizations with regrants, building organizational infrastructure for an independent Black operating and serving foundation, and providing seed funding for an endowment to the Black Freedom Fund. Through its partner networks and independently, CBFF would support over 100 unique organizations operating across a variety of issues, geographies, and demographics.
Why it Matters
California has the fifth largest Black population in the country, yet Black people in California continue to experience the highest rates of health inequities, incarceration, policing, unemployment, and gaps in home ownership. Housing policies like redlining that have defined where people can live in federal, state, and local politics continue to segregate Black communities and their agency in democracy, education, employment, and building economic power. While funding and support to combat these inequities are scarce, California can lead the way in building infrastructure and the capacity of Black-led organizations. With the recent Supreme Court decision to reverse affirmative action and conservatives attacking the right to prioritize and fund Black-owned organizations, is it more important than ever that we stand in solidarity with and support Black-led and Black-serving organizations.
SCG is committed to thoughtfully incorporating a racial equity and social justice lens into every area of our work. This lens guides us in understanding our systems, their history, and how they impact specific groups and individuals. We believe that looking squarely at access to resources, power, and privilege is the only way to address the inequities that exist in our personal lives, communities, and country. We believe diversity, inclusion, and cultural agility are the outcomes of a more equitable and just society. The public sector has a critical role to play in moving the needle for California to invest in resources to tackle systemic racism across California and ensure that all people in the Golden State have the opportunity for a just life.