Established in 2023, the Black Giving Collective Fund is an endowment fund created to invest in and unleash the power of Black-led and Black-serving organizations to transform the generational health, wealth and well-being of the Black community.
In 2022, a committee of Akron Community Foundation board members and affiliate fund board members, including Tracy Carter, Theresa Carter, Carla Chapman, Bennett Gaines, Kendra Philon and Dr. Rachel Talton, began meeting to determine next steps for the initiative, which resulted in conducting listening sessions with nearly 150 Black community members to learn what philanthropy means to them.
Based on the key findings from these sessions, the fund was officially established on August 28, 2023 with an initial $50,000 gift from Akron Community Foundation. The foundation also offered a $50,000 matching gift if the fund could raise that amount by March 31, 2024. The fund exceeded its match and, to date, has more than $200,000 in assets. The inaugural board members have been identified and are currently developing more specific funding priorities and next steps for the fund.
One of the first initiatives the advisory board championed is bringing The Soul of Philanthropy national touring exhibit to the Akron Art Museum in Fall 2025. This coveted national touring exhibit is an inspiring showcase that delves into the rich history and impactful stories of Black philanthropy. In addition to the national exhibit, local philanthropists will be honored and included in the exhibit at the museum.
A nomination process closed in February for The Soul of Philanthropy Akron Awards, a new award series will honor local philanthropists who have impacted the Black community in Summit County in eight different categories, including Impact Philanthropist, Outstanding Youth Philanthropist, Philanthropist of the Year and more. Recipients will be announced in late Spring/early Summer 2025.
This fund will forever benefit the Black community in Greater Akron.
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Help Grow the Fund
Advisory Board
Advisory board members serve without pay to help the fund impact Greater Akron's Black community.
Tracy Carter, chair
Founding Member System Director, Government Affairs and Health Policy, Summa Health
Theresa Carter
Founding Member, The Sojourner Truth Statue Committee President, Synthomer Foundation
Dr. Carla Chapman
Founding Member Chief Diversity Officer, Akron Public Schools
Kendra Philon
Founding Member Vice President, Assurance Services Group, Meaden & Moore
Dr. Rachel Talton
Founding Member CEO, Synergy International Limited, Inc.
Bryson Davis
CEO, The Akron Leadership Foundation | Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminal and Restorative Justice, Malone University | Pastor, The Front Porch Fellowship
Lashawrida Fellows
Deputy Director of Human Resources, City of Akron
Latoya Harris
Cultural Engagement Officer, County of Summit
Chelsea James
Qualitative Risk Analyst, KeyBank
Henry Johnson Jr.
Senior Program Manager, Leadership Akron
Daniel Kamwesa
Executive Director, The Vincent House
Rica Keith
Coordinator, Family Resource Center, United Way of Summit & Medina
Karla McDay, MSW-LISW-S
Executive Director, Harmony House
Russel Neal Jr.
Chief Creative Consultant, Graffitti Print Shop
Jacqueline Silas-Butler
Executive Director, Project GRAD Akron
Teresa Stafford
CEO, Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center
Stephen Wilt
Vice President, Financial Advisor, CAPTRUST Financial Advisors