Women of Color Give announces top 5 nominees for $56k in grants

Women of Color Give (WOC Give) announced the top five nominees for its 2022 grant cycle when it hosted its second annual charity event, titled “Power Reimagined.” 

The Oct. 6 event celebrated BIPOC changemakers, performers, and leaders from West Michigan. At the same celebration, WOC Give announced five nominees that will participate in a competitive pitch on Dec. 14 to win shares of $56,000 in grant money.  They are:
  
● Good Samaritan Ministries, Circles Ottawa County 
● I Am Academy 
● Outdoor Discovery Center 
● Tri-Cities Puentes Initiative 
● West Michigan Asian American Association 

Women of Color GIVE selected these five local nonprofits out of 38 nominations. The organization believes in investing in its community and dedicating funds to programs and nonprofits that advance, develop, and promote the BIPOC community on the Lakeshore.  

“Women of Color GIVE helps those closest to the pain realize their power and ability to invest in causes that best serve their communities,” says Rebekah Bakker, vice president of Woman of Color GIVE. “Every year, it is a challenge to narrow down these worthy campaigns, but we are proud to welcome these five organizations to pitch their projects to our members at the end of the year.” 

Top award is $25,000

The nominee that makes what is selected as the top pitch at the December event will receive $25,000. The second award recipient will get $15,000; third, $10,000; fourth, $3,000; and fifth, $3,000.

The members of Women of Color GIVE will judge each nominee’s pitch and have the final say in the ranking of their awards. More details will be available soon.  

Women of Color GIVE is a philanthropic collective with more than 100 members based in West Michigan to support the advancement, development, and promotion of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) on the Lakeshore (Ottawa and Muskegon counties). Women of Color GIVE was created for and by women of color who are invested in using their voices to change the traditional giving landscape. 

Learn more at https://wocgive.org/.