5 Decades Later, New Communities Land Trust Still Helps Black Farmers

The online Reparations for Black-Indigenous Farmers map connects farmers across the United States in an effort to support those who have been historically oppressed. Those who participate voluntarily pay reparations to the over 50 Black and Indigenous farmers’ projects that have been listed as a way of (re)building centuries of discrimination.

Black businesses in Mississippi are receiving a financial boost from a nonprofit that seeks to level the playing field for rural African-Americans in the state who have historically been overlooked when it comes to federal aid. Higher Purpose Co is a black-led economic justice nonprofit that has raised $400,000 for entrepreneurs and has received over 2,500 applicants. The nonprofit has given up to $5,000 to small businesses with 20 or fewer employees.

An Equitable Development Initiative was launched as a result of a racial equity analysis that gauged the effect that Seattle’s economic growth would have on communities of color. Funding for the initiative has gone toward capital for these communities to purchase real estate and develop projects that build up affordable housing, child care, food security, and other issues that would best serve longtime residents and prevent gentrification.

CNote has provided a source of funding for federally certified Community Development Financial Institutions by pooling cash from foundations, bigger banks, philanthropists, and donor-advised funds to counter the lack of available cash flow experienced by CDFIs, which are lenders but not banks. Federal COVID-19 funding set aside $30 billion specifically for CDFIs that overwhelmingly lend to women- and minority-owned businesses, which face persistent racial and gender biases and are unable to successfully tap into lending and grants such as the Paycheck Protection Program through traditional lenders.

Black Girl Ventures levels the playing field for women of color who seek capital for their business ventures. Entrepreneurs are invited to pitch their ideas at crowdfunded sessions, which means the funding varies depending on the size of the crowd and its willingness to invest. In addition to capital, BGV recognizes the need for minorities to access a network, mentoring, and business coaching to navigate the systems necessary to build a business. The nonprofit has chapters in several cities and works with local organizations that are already in place helping black businesses.

A start-up accelerator in Salvador, Brazil is aiming to support black-owned businesses through its business incubator resources. Dende Valley, named as a nod to Silicon Valley, is an accelerator that prioritizes and trains black entrepreneurs to combat systemic racism and lack of opportunity in Brazil. There were 107 applicants for 30 spots this year, and the company expects to triple availability next year as people look to take advantage of their programs.

Fresh Harvest farms is the first foray into social enterprise and agriculture by revolutionary consulting firm Innovation Alchemy. It reflects a positive and growing trend in the professional services community to directly innovative and experiment with models and ideas before pitching them to clients. They provide insights on social innovation, sustainability, supply chain management and advice on how to scale up solutions for the base of the pyramid by experiencing firsthand what their clients need through the management of Fresh Harvest.

In South Africa, the extreme gap between rich and poor is the root cause of cyclical poverty, and those living in slums face particularly high barriers to education, healthcare, and quality of life. The Ubuntu Education Fund is using a comprehensive approach that includes sustainable investment in community leadership and infrastructure, a cradle-to-career household stability service, and a dexterous, community oriented approach to helping break the cycle of poverty.

The Brooklyn Cooperative Federal Credit Union provides small business loans to local Black and Brown businesses, through average investments of $24,000. This small, community lender provides more funding to local businesses than larger national banks like Citibank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America, helping support local businesses and finance community development.

The Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund is helping Black farmers buy land. More than $200,000 have gone toward urban land purchases in a practice some see as “restorative economics." Black land activists are also purchasing land in rural communities across the United States.