What We Believe
It is well documented that all people aren’t born with the same opportunities to succeed, and many current systems marginalize people of color. The DE&I Giving Circle is committed to social justice and anti-racism. We believe that understanding systems and the role they play in issues related to race leads to better decision-making, more equitable outcomes, and greater philanthropic impact. It is critical for people of all races, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses to have legitimate access to opportunities.
- While diversity refers to all the ways in which people differ, this Giving Circle will focus on people of color and ways to change systems that perpetuate racism.
- Equity means receiving what one needs to succeed in terms of fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement regardless of cultural, racial, or socioeconomic status. While equality gives everyone the same rights/activities, equity gives individualized support so that all people can access and participate in those rights/activities.
- Inclusion is the act of creating environments in which any individual or group is safe, respected, supported, and valued as full participants.
Focus – the Giving Circle will prioritize grantees that:
- Address root cause issues of inequity
- Support efforts to reduce the racial wealth gap (promoting minority entrepreneurs and access to high quality education opportunities)
- Cultivate and support minority leadership
- Bolster minority non-profit capacity building
- Improve health outcomes for minorities (for example, access to fresh food and mental health programs)
- Promote criminal justice reform (eliminating biases and promoting restorative justice efforts)
Geographies
- Excellent ideas and programs regardless of location in the United States
Types of Organizations/Projects
- Community-driven organizations working with the understanding that the people most affected by problems need to be involved in the solutions and in decision-making positions
- Overall organizational budgets in the low to mid six figures or projects within larger organizations which have smaller budgets
- We will consider innovative, pilot projects of larger organizations that aren’t well-funded but show promising early results
Metrics
- Measured at the project / organization level
2023 | 5 Grants | $175,000
How to Apply:
Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
Giving Circle – LOI Submission Dates
- November 2025 Meeting – submit between June 2 – July 11, 2025
Please consult the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Giving Circle guidelines, and submit a letter of inquiry, using our online application system. This system allows you to easily add and update your organization’s profile and gives the Trustees and staff quick electronic access to your information. It also reduces paper use and postage costs for you and the Foundation.
Our New Applicant Help Guide should answer any questions you may have. If you are using assistive technologies to access our web site, or encounter other difficulties with the system, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 412-281-8734 or info@rahuntfdn.org from 8:00am-4:30pm eastern time during the work week.
You will receive an automatic acknowledgement that confirms your inquiry was submitted. We typically respond within 45 days from the submission date deadline to inform you if the Trustees will invite a full proposal.