Newport Organization Awarded $60,000 Grant For Racial Equity

NEWPORT, RI — A nonprofit in Newport was awarded a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation as part of a program to build capacity at organizations led by people of color. Sankofa Community Connection will receive $60,000 over the course of two years.

The organization will use the funding to support programs and annual cultural events such as the Day of Renewal, Juneteenth and Kwanzaa Celebrations, along with addressing needs in the community related to the coronavirus pandemic.

J. Niko Merritt, Sankofa's founding executive director, called the grant "game-changing" for the organization.

"We use our knowledge, lived experiences, and ability to connect with the community on a deeper level to build a powerful coalition," Merritt said. "It will allow us to continue our work which addresses the need for residents, community members and participants alike to see people that look like them leading and offering services. In this way, we are different from many traditional, larger non-profits; we look like the people we support, we share lived experiences, and we can provide personal empathy in tough situations."

Each year, Sankofa hosts approximately seven community events, along with summer camps for middle and high school students. Throughout the pandemic, the organization has shifted to address those needs, as well.

"Our distinctive capacity is exemplified in the way the community has come to trust us and see us as family," Merritt continued. "With Sankofa, many community members, particularly those of color, express that they feel uniquely safe, empowered and supported. We will continue to follow along with our mission to educate, celebrate and empower."

In total, the Foundation awarded $660,000 worth of grants to 11 organizations in Rhode Island. The other awardees were Movement Ground Farm and Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust, both in Tiverton, Mixed Magic Theatre and Cultural Events in Pawtucket, Movement Education Outdoors in Woonsocket and A Leadership Journey, Reentry Campus Program, Sunrise Forever, Women's Refugee Care, Mount Hope Community Center, and Youth in Action, all in Providence.

"Structural racism is a growth barrier to many organizations," said Angie Ankoma, the executive director of the Rhode Island Foundation's Equity Leadership Initiative. "Our grants give them the resources necessary to break the 'starvation cycle' that limits their ability to maintain or grow their programs."