The Community Foundation of Johnson County is committed to serving as a community catalyst and connector to help address our county’s most pressing issues.
When our country witnessed the tragic death of George Floyd, we too felt the intense grief and pain in our community. This event, compounded by the disproportionally harsh impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on people of color, has exposed long present wounds of inequality and racism. The desperation felt by black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) at being marginalized, unheard, and invisible in our country has brought us to a tipping point. At the Community Foundation of Johnson County, we believe Black Lives Matter and know that a thriving community simply cannot exist where all are not welcomed, invited to the table, protected, and regarded as equal.
To support this important work, our board of directors established the Inclusive Johnson County Fund which will provide financial support for community outreach and education on topics regarding race and bias, promoting diversity and inclusion within nonprofit organizations, support for BIPOC cultural events, and much more. Thanks to a lead gift from the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, the fund has already provided support to our community’s Juneteenth celebration, funding for two scholarships for underrepresented minorities to participate in the Iowa City Area Business Partnership’s Community Leadership Program, and assisted with the creation and administration of a granting program for BIPOC small businesses.
This fund is open for donations and will continue to support inclusion in Johnson County through the efforts of our nonprofit organizations as well as specific efforts of the Community Foundation of Johnson County. If you would like to donate to the fund, please click the link to the right, or see additional ways to send your contribution. Thank you in advance for supporting inclusion in Johnson County.
