The John Rex Endowment acknowledges the effects that the pandemic has left on many nonprofit organizations who may be struggling economically and seeing an increased demand for services. As we find ourselves in year two of the pandemic, the Endowment has awarded grants to three organizations whose funding is ending in December 2021 to strengthen their capacity building work during the ongoing economic impacts of COVID-19. 

This month, the Endowment’s Board of Directors approved a total of $240,000 in Nonprofit Capacity Building grants to the Community Music School, East Wake Education Foundation, and Passage Home. The grant awards—$80,000 each for a two-year period—will begin January 2022.

Additionally, an award of $1,927,433 over five years was approved for Wake County Smart Start to support “The Kaleidoscope Project.” The Kaleidoscope Project, created by the John Rex Endowment in 2014, turns “places kids go into places kids grow.” This community initiative inspires collaboration, shares best practices, improves local sites, and provides caregivers, parents and policy makers with resources to help kids, usually ages 0-8, thrive. The grant will help The Kaleidoscope Project include community expertise and voices of those most impacted by systems and policy changes.

In addition to continuing resident engagement in the Beacon Ridge affordable housing community in Southeast Raleigh, this next phase of Kaleidoscope expands to engage and transform six more community settings to: create racially equitable environments, mobilize networks, increase positive systems change and community capacity.

The John Rex Endowment provides grant funding and advocacy to Wake County nonprofits who share in our commitment to center racial equity and justice to improve the social emotional health of children living in Wake County. 

The Endowment is excited about upcoming 2022 funding opportunities.