During a site visit this week to Brazil, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) announced an expansion of its philanthropic match to the Baobá Fund for Racial Equity.
WKKF will begin matching Brazilian donor contributions to the Baobá Fund three-to-one and international donations to the fund two-to-one, with half going to an endowment and the other half going to programming.
The decision was inspired by the Baobá Fund’s ability to provide continued local philanthropic leadership during a time of great momentum for advancing racial equity for all Brazilians – especially in light of the groundswell of community and global responses to the recent, tragic loss of slain Afro-Brazilian Councilwoman Marielle Franco.
“In this crisis, the people of Brazil have been uplifted even as they grieve. Franco’s death is making many only more determined to continue her work to improve the lives of the vulnerable and advance racial equity for all in Brazil,” said La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of the Kellogg Foundation.
The Kellogg Foundation has partnered closely with the Baobá Fund for Racial Equity since its inception in 2011. The relationship builds on a legacy of WKKF work and investments in Brazil spanning decades and is consistent with WKKF’s commitment to advancing racial equity and healing in communities. Primary to the relationship was establishing and building an endowment with dedicated resources for promoting the full inclusion of Afro-descendant populations – which represent more than half of the country’s population – into society. Until this week, WKKF offered a one-to-one match for Brazilian donations to the endowment, up to $25 million.
“Today, the Baobá Fund has the capacity to receive contributions from within Brazil and around the world and to responsibly mobilize people and resources for all Brazilians’ benefit. This is a moment for galvanizing support for racial equity and we are grateful to funder colleagues like the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundation for stepping up to contribute,” said Tabron. “Together we affirm the Baobá Fund’s mission: ‘Respeito para todos’ (dignity for all).”
Learn more or donate at: http://www.baoba.org.br/
