Southern Communities Initiative
Southern Communities Initiative (SCI) is a catalytic consortium to accelerate racial equity funding, programming and outcomes in six Southern communities where more than 50% of the Black community resides in ways that are locally led, measured and sustained. These communities include New Orleans, LA; Birmingham, AL; Memphis, TN; Houston, TX; Charlotte, NC; and Atlanta, GA. Visit SCI’s website to learn more about the impact SCI is making.
SCI acts as a channel partner in these communities for corporate and philanthropic organizations to:
$100B+
In corporate and philanthropic racial equity commitments across the U.S.
90+
SCI partner organizations to date
~9K
Black-owned businesses & MBEs to be supported across SCI communities
6
Communities home to more than 50% of the U.S. Black population that SCI targets
~$2B-2.5B
Estimated investment needed to support SCI communities’ goals and initiatives
~5x+
Estimated economic impact after ~10 years
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We are focused on four racial equity priorities where this consortium has the ability to drive differential impact.
MBE Entrepreneurship and Supplier Diversity
Grow Black-owned and other minority business enterprises (MBEs).
Access to Capital (CDFI/MDI)
Modernize Community Development Financial Institutions( CDFI) and Minority Depository Institution (MDI) systems and technology, hire and train talent and increase CDFI/MDI capacity to issue more capital.
Education/HBCU and Workforce Development
Reduce student debt, and support high-paying employment opportunities via education and skills training for people from communities that lack opportunities.
Digital Access
Increase access and adoption of affordable high-speed internet solutions for low-income and households that lack access to opportunities.
Our Community Leads
Within Specific Communities
Other Support
Support for Grameen America Branches
SCI identified funding and community partners in target cities of Atlanta, Birmingham and Memphis to establish new branches to provide access to capital to ~9K minority women entrepreneurs. In June 2023, a new branch opened in Atlanta as part of Grameen America’s Elevating Black Women Entrepreneurs initiative.
Learn more about Grameen America and the Atlanta branch.
Participation With DonorsChoose
In 2021, Robert F. Smith, Vista Equity Partners and PowerSchool, through DonorsChoose, fulfilled over 1,800 teacher funding requests in SCI regions.
- School districts that serve students of color get $23 billion less in state and local funding than school districts with the same number of white students.
- The DonorsChoose platform enables:
- Teachers to request learning resources their students need
- DonorsChoose team members to vet each project
- Partners and donors to fund the projects that inspire them
- Since 2021, $1.3 million in teachers’ requests have been satisfied, over 2,000 projects have been funded, over 700 schools have been served and over 1,500 teachers supported.
- Learn more about DonorsChoose and the donation.
Public Database Links
A comprehensive, integrated platform that provides independent and impartial data for public-private cooperation.
Nonprofit database of classroom needs provided by teachers across the country from basic classroom essentials to STEM materials.
Our Partners
Lowry & Associates
