For Immediate Release: St. Louis Regional Racial Healing + Justice Fund Awards $70,000 to seven organizations for tornado recovery efforts
CONTACT:
Jia Lian Yang
314-396-2953
jia@forwardthroughferguson.org
ST. LOUIS (May 18, 2026) — The Community Governance Board (CGB) of the St. Louis Regional Racial Healing + Justice Fund (RH + JF) reconvened at the end of April to select grantees who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to healing and justice in the St. Louis region.
In their discussions, FTF and the CGB members centered the North City residents who are still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s EF3 on May 16th tornado. The CGB awarded seven organizations with a one-time crisis response grant for their leadership in healing justice, community organizing, and community-led systems change in North St. Louis communities. The grantees are: 314Oasis, 4theVille, Action St. Louis, Black Healers Collective, Dream Builders for Equity, Chosen For Change, and St. James AME Church.
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Forward Through Ferguson is hosting a Racial Healing + Justice Fund Kickoff on Wednesday, June 10th at 6-8 pm at Northside Movement Center (5939 Goodfellow Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63147). The kickoff will celebrate the selection of tornado recovery grantees by the Community Governance Board, discuss the future of the Fund, and share next steps for getting involved. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged.
Read the full press release.
Our Purpose
Photo Credit: Jia Lian Yang
Following a successful pilot partnership between Forward Through Ferguson (FTF), Deaconess Foundation, and the Missouri Foundation for Health, the RH + JF is now fully administered by Forward Through Ferguson (FTF).
The fund’s core purpose is to help sustain local grassroots healing justice efforts, enable deep community ownership of philanthropic decision-making, and resource individuals, organizations, and projects that align with FTF’s commitment to anti-racist systems transformation. The fund invests in local communities most impacted by racial inequities through grantmaking, capacity-building, and narrative strategy rooted in healing justice principles.
Our Roots: From Calls to Action to Community Investment
Photo Credit: Philip Deitch
While the RH + JF was established in 2020, its heart lies in the 189 calls to action from the Ferguson Commission Report following the killing of Mike Brown, Jr. and the Ferguson Uprising. The RH+JF is a direct response to the conditions that led to that tragedy and the systemic inequities that persist today, and celebrates the continued legacy of organizing, peaceful resistance, and dedicated leadership of Black and People of Color residents across generations.
The RH + JF is the realization of a community-led vision for a “generational” fund—a permanent resource designed to support and sustain changemakers across our region who are historically marginalized and most impacted by Systemic Racism. The RH + JF uses a justice philanthropy approach, prioritizing work led by and for Black and People of Color communities and those most impacted by racial inequities. Funding is offered to efforts that are rooted in healing justice, racial equity, and systems transformation, emphasizing radical collaboration, narrative change, and healing-centered approaches.
Our Beliefs
Photo Credit: Jia Lian Yang
FTF believes that catalyzing Racial Equity through Systems Change requires a dual approach to philanthropy. The RH+JF funds people and places that are working to Heal the Core and Change the Conditions. Thus, FTF invests both in the internal restoration of local communities and the external transformation of regional systems.
Healing the Core |
Changing the Conditions |
| Truth-Telling: Creating safe spaces for communal grieving and narrative sharing. | Leadership: Supporting current and future leaders of color to change the conditions of inequity through community organizing and through organizational development. |
| Restoration: Rebuilding trust, reverence, and respect at every level of the community. | Mobilization: Growing grassroots knowledge and organizing for systemic change. |
| Resilience: Supporting the emotional and spiritual health of the advocates and organizers on the front lines. | Accountability: Strengthening resident engagement to hold policymakers and anchor institutions accountable. |
Community Leadership
Photo Credit: Tyler Small + Nyara Williams
The RH + JF practices trust-based, participatory grantmaking. This means FTF works to explicitly dismantle the traditional power dynamics of philanthropy.
The process of grantmaking is community-led: Funding decisions are not made by foundations, and also not made by FTF alone. Instead, they are made by a Community Governance Board (CGB)—a group of residents chosen by the community.
The grants are for general operating and are Trust-Based: FTF prioritizes trust-based philanthropy and community-centric fundraising to ensure grassroots ideas get the support they deserve and have the freedom to use the funding in the ways that would best assist their efforts.
Relationships and partnerships with grantees are regenerative: FTF aims to foster authentic partnerships that empower, rather than police or micromanage grantees.
The Community Governance Board (CGB) is the heart of the RH+JF. Composed of 8 to 15 BIPOC community members from St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Clair County, the CGB holds the dominating decision-making power on grantmaking. These individuals are directly impacted by structural racism and use their lived experience to guide where funding will have the greatest impact. CGB members are compensated for their time.
Our Impact to Date
Photo Credit: TJS Photography
Since our pilot launch in 2020, we have moved beyond theory into measurable action. Our $1.69 million pilot, supported by 20 philanthropic partners (including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), has achieved the following:
| Metric | Achievement |
| Total Granted | $1.4 Million distributed to BIPOC-led initiatives. |
| Awards Issued | 77 awards granted to approximately 70 organizations. |
| Focus Areas | Mental health support, community organizing, holistic community wellness, youth leadership, social innovation,infant and maternal health, urban farming, and more. |
| Equity in Access | Approximately 10 initiatives received funding through fiscal sponsorship partnerships, allowing groups without 501(c)3 status to access vital resources. |
The 2020-2023 pilot program demonstrated a massive need, receiving funding requests from over 300 viable projects totaling over $20 million of funding requests, significantly exceeding the approximately $1.5 million available for all three grant cycles combined. This highlights the urgency of fully endowing the fund to meet the demand for BIPOC-resident’s initiatives and organizing.The Racial Healing + Justice Fund is more than a grantmaking program; it is a community-led movement to redefine power and equity in our region. Whether you are a grassroots organizer, a local resident, or a philanthropic partner, there is a place for you in this work.
Let’s Build the Future Together
The path to Racial Equity in St. Louis is paved with intentional healing and bold, systemic justice. Your support ensures that this vital work continues for generations to come.
To get involved with the design, advocacy, and/or funding of a fully endowed St. Louis Regional Racial Healing + Justice Fund, please contact: rhjf@forwardthroughferguson.org
Learn more about the RH + JF in our policy brief.
