BPI Announces $99,225 in Building an Inclusive Economy Grants

The Black Philanthropy Initiative (BPI) is proud to announce the awarding of $99,225 in grants to seven Black-led organizations in Forsyth County, advancing economic empowerment and community resilience. This brings BPI’s total 2025 grantmaking to $204,225, reflecting our commitment to building an inclusive economy for all.

BPI’s Building an Inclusive Economy Grants  is designed to support organizations that focus on economic empowerment for Black households and work to rewrite the rules to make Forsyth County a place where we all have the resources, we need to support our families. This grantmaking program aligns with The Winston-Salem Foundation’s focus area of the same name though our decision-making is distinct.

Grant recipients include:  

• Rejuvenation Support Services, Inc.: Expanding transitional housing and recovery services for justice-involved individuals, veterans, and those experiencing homelessness in Forsyth County—helping restore stability and dignity. (Awarded $15,000)

• My FACE: Empowering low-income single mothers through mentoring and personal development programs designed to foster upward economic mobility and long-term success. (Awarded $15,000)

• Southside Rides Foundation: Launching a High School Auto Body Training & Mentorship Initiative, opening doors for underserved students to gain technical skills and career readiness. (Awarded $15,000)

• Helping Inspire Youth Invention & Entrepreneurial Leadership Development Program (HI-YIELD): Delivering a dynamic 16-week experience that trains and mentors inner-city youth to design 3D CAD prototypes, sparking creativity in STEAM fields and entrepreneurship. (Awarded $9,225.00)

• Island CultureZ: Reinforcing community resilience through a solidarity economy model that sustains local agriculture and strengthens cultural roots. (Awarded $15,000)

• Financial Pathways of the Piedmont: Advancing homeownership among Black families in Forsyth County through its Homebuyer’s Club initiative, equipping participants with tools for financial empowerment. (Awarded $15,000)

• WS RISE: Leading education, criminal justice, and economic development study circles and implement projects using the Moving Families Forward framework—driving systemic change for families. (Awarded $15,000)

The Advancing Equity in Education Grants and Building an Inclusive Economy Grants are a testament to the power of collective giving, with Forsyth County community members pooling resources to support meaningful change.  

To learn more about BPI grant programs and to find ways to contribute to this work, visit bpiws.org.

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The Black Philanthropy Initiative (BPI) is a 100% Black-led initiative of The Winston-Salem Foundation launched in 2003 that explicitly, not exclusively, focuses on its grantmaking and programming on needs identified in the local Black community. Since 2007, BPI has provided over $880,000 in grant funding to local organizations.    

For more information on The Winston-Salem Foundation and the Black Philanthropy Initiative, visit bpiws.org.