24/10/2025
📣 The Black Fund of Central Texas: From Concept to Creation
Kendra Garrett wasn’t the first to ask why there wasn’t a Black Fund in Austin, but she was among the first to move the conversation from concept to creation. Now a co-founder of The Black Fund of Central Texas, she has been eager to invite philanthropists in Central Texas to invest in the work that Black people have been doing for years to support their community despite limited resources in the face of oppression.
In 2020, feeling the heavy impact of the pandemic on their community, Garrett and her co-founders, Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette and Jameila “Meme” Styles, began developmental conversations with Austin Community Foundation leadership.
When The Black Fund began taking shape, the first order of business was to build a steering committee of Black leaders with diverse experiences, networks, and knowledge to guide the way. With four impact areas in place and the fund successfully launched, dollars were dispersed throughout the community during The Black Fund’s first grant cycle in 2023.
The Black Fund continues to challenge traditional philanthropic systems and establish relationships built in trust and solidarity with Black-led organizations and the Black community at large. “We aren’t just giving money to maintain the current social order… we are funding systems change. This is a movement, not a moment!”
Throughout history, systemic barriers have forced Black-led organizations to operate in scarcity and survival mode. The creation of The Black Fund, and with more than one million dollars raised, makes a clear statement that investing in the Black community is critical, both right now and for generations to come!✨
Want to learn more about our organization?
Visit https://theblackfundcentraltx.org/
