With purpose and hope, LISC NY initiates the The Soil Fund, a grant program designed to quickly deploy capital where it’s needed most through a streamlined application and review process. Together, we must recognize that in every moment of need there is a pathway to continued progress, an opportunity to build on the momentum people have worked so hard to create.

We call them Groundswell Grants.

Groundswell Grants are stabilization funds awarded to Black-owned and Black-led nonprofits and small businesses working in East Buffalo. From payroll and operating expenses to essential supplies and facilities improvements, these investments help each organization thrive, both in the wake of trauma and well into the future, strengthening their ability to continue serving our shared community.

The impacts of The Soil Fund extend deeper than money, however. Every business and nonprofit applying for support receives guidance from LISC NY and our partners in navigating immediate opportunities for assistance, gaining access to additional resources, and advancing strategic plans.

Building on a $200,000 seed investment from our parent organization, LISC NY’s immediate goal is to leverage our network of community-focused partners and stakeholders, deploying $500,000 in support through The Soil Fund’s Groundswell Grants to at least 30 nonprofits or small businesses. Organizations dedicated to improving access to food, housing, transportation, and cultural and historic assets will be prioritized—each receiving $15,000 or more.

For those who have consistently faced the greatest barriers in receiving timely support and investment, this is a start—a purposeful stride toward equity—a groundswell of opportunity.

Building on Buffalo’s vital role as an epicenter for abolitionist, civil rights, and Black activist movements, we commit to fight on and fight forever against inequity, racism, and hate in any form.

Support The Soil Fund—an investment in Black Buffalo that will strengthen our entire community.

Donate via Wire Funds

If you prefer to wire funds, please contact Lashay Young at lyoung@lisc.org.

Custom Opportunities

To discuss custom opportunities to support The Soil Fund, contact Tyra Johnson Hux at TJohnsonHux@lisc.org.