Meet a cohort focused on deepening CONNECT-ions with Black-led nonprofits

CLLCTIVLY, a social change organization that, as stated on its website, centers on “Black genius, narrative power, social networks, and resource mobilization” is in the throes of its second CONNECT cohort.

The first cohort of 10 organizations, whose program spanned eight months, was made possible through a partnership with Maryland Nonprofits. The pilot program received $150,000 in funding from the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund. For the second cohort, Baltimore City Intergenerational Initiatives for Trauma and Youth (B-CIITY) is stepping in as a funding partner.

“The partnership with B-CIITY represents growth and alignment for the CONNECT cohort experience,”  said CLLCTIVLY COO Krystle Starvis in an email to Technical.ly. “Through it, we’re able to model the collaborative action we’re encouraging of participants in the program. CLLCTIVLY is providing its CONNECT cohort experience to grantees of BCIITY’s Operational Resilience Grant program, which is fully funded by Baltimore Children and Youth Fund.”

For the second nine-month cohort, the youth-serving organizations participating will focus on enhancing their organizational sustainability, boosting their fundraising efforts and progressing toward what CLLCTIVLY founder Jamye Wooten referred to as a “liberatory framework” to better serve the young people of Baltimore City.

“Nonprofit culture often promotes competition and scarcity. We work to center the assets that exist within the community by ‘scaling deep’ — deepening relationships that foster collaboration and highlighting the abundance that exists when we come together,” he said via email. “Liberatory practice is rooted in self-determination, love & joy, healing, collaboration and connection, abundance and generosity, and learning and experimentation.”

The 24 youth-serving organizations in the latest CONNECT program are:

• AZIZA PE&CE
• Beadly Speaking Jewelry
• Classclowns
• Coach G Academy, Inc.
• Cody Young Youth Empowerment Charities
• Corner Team, Inc.
• Cultivating & Embracing Change, Inc
• DewMore Baltimore
• Donna Bruce Unlimited INC
• Each Teach, Inc.
• Greenmount East Leadership Project
• H.U.R Stories Outreach Inc
• Jaebonnah Blackie & Zobon Kingg (JBZK) Foundation
• Move And Still LLC
• MTM Foundation, Inc.
• R.I.S.E Arts Center of Baltimore Inc.
• Sarah’s House, Inc.
• Sisters Saving the City
• Social & Economic Empowerment through Knowledge, Inc. (SEEK)
• Tammy’s Angels
• The Dreamers League
• The Village Incorporated
• Tree House Project, Inc.
• Unlimited Potential Mentoring Inc.

The 10 organizations in the first CONNECT program are:  

• The Art of Truth
• New Song Community Learning Center
• African Diaspora Alliance
• Coach G Step Academy
• The RICH Program
• Young Successful Leaders
• Hilma’s Heart
• Tendea Family
• Mentoring Mentors
• Catherine’s Family and Youth Services

In August, CLLCTIVLY introduced its Solidarity Fund after having raised over $1 million within 24 hours at its CLLCTIVGIVE 2023 event to support Black-led organizations in Baltimore. The plan at the time was for each member of the inaugural CONNECT cohort to receive grants of $10,000. In addition, 15 awards of $50,000 were granted to organizations that exemplify collaboration through partnerships and embrace the aforementioned liberatory framework in their methodologies.

CLLCTIVLY is gearing up to celebrate its five-year anniversary in 2024, with celebratory plans in the works. In an email, CLLCTIVLY shared that its 2024 CLLCTIVGIVE and We Give Black Fest are scheduled for Aug. 2-4 of next year. Additionally, the Black Futures Micro-Grant Application is currently open for submissions.

Black-led organizations can learn more and apply here

In addition, those interested in B-CIITY’s work can attend its Community Data Co-Op Design Session on Nov. 8.

Register here