POC Collaborative Awarded Grant by African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund
POC Collaborative Awarded Grant by African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund
POC Collaborative is honored to be one of 31 organizations to share in the $4 million in grants awarded this year by the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. As the only Nebraska recipient, we humbled and delighted to be among an impressive list of community stewards who are protecting the legacy of the places where Black history happened.
“Our community is ready for a renaissance, and this is the first step for us—planning the best approach to preserve and repurpose this iconic North Omaha landmark and its rich history for future generations.”
With this $100,000 in funding, we can work to preserve and maintain the Calvin Memorial/North Presbyterian Church (CMPC) building that we call home. This funding will allow us to:
1) Secure resources and skills for maintaining the church
2) Assess the church’s physical structure
3) Develop an accurate budget for redevelopment, and
4) Demonstrate the feasibility and necessity of breathing new life into this space.
This grant is the first phase in a multi-year redevelopment process that will continue to engage residents and other stakeholders as we continue to grow.
“Our community is ready for a renaissance, and this is the first step for us—planning the best approach to preserve and repurpose this iconic North Omaha landmark and its rich history for future generations,” POC Collaborative Executive Director Katrina Adams said.
POC Collaborative was founded on the principles of:
· Being a Point of Connection for People of Color
· Leveraging the Power of Community
· Protecting, Organizing, and Creating the future of our dreams.
Our vision for CMPC building is to be an inclusive space for professional and entrepreneurial development, co-working and gathering, and strategic investment in emerging businesses. Through this center and our programming, we play an active role in evolving Omaha’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
We focus on strengthening the economic fabric of our community through entrepreneurship training, business development and services. With this in mind, we intend to redevelop this space as a community center with access to technology, entrepreneurship and nonprofit services, and other community-focused amenities.
Be a part of our local impact by supporting POC Collaborative with your donation.
Since 2017, the Action Fund has raised more than $91 million in philanthropic funding, and serves as the largest U.S. resource dedicated to the preservation of African American historic places. Visit the National Trust for Historical Preservations for a full list of this year’s grantees here.
“We created the Preserving Black Churches program to ensure the historic Black church’s legacy is told and secured. That these cultural assets can continue to foster community resilience and drive meaningful change in our society,” said Brent Leggs, Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. “We couldn’t be more excited to honor our second round of grantees and ensure that African Americans – and our entire nation – can enjoy an empowered future built on the inspiring foundations of our past.”
Click here to learn more about the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and their mission.
Click here to read the Omaha World-Herald’s Jan. 2020 story on our redevelopment plan for the CMPC building.
