United Way of Greater Kansas City, with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, is pleased to announce the first round of grants issued through the newly established Nonprofit Catalyst Fund!
This $2M grant fund was first announced in February. Its goal is to advance small nonprofit organizations that are led by or primarily serve Black, Latino, and other People of Color in the community. Since then, eligible organizations have applied and been vetted. Recipients are 501(c)(3) public charities supporting education, human services, entrepreneurship, workforce skill building, economic mobility, and community development.
“We believe small, nonprofit organizations within communities of color play a key role in addressing a range of challenges, but frequently face barriers in advancing their work, including access to financial resources to be successful,” said Essence Yancey, Director of Community Impact with United Way of Greater Kansas City.
Meet one of our Nonprofit Catalyst Grantees: Lyrik’s Institution.
Founded in 2019, Lyriks’ mission is to reduce crime and violence by targeting destructive thinking errors and reworking them into productive behaviors. Their vision is to reduce crime rates and cycles of re-traumatization by empowering Kansas City youth through the arts. This year, Lyrik’s partnered with the Kansas City Art Institute to offer an opportunity for young minds to explore their artistic passions while gaining valuable life skills to navigate the unique challenges faced by teens in Kansas City.
“By changing the way young adults in Kansas City think about their thinking, we can alter the narrative surrounding crime and violence,” said Kyle R Hollins, President, Founder and CEO of Lyrik’s Institution. “This generous grant is providing us a chance to do that intentional work in the lives of many young adults in our community.”
We are honored to support the work of Lyrik’s Institution, and we can’t wait to see the amazing impact they continue to create in Kansas City!