WMG/Blavatnik Fund Announces New Recipients
• The Warner Music Group / Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund (WMG/BFF SJF) announced its next set of grant recipients: the Ashé Cultural Arts Center in New Orleans, Overtown Youth Center in Miami and The Africa Center in E. Harlem, NY. These investments further the Fund’s mission of supporting organizations that build more equitable communities and create real change in the lives of historically underserved and marginalized populations — with heightened attention to Black communities.
“Over the past year, we’ve been developing a targeted grantmaking strategy focused on three key pillars — education, criminal justice reform, and arts and culture – in order to optimize our impact and reach,” said Paul Henderson, WMG/BFF SJF Board member and Executive Director at the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability. “This next set of grants is all about the intersection of community, culture, and commerce, and we’re very proud to support organizations at the forefront of addressing racial disparities with robust programming tied to the arts and education.”
In addition to monetary investments, WMG is developing ways for its artists and employees to support these organizations through their time and creative ingenuity. For example, WMG is creating a first-of-its-kind mentorship program with Howard University, one of the WMG/BFF Social Justice Fund’s initial grant recipients. The program will thoughtfully pair WMG executives with Howard University School of Business students each year, beginning with the fall 2021 semester. WMG will also partner with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), another of the Fund’s first recipients, to sponsor a series of activation booths at local concerts, festivals, and events, to prompt voter registration among attendees, help remove barriers to voting through the FRRC Fines and Fees Program, and raise the visibility of the organization within the community.
“We’re committed to making an impact beyond just giving money, by using our creativity, influence, and global reach to support our grantees through meaningful partnerships,” said Temi Adeniji, WMG/BFF SJF Board member and Warner Music South Africa Managing Director and SVP of Strategy, Sub-Saharan Africa. “Our DEI and philanthropy teams at WMG are actively engaged with our grantee partners. We’re trying to be as thoughtful as possible in our approach, including in how we work with partner organizations and who we select as third-party experts to support our efforts.”
As part of its intentional structure, the Fund has selected Richburg Enterprises — a Black woman-owned financial and tax services firm in the U.S. — for accounting and tax compliance. It’s also currently in the final stage of hiring an Executive Director to help lead and hone the Fund’s strategy. This executive will manage the vetting process of potential grantees through the lens of the Fund’s three key pillars and make recommendations to the Board. For more information about the Fund, please visit wmg.com/fund.
