Today, the Wilf Family Foundations announced the granting of more than $4 million to 27 organizations as part of their expanding, long term commitment to social justice issues. The grants support organizations and programs that focus on expanding educational opportunities and human services, protecting voting rights, and advancing criminal justice reform.
The specific donations are part of the Foundations’ most recent total commitment of $4 million to organizations doing work to fight racial inequality and advance social justice for all, which was announced in 2020 amid the racial and social uprisings occurring throughout the country following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota.
"It is clear that our society must more directly address ongoing injustices,” said Mark Wilf. “A key aspect of this work is ensuring everyone has quality educational opportunities, voting rights are protected, and policing is reformed. We understand the importance of taking action when one has an ability to make a difference, and we are proud to work with organizations like these to fight against deeply rooted injustice in America and around the world. This funding builds upon our long-standing support for meaningful social justice efforts, and will continue through the remainder of this year and beyond.”
Grantees share how the funding will support their social justice efforts:
Camp Equity:
“Students across the country will have an increased understanding of social justice and the experiences of people from backgrounds different from their own,” said Donnie Belcher, Co-Founder and CEO of Camp Equity. “We know this work is critical to creating a more equitable world, and very much appreciate this support from the Wilf Family Foundations in this work to inspire young changemakers.”
Brennan Center for Justice:
"This grant strengthens our ability to protect the fundamental right to vote and beat back voter suppression efforts across the country,” said Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice. “We are deeply grateful to the Wilf Family Foundations for their support of our work to revitalize American democracy and ensure that every citizen is able to cast a ballot that counts.”
The Center on Policing at Rutgers University:
“The Center on Policing plays an instrumental role in working with police departments to improve outdated policies and practices, introduce innovative training solutions and offer valuable feedback on strategies to assist police to respectfully and effectively serve their communities,” said Linda Tartaglia, Director of The Center on Policing at Rutgers University. “The Wilf Family Foundations’ support will enable us to become a statewide resource in New Jersey and increase the accountability, transparency and diligence required for equitable policing in today’s environment.”
Anti-Defamation League:
“We are incredibly grateful for this funding, which has allowed us to broaden the scope of our workshops for law enforcement as a tool to combat hate and extremism in our communities,” said Scott Richman, ADL New York/New Jersey Regional Director. “This work is central to ADL’s mission and shaped by both a deep understanding of the law enforcement profession and a steadfast commitment to protecting civil rights and eradicating systemic racism from our laws, policies and institutions.”
A selection of the 27 grantees receiving these funds is below:
Education and Human Services
Voter Registration
Criminal Justice Reform
To learn more about the Wilf Family Foundations, visit www.WilfFamilyFoundations.org.