Unite Charlotte

New and grassroots organizations focused on improving racial equity and increasing social capital.

Originally established in response to the civic unrest in Charlotte in late 2016, Unite Charlotte provides early funding for organizations and programs designed to improve economic mobility through social justice initiatives that specifically address racial equity, poverty, civil rights and/or access and inclusion.

Grants span from $3,000 to $15,000 with recipients focused on initiatives ranging from providing technology for learning and job training, to addressing the challenges of neighborhood gentrification, to building trust between communities and police.

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Unite Charlotte also invests in racial equity workshops and training for local nonprofits, offers capacity-building workshops, and provides mentoring to strengthen organization and financial stability, program quality and growth for grant recipients.

Unite Charlotte Partners

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2019 Unite Charlotte Recipients

Aspire Community Capital*
Camino Community Center**
Cops and Barbers, Inc*
E2D*
Mecklenburg Council of Elders*
Profound Gentleman**
Race Matters for Juvenile Justice**
Refugee Support Services**
Southside Rides**
Soy Latino Como Tu**
Stiletto Boss University*
The Light Factory*
West Side Community Land Trust**
Young Black Leadership Alliance*

*2nd year recipient

**3rd year recipient

2018 Unite Charlotte Recipients

2017 Unite Charlotte Recipients

Eliminating the Digital Divide

Motivated by his young daughter’s concern about fellow students struggling to complete assignments because they lacked access to a computer and internet connectivity in their homes, Pat Millen sought a solution to bridge the digital divide in area schools.

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Guiding Future Young Professionals

After working hard to become a successful philanthropist and entrepreneur, Jania Massey sought a way to fill the void she saw with social capital and opportunity for girls of color in Charlotte.

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Adapting to a New Home

With nearly 17,000 refugees resettling in Charlotte over the past 20 years, Rachel Humphries saw a need for helping these newly-arrived residents successfully adapt to their new home.

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Positioning Entrepreneurs for Success

Frustrated by a lack of public programming in Charlotte inclusive of black tech professionals and startups, Sherrell Dorsey sought a way to boost opportunities in the city for entrepreneurs of color.

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Growing Teachers Into Leaders

Jason Terrell and Mario Shaw started Profound Gentlemen, a nonprofit focused on building a community of male educators of color – from pre-K through high school – who can provide a profound impact on boys and young men of color.

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Creating New Opportunities

Dave Moore understands that young men getting out of jail most often won’t be able to secure a job quickly, because he’s an ex-felon himself; the idea for Southside Rides came to him while serving a sentence for dealing drugs.

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Meet Dave, founder of Southside Rides

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