Black Belt Community Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $11,755,311 (2022 tax year)
• Success Rate: Not available
• Decision Time: Approximately 8-10 weeks
• Grant Range: $500 - $5,000
• Geographic Focus: 12 counties in Alabama's Black Belt region

Contact Details

Website: https://blackbeltfound.org
Phone: (334) 874-1126
Email: info@blackbeltfound.org
Address: 410 Church St, Selma, AL 36702

Grant Programme Contacts:

• Community Grants: Samantha Ledbetter (sledbetter@blackbeltfound.org), Wendell Paris Jr. (wparis@blackbeltfound.org)
• Arts Grants: Aaron Head (ahead@blackbeltfound.org)

Overview

Founded in 2002 and established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) serves as a vital community foundation for Alabama's Black Belt region. With total assets of $13.2 million and annual expenses of $11.8 million, BBCF has distributed over $16 million in grants since 2005. The foundation focuses on supporting grassroots nonprofits and community organisations across 12 counties, with a mission to "ensure all Black Belt residents live and work in healthy, prosperous, inclusive, educated creative and giving communities." Their approach emphasises shifting power to communities by supporting ideas and leadership that already exist within them, using community listening sessions to determine grant priorities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

• Community Grants: $500 - $5,000 (supporting community development, education, health, and social services)
• Arts Grants: $500 - $3,500 (supporting arts programming and cultural initiatives)
• Applications typically open annually with fixed deadlines

Priority Areas

• Early childhood education
• Community development initiatives
• Emergency response and disaster recovery
• Arts and cultural programming
• Health outreach and promotion (through Black Belt H.O.P.E. programme)
• Racial healing and transformation (TRHT programme)
• Support for persistent poverty counties where 20%+ of residents live in poverty

What They Don't Fund

[Specific exclusions not available from research]

Governance and Leadership

President: Felecia Lucky (compensation: $325,256 in 2024)

The foundation operates with a community-centred governance approach, utilising community listening sessions to inform grant-making decisions and ensure funding aligns with local needs and priorities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are accepted through an annual grant cycle with fixed deadlines. Applicants must be located in and serving one or more of the 12 Black Belt counties: Bullock, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, and Wilcox Counties.

Decision Timeline

• Applications typically close: Early in the year
• Announcement of awards: Mid-March
• Awards ceremony: Early May
• Total timeline: Approximately 8-10 weeks from application deadline to announcement

Success Rates

[Specific application and success rate data not available]

Reapplication Policy

[Information not available from research]

Application Success Factors

Based on BBCF's community-centred approach and funding priorities, successful applications likely:

• Demonstrate clear benefit to Black Belt region communities
• Show grassroots community support and involvement
• Address persistent poverty and its effects
• Align with priorities identified through community listening sessions
• Support existing community leadership and ideas rather than imposing external solutions
• Focus on one of the foundation's key programme areas

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• BBCF specifically targets grassroots nonprofits and community organisations, favouring locally-led initiatives
• The foundation uses community listening sessions to determine priorities, so alignment with community-identified needs is crucial
• Grant amounts are modest ($500-$5,000), making them accessible to smaller organisations
• The foundation provides both flexible funding and technical assistance
• Geographic restriction is strict - must serve one or more of the 12 specified Black Belt counties
• Annual application cycle requires planning ahead as deadlines are fixed
• The foundation's approach emphasises shifting power to communities, suggesting they favour empowerment-focused proposals

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Black Belt Community Foundation Inc profile (accessed December 31, 2025)
• GuideStar profile for EIN 63-1270745 (accessed December 31, 2025)
• Black Belt Community Foundation official website: https://blackbeltfound.org (accessed December 31, 2025)
• BBCF Grants page: https://blackbeltfound.org/grants (accessed December 31, 2025)
• BBCF Contact page: https://blackbeltfound.org/contact (accessed December 31, 2025)