By Rhonda Crowder
Even in the best of times, black nonprofit and service organizations face a unique set of challenges from secure funding to attracting new members. Add Covid-19 to the mix and the work becomes more daunting.
We looked at three such area organizations — the United Black Fund, The Pan-Hellenic Council of Greater Cleveland and The National Council of Negro Women-Cuyahoga Section — to gain a sense of how such organizations, which play a vital community role, are coping in this pandemic.
United Black Fund
“Since March, we’ve been trying to remain fluid,” said Cecil Lipscomb, executive director of United Black Fund (UBF). Lipscomb said they are taking a conservative approach to how they manage and operate. Almost immediately, they took to working remotely and embracing a virtual meeting regimen.
“At each turn, each day could be devastating news or great news. At the end of each day, things can change,” he said.
United Black Fund, the only Black federated human service organization in the state of Ohio, assists over 80 organizations annually and has distributed more than $12 million in grants.
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Cecil Lipscomb,
UBF executive director |
According to Lipscomb, many of the organizations UBF serves were quiescent in the pandemic’s early days. They paused, he said, trying to figure it all out. But as conditions became more critical, it wasn’t long before UBF started getting urgent requests for support. Food shortages, children with depression and schools in need of technology were some of the most pressing issues.
“UBF responded by providing means but by no way could we cover all the requests internally,” he said. “We were able to help through direct funds or partnerships with larger agencies.”
For example, The Khnemu Foundation needed personal protection equipment to provide to it Glenville community. UBF helped them secure N95 masks from United Way and the Verizon Foundation.
UBF also continued to work with the African American Association of Cultural Garden, providing direct consultation.
“People are going to need outdoor spaces of healing. This can be a place we can gather,” said Lipscomb.
Additionally, UBF hosted a training in partnership with the Cleveland Leadership Center to train over 400 executives in Puerto Rico regarding fund development. Prior to the onset of the pandemic, the original plan had been to travel to Puerto Rico. However, the presenters were forced to pivot, converting the training materials to Spanish, using interpreters and FEMA representatives to deliver the service, and providing the training online.
And, in partnership with Mad Works, UBF supported the expansion of both enrollment and curriculum to enrich a summer program they previously sponsored in Richmond Heights Local Schools, teaching coding and graphic design over the summer to 75 children.
In addition to accelerating its responses to grantees, UBF has also begun to reconsider some of its strategic imperatives. The pandemic disruption and the social unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd this summer by police in Minneapolis created a sense of urgency for UBF to build its capacity. Lipscomb acknowledged UBF had not been sufficiently aggressive in the past in terms of providing financial support, in response time, and in scaling the organization.
“Our reach could be more,” he said. “We started thinking about how we can do more, to run to the fire as opposed to away from it.”
UBF has begun hosting a series of workshops via Zoom, titled Summit Ujima, to encourage non-profit leaders to think about how to catalyze collective work and responsibility.
They recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Black Economic and Wellness Coalition, to better align for a concerted effort and organize in response to problems.
“We want to identify solutions and be proactive,” said Lipscomb. “We want to do things like invest and support in unique ways, being more intentional.”
They also worked with the Cleveland Black Equity and Humanity Fund [CBEHF], a donor-advised fund housed at the Cleveland Foundation.
CBEHF is the direct outgrowth of the Soul of Philanthropy – CLE, a year-long local citizen-initiated effort that worked to illuminate and expand the history, definition, and role of philanthropy in the black community. The members of the Soul Of Philanthropy – CLE’s executive committee continue to serve as the leadership of now CBEHF.
“We wanted to continue to uplift black philanthropy and create a fund that would attract resources to deal with issues of inequity and create advancement and growth in the black community,” said Lipscomb. “Economics is going to be extremely important going forward.”
Surprisingly, Lipscomb continued, UBF saw an increase in funding, in particular from non-traditional, community folk such as Tim and Latrice Tramble as well as Michelle S. Felder and members of the Black Women Work CLE Facebook Group.
UBF’s staff does much of its work remotely these days. Lipscomb said his days have started earlier and end later than before. UBF staff members have grown closer, as some have lost family members to Covid-19. The staff is reading together, as well. Begin Again, by Dr. Eddie Glaude, is their current text.
Lipscomb shared with The Real Deal Press that this year’s annual UBF meeting, to be held next month, will have some unique aspects, inspired in part by the societal changes induced by the pandemic. “It will be dynamic, with lots of design”, he said.
National Pan-Hellenic Council of Greater Cleveland
The National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative umbrella organization comprising nine historically Black Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities.
The organizations — Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Iota Phi Theta — are oftentimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine”.
The twelve local member chapters of these organizations each has their own community initiatives in addition to working together.
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L-R) Essence Bates (FinancialSecretary), Vikki Pruitte-Sorrells (1st Vice-president), Mark Sorrells (President),
Brian Webster (2nd Vice-president), and Ashley Thomas (Correspondence Secretary) |
Kappa Alpha Psi member Mark R. Sorrells became president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Greater Cleveland in January after serving the four previous years as 2nd Vice President. He said the “Cleveland Pan-Hell” and the local Divine Nine organizations are adapting to the climate.“There have been a lot of changes,” said Sorrells. “We [Cleveland Pan-Hell] knew right away that at least our meetings would be different.”
Sorrells said The Cleveland Pan-Hell immediately started to meet via Zoom. “We thought it was going to be short. We were in denial. We still planned to do our social events,” he said.
They had scheduled a bowling party and a reunion picnic for the Spring, both of which had to be cancelled. However, the pandemic has not impacted their bottom line.
“It didn’t hurt us financially,” he said. “We’re not shelling out money for expenses. Our expenses actually decreased.”
According to Sorrells, a lot of the Greek organizations hosted virtual regional conferences, including both Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Kappa Alpha sororities. The AKA regional had been scheduled for Cleveland.
“Covid made us rethink things,” said Sorrells, explaining how Cleveland Pan-Hell began to do more social action-oriented events.
“We thought it was going to be short. We were in denial. We still planned to do our social events,” Sorrells said.
They held a virtual Day of Prayer, where all members of The Divine Nine were invited to come together to pray about different things. They also held a Census 2020 event at Fatima Family Center and conducted Covid-19 testing.
“We’re still doing things,” Sorrells said. “We’re planning another Day of Prayer.”
Sorrells said that each of the Greek organizations had its own voting initiatives for this year'. “I don’t know what group didn’t have one.”
The Cleveland Pan-Hell usually hosts a Christmas Party at the Alpha Estates. This year, they’ll simply distribute meals and baskets. “We’re active, but active in a different way.”
They have an “adopted highway” program, supports the local HBCU College Fair, MLK Day speeches for youth as well. They’ve also hosted fun activities such as Black Jeopardy, something Sorrells is looking to revamp virtually.
Overall, The Pan-Hellenic Council of Greater Cleveland is still adjusting. It will soon be in fundraising mode, in anticipation of its 50th anniversary celebration in 2022.
One of the biggest hurdles of the pandemic for Greek organizations, Sorrells said, is getting new members. “Covid presents a challenge to bringing in new members into Divine Nine organizations.”
Sorrells believes society’s current climate highlights the need for more collective action. “We need to come together and learn to put things in place to meet the needs of our community.”
National Council of Negro Women - Cuyahoga Section
The National Council of Negro Women is a non-profit organization founded in 1935 by the legendary Mary McCloud Bethune, with the mission to advance the opportunities and the quality of life for African American women, their families, and communities.
Kemberlee H. Jones became president of NCNW’s Cuyahoga Section almost three months ago, in the midst of the pandemic. She says six prior years of service as an officer of the organization made it a smooth transition.
The NCNW Cuyahoga Section, which has about 100 members, is fifty-four years old. There is a Cleveland Section as well.
“It has been challenging yet creative,” said Jones of the work during this pandemic. Her Section started meeting on Zoom. The way they delivered services has changed as well.
Every Friday for the last thirty years, they fed the men at the City Mission. Unable to continue doing that under Covid-19, they mailed a check to the Food Bank. They also donated items to Laura’s Home, Frontline Services, and Bessie’s Place — all organizations they supported prior to the onset of the pandemic.
Every June for the last twenty years, the chapter has held a resource/health fair at the Zelma George Recreation Center at Luke Easter Park on the city’s southeast side.
“I don’t think it will look the same, but we still want to do something,” said Jones.
Since the onset of the pandemic, they have hosted a town hall to encourage Census2020 participation on Facebook.
“Our work is still going on, just in a virtual environment,” said Jones. “The work can’t stop. Our members are adjusting. We’ve done quite a bit. I'm very proud.”
Citing the increase in reported child abuse and domestic violence is up, one thing another this she wanted to do was revitalize the chapter’s child abuse and domestic violence committee.
“That’s an area we need to be strong in,” said Jones.
Jones said her Section has a good relationship with other local sections and affiliates such as the Greek organizations, in terms of staying engaged and providing support.
She wants people to know their mission is to lead, advocate for, and empower African American women, their families and communities through research, advocacy and national and community based services and programs on issues of health, education and economics empowerment in the United States and in Africa. They are welcoming new members.
“I think all professional women should be a member of National Council of Negro Women,” she said.
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