Grant money awarded to advance racial equity in Southeast Minnesota
OWATONNA, Minn. — As part of its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, Mayo Clinic Health System in southeast Minnesota is awarding a total of $20,000 in grants to four nonprofit organizations in the region.
Funding for these grants comes from Mayo Clinic's newly established EverybodyIN Fund for Change. Last summer, Mayo Clinic staff contributed nearly $89,000 to the fund with the goal of supporting efforts to advance racial equity. Mayo Clinic's match brought the fund's total to $200,000. More than 100 organizations located in communities that Mayo Clinic serves applied for the grant funding.
"We were inspired as we read about many wonderful programs serving our communities, as well as plans for new initiatives to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion," says Erin Sexton, director of Enterprise Community Engagement at Mayo Clinic. "We are very pleased to announce the organizations selected by our three Mayo Clinic sites and four Mayo Clinic Health System regions."
The following Southeast Minnesota organizations will receive funding:
- United Way of Goodhue, Wabasha and Pierce Counties in partnership with Allies of Human Rights, $5,000 to support the Waking Up Red Wing program focused on education and understanding of inclusion.
- Cultural Diversity Network of Owatonna, $5,000 for its Bridging the Equity Divide: Four Pathways to Increased Equity & Inclusion program.
- Welcome Center, Inc. of Austin, $5,000 for its Equity Innovation Lab Exploration, growing a welcoming and inclusive community that recognizes strengths and shortcomings regarding race and equity awareness.
- Project FINE (Focus on Integrating Newcomers through Education), $5,000 to support a series of diversity training focused on bias and self-awareness, and strategies to increase equity.
"This support will help the Cultural Diversity Network continue to advance equity and inclusion in the Owatonna community," says Rebecca Moore, vice-chair from Cultural Diversity Network. "Our upcoming projects focus on education, mentoring, and celebration of diversity, all intending to eliminate racism and create a more united community. This grant is critical to those projects, and we are grateful for Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Health Systems' support of this important work."
"Project FINE is grateful to be selected for the Everybody In grant." says Fatima Said, Executive Director of Project FINE. “This funding will allow us to provide training that will reach a wide cross-section of our community to further diversity, equity and inclusion in our region.”
Press Contact
Kristy Jacobsone-mail: jacobson.kristy@mayo.edu
phone: 507-263-7659