Romanucci & Blandin issued the following announcement on Dec. 22.
The family of George Floyd along with civil rights attorneys Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci, L. Chris Stewart, Jeff Storms and other co-counsel today announce The George Floyd Community Benevolence Fund (The Fund) www.thegeorgefloyfund.org is now accepting grant applications to support businesses and organizations in Minneapolis.
The mission of the Fund is to raise up and give breath to the businesses, individuals and organizations in Minnesota that have been detrimentally impacted by systemic racism.
The Fund will award grants to eligible businesses, community organizations and 501(c)(3) groups serving the community at and surrounding 38th & Chicago in Minneapolis and/or encouraging the success and growth of Black citizens and community harmony. Mr. Floyd was murdered May 25, 2020 in that predominantly Black neighborhood, and his family has been touched by the strength, the spirit and the need in that community.
The fund is now accepting applications and will stop accepting applications on March 31st, 2022.
Grants will be funded at three levels, $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000. In order to receive a grant, an applicant must complete and submit the application found at www.thegeorgefloydfund.org, at which time the Fund Board will review applications and notify applicants of their decision in late Spring/early Summer 2022.
In March of 2021, the family reached a civil litigation settlement with the city of Minneapolis for $27 million, the largest pre-trial settlement of its kind in a civil rights wrongful death case in U.S. history. The family, determined to see positive change from the loss of their loved one, will direct $500,000 to create the Fund and provide long-term support to enhance the business district where George Floyd died. Family members are also involved in other charitable efforts across the country to create positive change in George Floyd’s name.
In April 2021, Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter for taking Mr. Floyd’s life. A trial for the other three former officers involved is pending.
The Fund is a Minnesota-based nonprofit entity. Board members include four Floyd family members; Terrence Floyd, Bridget Floyd, Philonise Floyd and Roxie Washington, along with members of their legal team including Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci, L. Chris Stewart, Jeff Storms and Scott Masterson. The Board also includes several spots for community leaders from 38th & Chicago area, and Board members are in the process of selecting those individuals before the application review process begins.
The Fund is eager to support projects by established and eligible entities that have a local impact, and applicants must demonstrate that their proposed program would prove significant to the local community. Programs desired by the Fund include the renovation or expansion of businesses, apprentice work or training programs, or community arts/civil rights awareness programs to name a few.
“The family of George Floyd wants to make sure something positive comes from the pain and injustice Mr. Floyd suffered in May of 2020. The George Floyd Community Benevolence Fund is determined to bring funding and encouragement to businesses and organizations who serve the marginalized community at 38th & Chicago, an area that has continually seen the negative impacts of systemic racism,” said Attorney and Fund Board Member Ben Crump.
“The legacy of George Floyd is his spirit of optimism that things can and will get better. Our family wants that hope to be brought to the community where he died so that we can all uplift each other in Black community in Minneapolis and beyond,” said Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd and Treasurer of the Fund.
Grant Evaluation Criteria
Proposals for awards of grants submitted to The George Floyd Community Benevolence Fund will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- The alignment of the program to the Fund’s mission
- The impact of the program
- The management efficiency of the requesting organization and its ability to conduct the program and measure results
All grant recipients must submit a brief mid-term report on their activities within 6 months after grant date, providing progress on the project. Recipients must submit a final summary report with a detailed financial and project summary within 12 months after the date of the Fund’s written notice awarding the grant.
Grant recipients receiving multi-year grants must submit a detailed progress report at each one-year interval after the grant date for the life of the grant. Payment of the next grant installment will not be made until receipt of the required progress report and approval by The George Floyd Community Benevolence Fund.
Original source can be found here.