This week, NIKE, Inc. took a moment to recognise the path to progress in the fight for racial equity. In Washington, DC, the company marked a milestone fourth year of its Black Community Commitment (BCC), a 10-year, $140-million investment to advance racial equity and help eradicate systemic racism.
NIKE, Inc., including Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand, announced the BCC in June 2020, deepening its long-standing commitment to the Black community and marking a pivotal moment in the company’s dedication to non-profit organisations on the front lines of the fight for racial equity.
Celebrating the work of BCC’s grantee organisations, “Path to Progress” programming included a series of panel discussions featuring Nike leaders and BCC grantees on the importance of community-centred giving, a special tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and a marquee conversation among Nike leaders, Nike athletes and grantee leaders on the impact so far of the BCC, held at the Anacostia Arts Center.
The event served as a backdrop for the launch of the Nike Social & Community Impact Grantmaking Guide, an open-source playbook that provides concrete steps for how to take action and catalyse change through community investments. (Click the link below to download the full guide.)
The Social & Community Impact Grantmaking Guide aims to encourage other companies and funders to develop participatory grantmaking in their communities, using strategies rooted in respect and trust. Topics include Nike’s approach to grantee selection, onboarding, investment management and investment transition, which are drawn from Nike BCC grantmaking insight. At the heart of the guide is the affirmation of collaborative relationship building in the grantmaking process and the power of community-centred giving. When funders and grantees seek to create systemic change and truly listen to one another, their impact is multiplied for future generations.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP, chief social & community impact officer, NIKE, Inc., emphasises the role that authentic relationships have played in the success of the first four years of the BCC.
“We focused on supporting our grantees in ways that allowed them the space to drive impact where they and the communities they serve needed it most”, she says. “This philosophy of participatory philanthropy—which leads with collaborative and community-centred giving—has been critical to the success of the BCC and is now central to how we support community organisations overall”.
Through the BCC, NIKE, Inc. has committed $8.6 million so far in its fiscal year 2024 to national and local organisations primarily focused in seven key US cities: Boston; Chicago; Los Angeles; Memphis; New York City; Portland, Ore.; and St. Louis. With the addition of its 2024 BCC grantees, NIKE, Inc. has supported more than 125 non-profit organisations through the BCC and is on track to fulfil its commitment of $40 million since its fiscal year 2021.
“I’m proud of the work and commitment Nike has made these past four years”, says John Donahoe, president and CEO, NIKE, Inc. “But without the passion, dedication and hard work of our more than 125 grantees, our investments simply would not drive the impact we jointly aspire to have”.
Through its commitment to the Black community and all historically underrepresented groups, Nike will continue to support leading organisations on the front lines of the fight for racial equity through their work on economic empowerment, education innovation and social justice.
At the local level, Nike will focus investment and attention on advancing social justice through sport. Sport has the power to unlock potential for success beyond the game, particularly for young people. Nike believes greater participation in sport will create opportunities for inclusive communities to move forward on the path to progress in all aspects of life.
During the next six years, Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand will continue to support Black-led national and local organisations doing important work on economic justice, education, social justice and narrative change through the BCC.
