All For NC Newsletter

• John Francis' career has spanned nonprofits and philanthropy. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Foundation Relationships at City Year, where he developed and managed partnerships with several national foundations. Before that, he was executive director of a nonprofit and program officer for the North Carolina Community Foundation. John grew up in Westfield, NC, and attended Surry County Schools, where both his parents were teachers. John will primarily be responsible for our grantmaking dedicated to strengthening democracy.
   
• Ricky Hurtado is a former nonprofit practitioner, educator and policymaker. He is co-founder of LatinxEd, an organization working to advance education equity and Latine leadership. He has taught at the UNC School of Education, served on several commissions and task forces for the NC Governor, and served as a House Representative in the NC General Assembly, where he was the only Latino legislator of the 170-member body. Ricky grew up in Sanford, NC, and attended Lee County Public Schools. Ricky will primarily be responsible for our grantmaking dedicated to advancing public education.

• A new report from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) shows North Carolina surging as a leader in the clean transportation manufacturing space. In just the last 6 months, investment in electric vehicles in North Carolina has grown by $9 billion, and that is in addition to $10 billion in announced investment as of August 2023. North Carolina is third in the nation (after Georgia and Michigan) in announced investment since November 2021. 
   
• What does it take for Latine leaders in education to thrive in North Carolina? A new report from LatinxEd explores this question, uncovering key motivators and challenges for Latine educators across the state. As North Carolina’s Latine population continues to grow, the report is a fantastic resource for institutions across the education sector who want to recruit and retain bilingual, bicultural leaders.
   
• Smart Start, a network of 75 local organizations coordinated by the North Carolina Partnership for Children, launched an expanded online catalog of vetted strategies people can use to support young children and families in NC. The catalog includes evidence-based solutions partners have used or are currently using to meet their early childhood goals, from literacy to behavioral health to professional development. 
   
• The North Carolina Local News Lab Fund announced $370,000 in new funding for 29 organizations who deploy trusted messengers, from journalists to health workers, to ensure community members get the news and information they need to thrive. These newest grants continue the Fund’s work to build a sustainable and inclusive news and information ecosystem that serves all of North Carolina. 
   
• Last year, Mountain BizWorks launched their first Latino Catalyst Cohort, a 10-month program designed to help members navigate the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship through leadership skills development, one-on-one coaching and peer support. The first cohort is set to graduate in May, and several participants recently spoke about how the program has been critical to their growth as entrepreneurs in western NC.
   

• We are thrilled to announce the 2024 awardees of the ZSR Sabbatical Program! After years of serving others, these committed NC nonprofit leaders will take up to six months away from their jobs to rest, heal, reconnect with family and friends, travel, and make space for activities that have nothing to do with work. Please join us in congratulating the awardees: 
   
  • Stacey Carless, Founder and Executive Director, NC Counts Coalition 
  • April Cox, Executive Director, Rockingham County Partnership for Children 
  • James E. Ford, Founder and Executive Director, Center for Racial Equity in Education 
  • Chavi Khanna Koneru, Founder and Executive Director, NC Asian Americans Together 
  • Chris Watson, Executive Director, Community Housing Coalition of Madison County 
     
• Join us TOMORROW (May 1) in Winston-Salem for a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Matthew Desmond about the systemic issues facing our communities and how to address them. All attendees will receive a copy of Desmond’s book Poverty, By America. We’re excited to partner with the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, Marguerite Casey Foundation, Winston-Salem Foundation, and beloved Winston-Salem bookshop Bookmarks on this event.