Pillar launched an inaugural round of grantees and an open call for applications in Rainier Valley. In partnership with local community-based organizations, the initiative directs philanthropic dollars to independently owned businesses providing vital jobs, goods, and services.
Pillar develops its grantmaking method by identifying and partnering with reputable local groups. Global Majority Consortium (GMC) co-led early community engagement and recipient selection in Rainier Valley, resulting in Pillar's initial round of financing. Umami Kushi, Island Soul, and Emerald City Fish and Chips are among the grantees, as are Amy's Merkato café and deli and Brown Sugar Baking Company. Additionally, the Elite Collective creative firm and the historic Royal Esquire Club will get funding.
"COVID-19 has only widened existing inequities in our country. Pillar is a solution to support businesses at the heart of local communities–places like barber shops, bookstores, and restaurants. It's our aim that efforts in Rainier Valley serve as a blueprint for neighborhoods across the country."
CEO Ariel Kelley
Pillar is the first philanthropic fund authorized by the IRS to allocate charity funds to for-profit organizations. Individuals and foundations that make contributions to Pillar will receive the same tax benefits as they would if they made a typical charitable gift. This fund will be used only for COVID-19 recovery and will operate for up to 24 months until sunsetting in the first quarter of 2023. Seattle-born Chris Hansen, a Rainier Valley native, underwrote Pillar's start-up expenditures and gave the organization's initial $5 million for grantmaking. Ariel Kelley, CEO, is a lawyer and seasoned non-profit leader with more than a decade of expertise implementing financial empowerment and wealth development initiatives in underprivileged areas.
Small businesses with a three-year or longer operating history in or around Rainier Valley are eligible for an initial rehabilitation award of up to $75,000.