HOW WE INVEST

Small Dollars Action Fund (S$AF)

We believe that powerful, connected people are the foundation of thriving neighborhoods. It is critical that neighbors are in close relationship with each other to tend to and lead the place they call home together. The Small Dollars Action Fund offers small grants to place-based neighborhood groups and collectives for neighborhood-level connection, activation and action. These groups can apply for up to $2,000 to support their work.

Neighborhood Planning

A clear, strategic roadmap for how a community can build on its assets and be a chosen place for the people who call it home is key to facilitating equitable development. We partner with neighborhood anchors and local government to support comprehensive neighborhood planning processes where residents are the leaders and decision-makers. Curious what this kind of process looks like? To learn about the planning process in the West End and Visitation Park, meet some of the residents involved, and view the draft plan click the link below.  

Capacity Strengthening for

Critical Neighborhood Organizations

It takes a village to sustain a neighborhood and help it thrive. Part of the village are neighborhood-based organizations with a singular mission of boosting the quality of life in the communities they serve. We invest in strenthing the capacity of these neighborhood anchors so they can meet their mission with confidence. Our support and partnership includes multi-year general operating grants, connection to technical assistance to bolster operations and program offerings, and a Neighborhood Solidairty Partner from our team to serve as a guide on the side when navigating organizational growth. Learn about our current neighborhood anchor partnerships below.

Currently we have initiated multi-year, capacity-strengthening relationships with two neighborhood partners: Cornerstone Corporation serving the West End + Visitation Park neighborhoods, and Dutchtown South Community Corporation, serving the Dutchtown, Gravois Park, Marine Villa + Mt. Pleasant neighborhoods. In these partnerships, Invest STL provides a grant to support operations, technical assistance partnerships to tackle organizational development goals and a Neighborhood Solidarity Partner to guide the organization’s leaders along the way. You can learn more about these Investees on their websites, linked below.

Growing Our Investment Scope

Our investment capacity and focus is evolving. Soon, we will also be dedicating support for neighborhood-based, resident capacity strengthening; bolstering neighborhood-scale small businesses; and catalyzing physical develoment resulting from neighborhood plans. Stay tuned.

2020 Covid-19 Response Fund

In April 2020, in consultation with community partners and neighborhood leaders, we developed a fund to support neighborhoods that stood to be the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are honored to have supported 176 neighbor-led collectives, CDCs and small businesses across 42 neighborhoods through the Neighborhood Solidarity Fund. You can learn more about the impact of those funds in our Reflections On 2020 and hear directly from some of the resident leaders involved.