Grant seekers

Transportation Grants

BACKGROUND

In 2018 the Foundation held many listening sessions, speaking with over 250 people from all walks of life to gather perspectives on our two focus areas, Advancing Equity in Education and Building a More Inclusive Economy. Read more about this listening process.

Among other issues, we heard that for many community members inadequate transportation is a barrier to accessing childcare, receiving healthcare, attending preferred schools, and obtaining and maintaining employment. As a result, transportation became the focus of two focus area grant rounds, one in Spring 2019 and another in Fall 2020.

participatory grantmaking model

In planning this grant round, we decided that those community members who had local transportation challenges would be the best to select the projects to be funded. Therefore, a Community Committee was assembled, including those who have had these challenges, plus individuals working in the transportation field. The Community Committee designed an application, interviewed grant applicants, and made grant decisions.

2019 GRANT RECIPIENTS

Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministries – $24,000 to provide transportation for men recently released from prison to obtain employment
Forsyth Technical Community College – $25,000 to identify how the misalignment of transit and school schedules creates barriers for low-income students
Island CultureZ – $36,000 to provide transportation for youth to work at urban and rural farms
The Salvation Army – $28,000 for transportation assistance for Center of Hope clients and participants of The Boys & Girls Club as well as deferred maintenance for 25 vehicles
The Shepherd's Center of Kernersville – $13,000 to provide transportation for seniors who are wheelchair bound
The Shepherd's Center of Greater Winston-Salem – $28,000 to expand transportation services for seniors in Forsyth County
Winston-Salem Urban League – $35,000 to purchase a mini-bus to transport those who work outside of WSTA bus routes

For more details, read our press release.

2020 GRANT RECIPIENTS

Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministries – $29,900 to support the Transition to Work Program
Forsyth Technical Community College – $25,000 to identify transportation barriers of students and to begin implementing scalable interventions
Island CultureZ – $20,000 to connect urban youth with agricultural training and leadership development
Salvation Army – $53,700 to replace an aged bus that transports youth to Boys and Girls Club with a new one
Shepherd's Center of Greater Winston-Salem – $25,000 to provide transportation services for seniors in Forsyth County
Shepherd's Center of Kernersville – $16,000 to provide transportation for seniors who are wheelchair bound or on dialysis