Advancing Racial Equity

REPORT: A Roadmap for Pursuing Racial Equity from Symphonic Strategies

Restoring America's Promise in Kansas City was researched and written by Alonford J. Robinson Jr., Ph.D., and his team at Symphonic Strategies.

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation aims to empower nonprofits, philanthropists, business and civic leaders, government officials, and others to understand the important role they can play in advancing racial equity. The report outlines specific racial parity targets, breaking down how many people exist "in the gaps."

Download "Restoring America's Promise in Kansas City" (PDF 50MB)

Report Based on Census Data and Community Feedback

To highlight the disparities between individuals who identify as BIPOC and individuals who identify as White, Symphonic Strategies used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Learn more about the ACS from the U.S. Census.

Additionally, the Symphonic Strategies team centered community voices through surveys and focus groups, conducted in partnership with trusted nonprofit organizations that are working to improve the lives of people of color in and around Kansas City.

The theme was clear: every day our communities of color face chronic stress prevalent in all aspects of life – housing, health care, education, and more.

Affiliates Working in Black and Latino Communities

Apart from the report, the Community Foundation has supported authentic voices in Black and Latino communities for decades through its Community Affiliates: the Black Community Fund (BCF) and the Hispanic Development Fund (HDF).

BCF and HDF have worked to improve the quality of life in their communities for more than 40 years by increasing charitable giving, supporting local nonprofit organizations with grant dollars, and providing scholarships to Black and Latino students.

As respected leaders in philanthropy, BCF and HDF have a deep understanding of community needs and the strategies and players best equipped to meet those needs, and their respective Boards of Directors and dedicated staff members are committed to continued growth and success. You can learn more and support their work at www.blackcommunityfund.org and www.hdfkc.org.