Kellogg Commits $90 Million to New Racial-Equity Grant Competition

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation says it will award $90 million through a new competitive grant program for groups working to achieve racial equity.

The foundation will work with Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliated with the MacArthur Foundation to administer the challenge.

Kellogg will award planning grants of $1 million each to up to 10 finalists, who will also receive support as they work on finalizing their applications. Awards of $20 million will be made to at least three organizations, and two other applicants will receive $10 million grants, all to be paid out over 10 years, ending in 2030, Kellogg’s centennial anniversary.

Kellogg said it welcomes applications from “visionaries, change agents and community leaders from every sector.” Interested groups must register before January 28, and full applications are due by February 25.

Lever for Change uses a process developed for the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change competition, in which the foundation in 2017 gave $100 million to the International Rescue Committee Sesame Street Workshop. The group gathers experts and peers to evaluate applications, and it provides consulting to a select group of finalists as they fine-tune their plans, with a goal of affecting as many lives as possible.

Since it was spun off from MacArthur, Lever for Change has hosted competitions on climate change, gender equality, economic opportunity, and other issues. It has attracted additional support from donors including Melinda Gates, MacKenzie Scott, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation, and the Pritzker Traubert Foundation.

“We welcome innovative ideas from and for communities around the world,” said Cecilia Conrad, chief executive of Lever for Change. “It’s time to reimagine what is possible, to remove the barriers that stand in the way of social progress for all, and to make big investments that advance racial equity and economic opportunity at scale.”