5 Reasons to Discover April's Health Focus | Health & Wellness and Nonprofits in the Black Community

Published: Sat, 04/19/25

Updated: Sat, 04/19/25

Founder's Message

April gives us 5 major reasons to shine light on health and well-being.

April is (1) National Minority Health Month, (2) Autism Awareness Month, (3) TAR Syndrome Awareness, (4) World Health Day and also has (5) Black Maternal Health Week.

To us, these moments aren't just dates on a calendar. Instead, they are lived realities and urgent reminders shouting that health equity cannot wait.

We believe healing starts with community and throughout April, we shine light on SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being.

As proactive as we can be, we have designed specific programs such as the Global Black Philanthropy Initiative (GBPI), to align each month with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The power of grassroots and Black-led organizations confronting health disparities with care, culture, and courage are actively being spotlighted.

The call-to-action for you is simple.

I'm encouraging everyone to learn more, show appreciation, and raise awareness for more nonprofit organizations focused on health and well-being.

🔗Learn more from SBC's Online Directory: Health Category.

Let us find a way to serve in community with gratitude.

Anick Silencieux,

Executive Director at Support Black Charities (SBC)

Highlights from this newsletter:

Featured Nonprofits in April:
- TAR Syndrome Association – TAR Syndrome Awareness Month
- The Ready Aiders Foundation – Autism Awareness Month
April Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) awareness in focus; SDG #3: Good Health and Well-being
Welcoming 2 new nonprofits for SBC's Online Directory
- Federation of Black Canadians (FBC)
- Action Lab for Development (ACT4DEV)
15 new grants & funding opportunities from Canada, The U.S, UK, and Africa

📢 Featured Organizations

TAR Syndrome Association – TAR Syndrome Awareness Month

Founded by Jylan Ross and Morgan Robinson, the TAR Syndrome Association is working to shine a light on a condition that is rarely talked about—Thrombocytopenia-Absent Radius (TAR) Syndrome—especially within the Black community.

📍 Based in Lexington, Kentucky, their mission is clear: raise awareness, fund medical research, and support individuals with TAR Syndrome who often feel left out and overlooked.

🧬 Black individuals with disabilities face greater health inequities—and this nonprofit is changing that narrative with annual awareness walks, peer support programs, and direct financial aid for medical treatments.

💬 Their fund raising milestone needs our help to reach its goal of $10,000 to fund medical research.

Let’s support the fight for visibility, dignity, and inclusion!

📣 Support and learn more from their website!

The Ready Aiders Foundation – Autism Awareness Month

From a school club in Nairobi to a powerhouse of community-driven change, The Ready Aiders Foundation is transforming lives through education, advocacy, and empowerment.

💡 This April, their unique event "Mr. & Mrs. Autism Kenya" highlights the beauty and strength of individuals with Autism in Kenya. Through visibility and storytelling, they are rewriting the narrative around disability and inclusion.

Their programs go even further—with a STEM-based ICT Centre for girls in Mathare and Ready Aiders TV, which shares real stories from women and people living with disabilities.

🔧 Current needs: Volunteers, therapy tools, computers, and dry food goods.

🎉 Let’s amplify their voice this April and beyond.

📣 Support and learn more from their website!

🎉Welcome New Members to
SBC's Online Directory:

Federation of Black Canadians (FBC) addresses disparities in Black health outcomes through research, advocacy, and culturally informed programming. They also advocate for policies promoting racial equity in Canada’s legal and policing systems.

Visit their website today at www.fbcfcn.ca

Action Lab for Development (ACT4DEV) focuses on addressing educational challenges in Cameroon-Africa, Alberta-Canada. They provide training, mentorship, & resources to aspiring entrepreneurs, helping develop the skills & knowledge needed to start and grow successful businesses.

Visit their website today at www.actlabs4dev.org

Global Black Philanthropy Initiative (GBPI)

Disparities in donation highlight that “Black organizations receive as little as 7 cents for every $100 donated to Canada’s big charities, study finds.”

What can be done to reduce the giving gap?

Our response was the creation of the Global Black Philanthropy Initiative (GBPI), an effort that integrates with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as defined by the United Nations.

This April, our focus is on SDG #3: Good Health and Well-being. This goal aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, which is crucial for building prosperous communities.

Our ongoing efforts have raised $2,370 Canadian dollars since August 2023, directly benefiting initiatives that enhance health outcomes in Black communities globally. Your support is crucial in our mission.

Visit www.global-bpi.org to contribute and help us build a world where good health and well-being are within everyone's reach.

Nonprofit Resource of the Month

Are you ready to take your organization to the next level?

Do you know exactly what your nonprofit needs to diversify its funding, revenue streams, and more?

Let us help you unlock your full potential.

Complete our FREE Business Development Assessment Tool for Nonprofits for your customized roadmap to success.

We make recommendations based on 21 service areas:

👨🏾‍💼Governance

🌐 Website Development and Optimization

🛠️ Program Development

💰 Financials (Budget, Bookkeeping, Reporting, Accounting, etc.)

💼 Earned Revenue/Revenue Streams

👥 Human Resources – Staffing/Interns

🤝 Volunteer Management Program

❤️ Donor Management Program

🎁 Fundraising Program (Fund Development & Diversification, Grant Research & Writing)

💡 Digital Marketing

🤝 Strategic Partnerships (Sponsorships, Affiliations)

🔒 Cybersecurity Assessment

🔍 Gap Analysis

📈 Impact Measurement

⚙️ Operations (Standard Operating Procedures)

🎉 Event Management

📢 Media Management

🗺️ Strategic Planning

🎓 Internship Management

📇 Membership Management

🌈 Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI)

🌟 Exciting Grant Opportunities Alert!🌟
Funding Opportunities

It's time to secure the funding you need to expand your programs, reach more people, and make a greater difference throughout the community. Check out these transformative opportunities:

🔹 Deadline: April 21, 2025 – United States

Title: Organizing Grants Program
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: A.J. Muste Foundation for Peace & Justice
Grant type/amount: $1,000 to $10,000 USD
Eligible projects: Supports grassroots organizations focused on nonviolent activist organizing for systemic change. Priority is given to groups with limited access to mainstream funding. Organizations with annual budgets over $250,000 are not eligible.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: April 24, 2025 – Canada

Title: Rogers Youth Grants 2025
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Rogers Communications
Grant type/amount: $10,000 or $25,000 CAD
Eligible projects: Supports equity-deserving youth (ages 12–29) through mentorship, job readiness, academic achievement, and education initiatives. Projects must serve a minimum of 75 youth for the $10K grant or 150 for the $25K grant.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: April 30, 2025 – Africa & Diaspora

Title: Work Reimagined StoryLab Grant 2025
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Africa No Filter in partnership with the Ford Foundation
Grant type/amount: Up to $3,500 USD
Eligible projects: For African and diaspora-based journalists, podcasters, and storytellers focused on narratives about the future of work in Africa.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: April 30, 2025 – United States

Title: Foundation for Financial Planning Grant Program
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Foundation for Financial Planning (FFP)
Grant type/amount: Up to $40,000 USD
Eligible projects: Engages CFP® professionals to provide pro bono financial planning for underserved communities, including seniors, veterans, cancer patients, and low-income families.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: April 30, 2025 – Global

Title: UNICEF Call for Innovative WASH Solutions 2025
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: UNICEF Sustainable WASH Innovation Hub
Grant type/amount: Up to $150,000 USD
Eligible projects: Supports scalable, climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) solutions with a focus on climate adaptation and data gaps.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: April 30, 2025 – Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Senegal

Title: CorpsAfrica Volunteering Program
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: CorpsAfrica
Grant type/amount: Volunteer Placement / Events
Eligible projects: For African youth to volunteer in underserved rural communities and engage in community-led development projects.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 1, 2025 – US, Canada, UK

Title: True Inspiration Awards – Chick-fil-A Youth Education Grant
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Chick-fil-A
Grant type/amount: $30,000 to $350,000 USD
Eligible projects: Educational initiatives for underserved youth focusing on leadership, academics, and community involvement.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 2, 2025 – United States

Title: Sparkplug Foundation Spring 2025 Grant Cycle
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Sparkplug Foundation
Grant type/amount: $1,000 to $20,000 USD
Eligible projects: Start-ups and new projects in education, community organizing, and music. Prioritizes BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, and people with disabilities.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 16, 2025 – United Kingdom

Title: Achieve Equity Foundation Grant Program
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Achieve Equity Foundation
Grant type/amount: £1,000 to £10,000 GBP
Eligible projects: Supports youth empowerment projects focusing on equitable education, poverty reduction, and sustainable development.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 18, 2025 – Caribbean Region

Title: SCAC Small Grants Programme 2025
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Department of Cooperation and Cultural Action (SCAC)
Grant type/amount: $1,000 to $10,000 USD
Eligible projects: For arts, youth development, conservation, and recreation in eligible Caribbean countries.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 21, 2025 – Eligible Developing Countries

Title: International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD)
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: UNESCO
Grant type/amount: Up to $100,000 USD
Eligible projects: Cultural policies, industry development, and inclusive cultural expressions in developing countries.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 27, 2025 – Latin America and the Caribbean

Title: Biodiversity Information for Development Programme
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Grant type/amount: $10,000 to $100,000 USD
Eligible projects: Biodiversity data mobilization, decision-making support, and regional collaboration to halt biodiversity loss.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 30, 2025 – Ontario, Canada

Title: Community Granting Program
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Alterna Savings
Grant type/amount: Up to $1,000 CAD
Eligible projects: Community projects aligned with housing, food security, environmental sustainability, and DEI—especially for women, youth, and 2SLGBTQ+.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 30, 2025 (LOI) – Ontario

Title: Financial Inclusion Granting Program
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Alterna Savings
Grant type/amount: Up to $20,000 CAD
Eligible projects: Innovative financial inclusion and literacy projects for underserved communities. LOIs required before full proposals.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

🔹 Deadline: May 31, 2025 – Rolling Quarterly – United States

Title: IMPACT Grant – Spring Cycle
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Impact Funding Solutions
Grant type/amount: $1,000 USD
Eligible projects: Grassroots, socially responsible initiatives that create positive, sustainable community impact.
Links: Click here to Learn more – Apply

Don’t miss these opportunities to boost your initiatives and broaden your impact!

🔗 Visit https://supportblackcharities.org/grant-funding-opportunities for the full list, to learn more & apply before the deadlines!

Why Your Support Matters

We are dedicated to making it easier for you to support Black organizations through our Global Black Philanthropy Initiative (GBPI) and our vetted online SBC Directory.

These tools help you find and support organizations that align with your values and passions. Every dollar you contribute allows us to expand our reach, support more organizations, and further develop the efficiency of our programs.

By donating to SBC, you are directly fueling our mission to amplify the voices of Black organizations, enhance their visibility, and equip them with the tools needed to become sustainable and self-sufficient.

Take Action - Join Us in Making a Difference
Your donation is more than just a contribution; it's a commitment to uplifting the entire Black community. Let's work together to create lasting change.

Donate today and be part of the movement that is creating generational change. If you'd like to explore other ways to support, we’d love to connect—please reach out to us to start the conversation.

SBC is the only organization dedicated to increasing the visibility of Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused organizations worldwide while working to boost charitable giving within the global Black Community. Here’s how we are fulfilling our mission:

We are continuously engaging with active and impactful organizations to grow our online directory.
We feature organizations, their programs, their events, or their executive/volunteer teams on Social Media to amplify their mission.
We bring attention to and raise awareness of issues or matters specific to the Black experience.
We look for valuable resources for organizations to share on our website’s Resource page. (Ex: grants, funding, courses, etc.)
We actively promote our vetted directory to attract volunteers and potential donors to find Black organizations to support or engage with.
We are committed to assist Black organizations become sustainable and self sufficient.
We have established a Resources Hub and a Provider of essential services like our recently launched tool “Business Development Assessment for Nonprofit“.
We created a year-long initiative - GBPI - to promote Black philanthropy within the community.

🌟 Let's make Black philanthropy a catalyst for change. 🌟

Your support makes all of this possible!

Let’s continue making waves together. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for updates, stories, and opportunities to engage.

Warm regards,

- The SBC Team