On December 7, 2022, the recipients of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity-Action (IDEA) grant awardees gathered in New Spire Arts. This group represents the pioneering cohort of the newest grant cycle offered by the Ausherman Family Foundation, which funded Black-led non-profits in Frederick County.

“On behalf of the IDEA advisory council, I want to share our warmest congratulation to our grantees,” said Chairperson Dr. Denise Rollins. “We are honored to recognize our first cohort of outstanding community leaders and dedicated non-profit providers who positively impact the Frederick community every single day.”

Dr.  Rollins also noted that these non-profits are paving the path for other organizations, “For many of the organizations present, this was their first-ever grant award, and the hope is that with the Foundation’s support, these non-profits can not only devote more resources to the Frederick community but also open doors for other minority-led non-profits to do the same.

The next step will be to bring these non-profits together as a cohort to provide training and other educational opportunities. “The IDEA grant is about more than money, it’s about connections and capacity building,” said Gayon Sampson, an advisory council committee member, at the event. “We want to help give you the tools and resources to strengthen your organization to serve the community in a deeper way.”

The room’s positive energy was amplified by Marvin Ausherman, Founder, and CEO, announcing that there will be two grant cycles next year that will be allotted $50,000 each to award.

The Ausherman Family Foundation team is excited to work with each of the inaugural IDEA grantees and foster their organizations’ growth as they move into the future.

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