The PNC Foundation announced that it has awarded $1 Million in grants to Westside Future Fund (WFF) and Focused Community Strategies (FCS)  to support affordable housing, small business development and community revitalization efforts in the Historic Westside and Carver communities.  The two metro Atlanta nonprofits received the three-year grants as part of a broader $1.5 billion, multi-year commitment to help end systemic racism and to support economic empowerment in low- and moderate-income communities across the U.S.

“One of the most significant barriers to housing affordability in Atlanta is the lack of tax abatements for longtime, lower-income homeowners who often face higher property taxes as investments pour into Westside neighborhoods. By working with WFF, PNC is providing a pipeline of much-needed capital to support housing affordability for current residents, eliminate displacement for future renters and homebuyers, and encourage small business development in impacted communities,” said Eddie Meyers, PNC regional president for Greater Georgia.

WFF has received $750,000 from The PNC Foundation to invest in affordable housing and Black entrepreneurs initiatives in Atlanta’s Historic Westside.  The multi-year grant will help provide down payment assistance for homebuyers in the community and underwrite the cost to redevelop six multifamily properties owned by WFF. WFF’s flagship program, Home on the Westside, is designed to drive equitable and inclusive community retention on the Historic Westside through access to safe, quality housing that is attainable for all residents, whether they rent or buy. PNC Foundation’s award also will support WFF’s efforts to invest in small business ownership and retention in the community. Working in partnership with the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs and the Village Micro Fund, WFF will use the grant funding to help deliver low-cost/no-cost capital to Black-owned businesses and microbusinesses, with awards ranging from $25,000 to $75,000.

Residents of Atlanta’s historic Carver community soon will have more options for fresh groceries, thanks in part to a $250,000 multi-year grant from the PNC Foundation to FCS. The PNC Foundation grant will help fund the expansion of Carver Neighborhood Market, a neighborhood grocery store founded in historic south Atlanta in 2015. The demand for expanded services and inventory at Carver Market has grown significantly in recent years. To grow its capacity, FCS plans to add 1,200 square feet of retail space, renovate and enlarge its refrigeration and kitchen space, upgrade building systems, build loading docks and diversify its products. The grant from the PNC Foundation comes at a critical moment in making this expansion possible.

“Working with FCS is about more than writing a check. This grant is about leveraging PNC’s capital and experience to help address economic and health disparities in the communities we serve,” said Courtney Smith, PNC Community Development Banking market manager for Georgia. “This multi-year funding effort gives us an opportunity to support economic revitalization and expand access of essential resources to 100 more families per day in one of Atlanta’s historically underserved neighborhood.”

The three-year grants are part of PNC’s $88 billion Community Benefits Plan announced in April, inclusive of a previously announced commitment of more than $1.5 billion to support the economic empowerment of Black Americans and low- and moderate- income communities. The commitment includes charitable support for national and local work that will help address social justice issues and economic inequality with funding allocation led by the PNC Foundation board of directors, PNC's regional presidents and community development banking teams.

The Community Benefits Plan will provide at least $88 billion in loans, investments and other financial support to benefit low- and moderate-income individuals and communities, people and communities of color, and other underserved individuals and communities over a four-year period.