To support the general mission of encouraging Black youth to enter the aviation industry and increase website engagement
Program Area: Community Impact
To support NewTown Macon in increasing the number of Black-owned businesses in downtown Macon by improving access to capital and providing extensive coaching and training for entrepreneurs.
On Feb. 25, 2021, Knight Foundation announced nearly $2 million in support for projects catalyzing equity in Detroit’s Historic North End. Knight’s Nathaniel Wallace shares more below. See the press release here.
Over the last five years, Knight Foundation has proudly supported Detroit’s small businesses, journalism, and arts and culture with the belief that an informed and engaged citizenry should chart its own course and determine its own future.
As we move into 2021, the rapid change in Detroit is palpable. Cautionary tales of other big cities loom large — as investments pour into chronically disinvested Black neighborhoods, it often results in pricing out, resident displacement and the rewriting of area history. Detroiters are eager for change long overdue, but until we’re given the tools and resources to forge our own paths and write our own stories, we risk the same fate.
This year, Knight is narrowing our focus and doubling down on prioritizing equity throughout our work in Detroit. As social investors, our role is to support our community partners as they work to achieve transformative impact; that means bringing community ideas that will have real, long-lasting change to life. That also means supporting work that attracts and nurtures talent, leans into opportunity and fosters civic engagement.
In Detroit, Knight’s work will focus on the Historic North End, a historically Black neighborhood, which is experiencing significant private and commercial investment. As we leverage the momentum around economic growth in the area, our vision is to support a portfolio of projects that are representative of the city, and will help residents shape the North End into an equitable, thriving and connected residential and commercial corridor.
Our North End investments will be centered around equity with a focus on:
- Catalytic commercial projects centered on the fundamental needs of the North End
- The creation and reimagining of equitable, innovative and sustainable public spaces that strengthen neighborhood cohesion
- Support for projects that foster equitable economic development
To start this work, today we’re announcing nearly $2 million in support for two important projects in the area: the Vanguard Community Development Corporation’s transformation of East Grand Boulevard into a pedestrian friendly neighborhood main street and a partnership with the Oakland Avenue Urban Farm and University of Michigan to transform a vacant home into a thriving community library.
This is just the beginning of our work in the Historic North End. We envision an equitable community that’s shaped by its residents, helping to catalyze support for community driven projects in the neighborhood. As more investments come from Knight, we look forward to partnering alongside the community’s vision and joining in the work to make the North End thrive.
Nathaniel Wallace is program director for Detroit at Knight Foundation.
Projects with Vanguard CDC and University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning will provide neighborhood residents with a new library and an attractive main street.
DETROIT — February 25, 2021 — The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced nearly $2 million in support for projects that accelerate equitable growth in Detroit’s Historic North End. Knight support will be used to help transform the area into a pedestrian-friendly destination in partnership with Vanguard Community Development Corporation (CDC) and design a community-oriented library with the University of Michigan (U-M) Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning.
Knight’s commitment is part of its ongoing strategic focus to help advance the historically Black neighborhood, which is experiencing an influx of economic growth as local funders and community organizations invest in the area. Both North End projects will use Knight support to foster equitable and sustainable growth in the neighborhood.
The grants are just the first of many investments Knight plans to make in the area as part of its mission to build informed and engaged communities. Here’s a closer look at both projects:
- Vanguard Community Development Corporation ($1.5 million): to support equitable development in Detroit’s Historic North End by transforming the 10-block East Grand Boulevard streetscape, the gateway into the North End community, into a cohesive, attractive and pedestrian-friendly corridor. Vanguard will gather community input at every stage of the process as they work to redesign and beautify the street, including adding wayfinding and other signage.
- University of Michigan Taubman College ($405,000): to design and adaptively reuse an existing building on the property as a community-centered design library and meeting space, which will exist as part of the Oakland Avenue Urban Farm in Detroit’s North End. In partnership with Oakland Avenue Urban Farm (OAUF), the U-M Taubman College will use Knight support to transform a vacant residence into a community library and meeting space — one that’s run entirely with community support and input. Funds will also provide ongoing support for programming and staffing.
“We believe that you can’t invest in a place without investing in the people who live there,” said Nate Wallace, Knight’s Detroit program director. “These projects are helping the North End community shape its own future, build resiliency and feel more connected to the area, and we’re proud to help support them.”
Knight’s investment in the East Grand Boulevard project comes on the heels of its designation as a National Historic Main Street. Vanguard Community Development Corporation (CDC) will use Knight support to launch a three-year project to physically transform East Grant Boulevard, the gateway into the North End community.
“East Grand Boulevard is a historic promenade, and gateway into the North End,” said Pamela Martin Turner, Vanguard CDC president and CEO. “This project will transform East Grand into a beautiful, walkable, street that can be enjoyed by the entire community.”
The design of the community library project will be led by U-M Taubman College, which is working with Detroit-based architecture and urban design studio Akoaki to help OAUF reimagine and realize six acres of the North End. The facility will offer a meeting place for community organizations and Taubman College students and faculty to work together on design, planning, and development projects.
“Our hope is that this project offers a valuable resource to the North End and continues to build on all of the positive things happening in this community,” said Anya Sirota, associate dean at U-M’s Taubman College and co-principal of Akoaki. “This facility’s place as a piece of permanent infrastructure will provide the community and the university the opportunity to learn from one another for years to come and help realize the broader vision of a civic commons in the area.”
Knight’s commitment to the North End aims to support projects that reflect the community it serves by elevating projects that represent and serve Detroit’s majority Black population.
“The North End is at the dawn of a new, important era,” said Jerry Ann Hebron, a long-time North End resident, who is Oakland Avenue Urban Farm’s director. “As we build a place that more North End residents are involved with and proud of, and as more community needs are served, we know the North End will thrive.”
Knight’s investments are part of its mission to foster equitable, community-driven change that helps build access to local amenities, something that is needed and wanted by residents and helps attach them to their community. In fact, Knight’s 2019 Community Ties study shows why it’s important to invest in local amenities to help residents form stronger connections to their communities.
These projects are led by the North End community, dependent on engagement from and solutions by North End residents, and will help Knight continue to foster a strong relationship with the residents of the area.
For more on Knight’s work in Detroit, visit kf.org/detroit.
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About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit kf.org.
Contact: Roshni Neslage, Communications Officer, Knight Foundation, 305.908.2623, [email protected]
Photo (top): A scale model of proposed plans for the Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, courtesy of Akoaki.
To support the use of social media influencers and digital engagement experimentation in San Jose’s covid vaccine campaign outreach efforts to increase vaccination rates of Latino, African American, and Vietnamese residents.
To transform a series of vacant lots and buildings in Kensington, owned by Esperanza Health Center, into activated public spaces through a community-centered design and planning process.
The three grants, part of Knight’s ongoing strategic investments to grow Miami’s tech and entrepreneurship community, will help boost computing and data sciences education at both universities and launch a health care innovation fellowship at Baptist Health.
MIAMI – Feb. 24, 2021 – Recognizing that Miami’s burgeoning technology sector will require a deep pool of computing and data sciences talent, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced today $15.3 million in commitments to two cornerstone educational institutions — Florida International University and the University of Miami — and to leading health system Baptist Health South Florida.
FIU will receive $10 million to expand what will become known as the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences, the University of Miami will receive $4.3 million to grow its Institute of Data Science and Computing, while Baptist Health — the region’s largest health care provider — will receive $1 million to launch a health care innovation fellowship.
The investments bring to more than $55 million the amount Knight has committed to support Miami’s emerging tech entrepreneurship ecosystem since 2012, starting with meetups, convenings and the city’s first co-working space. The strategy expanded to investing in organizations that support high-impact entrepreneurs, attract venture investors, and ensure that Miami’s tech ecosystem is as diverse as the city itself. The latest investments mark an evolution to supporting institutional partners who can develop technical talent at scale and meet the demands of local industry.
“Miami is emerging as an international tech hub, both through the success of local startups and the recent influx of companies and investors. Demand for technical talent is rising, and we’re just at the beginning of the trajectory,” said Alberto Ibargüen, Knight president and CEO. “These investments will assure that there will be a deep pool of talent for Miami’s growing tech sector while creating opportunities for Miamians of all backgrounds.”
“FIU, UM and Baptist share one common imperative: investing in the people of Miami. And they are doing so by providing Miamians the tools to succeed in the local and global tech and innovation economy,” said Raul Moas, director of Knight’s Miami program. “When exceptional talent and accessible capital come together, entrepreneurship and innovation flourish. With these investments, Knight is betting big on Miami’s greatest asset, its people, who increasingly seek to contribute to the city as tech entrepreneurs and venture builders.”
A closer look at Knight’s investments:
Florida International University ($10M)
Knight’s investment will help increase the faculty by 64%; increase and accelerate the flow of graduates into the workforce from the university’s computer science and engineering school; and help retrofit with state-of-the-art computing equipment, 20,000 square feet of interactive research and teaching space at the newly renamed Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences. It will help the school redesign its career advising programs and curriculum to align with the future needs of Miami’s tech sector, building greater career pathways for students.
FIU is No. 1 in the nation for the number of engineering and computing degrees awarded to Latino students, and No. 6 in degrees awarded to African American students. FIU is Florida’s second-largest university and plays a key role in providing top-quality education to nearly 60,000 students, more than 80% of whom are from Greater Miami. About 21% of FIU’s computer science and engineering undergraduates are first-generation students, and 18% are female―a number that has grown 115% since 2016.
Knight’s investment, part of a more than $106 million commitment of new funding by the University to the School of Computing and Information Sciences, will be matched with $16 million in private contributions. Through this support, FIU seeks to dramatically accelerate the pace of growth and modernization of the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences.
“The Knight gift enables us to have broader shoulders to support interdisciplinary research and industry collaborations, as well as develop tech talent for South Florida and the state,” FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg said. “We look forward to working with industry to educate innovative problem solvers who are ready to lead.”
University of Miami ($4.3M)
The University of Miami will use Knight funding to expand its Institute of Data Science and Computing (IDSC) by creating six endowed faculty chair positions. These Knight Chairs, coupled with the recently launched Master’s of Science in Data Science program, will enable IDSC to better prepare students for careers in data science with critical, real world applications and experiential learning opportunities. The new faculty members will work with students to boost research that uses data to solve real-world problems and enhance the understanding of data science among the public. The Institute hosts research programs on key areas, including atmospheric, oceanic and earth sciences, biological sciences, health care and urban planning and smart cities.
Knight’s investment, together with $2 million of existing Knight endowed funds held by the University, will unlock an additional $6 million in matching funds from local philanthropists Phillip and Patricia Frost. This will bring the total endowment for these six Knight chairs at IDSC to more than $12 million.
“This investment in our Institute for Data Science and Computing demonstrates the Knight Foundation’s commitment to transformative philanthropy,” University of Miami President Julio Frenk said. “As the University of Miami embraces this turning point in the evolution of technology—catalyzing data-intensive research to solve pressing societal problems—we are grateful for the support of partners like the Knight Foundation.”
Baptist Health South Florida ($1M)
Baptist Health will launch the Knight Foundation Fellowship in Healthcare Technology Innovation, a year-long, multidisciplinary fellowship designed to bring together individuals from diverse professional backgrounds — including administration, engineering, legal and financial — to develop health care products and become familiar with the principles that guide health care innovation.
Fellows will also learn about legal and intellectual property protection, business modeling, market competition and community development. The program’s diverse teams will be composed of equal numbers of community innovators and Baptist Health employees. Baptist Health Innovations designed the curriculum and will operate the fellowship.
The $1 million Knight investment will be matched dollar-for-dollar by external contributors, thereby providing resources to sustain the fellowship for several years.
“We are delighted and grateful that the Knight Foundation shares our vision of the role Baptist Health can play in optimizing the economic vitality of our region,” Baptist Health Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer Joe Natoli said. “We are particularly excited about the collaboration that will occur among a diverse group of local fellows with health care experts and regional business leaders. This will be the first of many opportunities for entrepreneurs and startup ventures to benefit from access to, and support by, Baptist Health, its clinicians and innovation team.”
Knight’s investments in the arts in Miami
In addition to supporting Miami’s tech entrepreneurship ecosystem, Knight has invested more than $170 million in Miami artists and organizations over the past decade. The city’s emergence as a year-round arts and cultural hub is often cited as a factor in attracting business.
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About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy.
About Florida International University
Florida International University is Miami’s public research university, focused on student success. According to U.S. News and World Report, FIU has 26 top-50 rankings in the nation among public universities and Washington Monthly Magazine ranks FIU among the top 20 public universities contributing to the public good and No. 12 for social mobility. FIU is a top U.S. research university (R1), with more than $200 million in annual expenditures. FIU ranks 15th in the nation among public universities for patent production, which drives innovation, and is one of the institutions that helps make Florida the top state for higher education. The Next Horizon fundraising campaign is furthering FIU’s commitment to providing students Worlds Ahead opportunities. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centers, and supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA, with more than 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. The university has awarded more than 330,000 degrees to many leaders in South Florida and beyond. For more information about FIU, visit www.fiu.edu.
About the University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private research university and academic health system with a distinct geographic capacity to connect institutions, individuals, and ideas across the hemisphere and around the world. The University’s vibrant and diverse academic community comprises 11 schools and colleges serving more than 17,000 undergraduate and graduate students in more than 180 majors and programs. Located within one of the most dynamic and multicultural cities in the world, the University is building new bridges across geographic, cultural, and intellectual borders, bringing a passion for scholarly excellence, a spirit of innovation, a respect for including and elevating diverse voices, and a commitment to tackling the challenges facing our world.
About Baptist Health South Florida
Baptist Health South Florida is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 11 hospitals, more than 23,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 100 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Image (top) by Florida International University.
On February 24, 2021, Knight Foundation announced a $15.3 million investment in Florida International University, the University of Miami and Baptist Health South Florida. Knight’s support will allow the three cornerstone institutions to expand Miami tech talent and to accelerate innovation. Click here to see the press release. Knight’s Raul Moas shares more below.
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Miami is growing as a global city for tech and entrepreneurship. It’s been a long time coming, thanks to the people that power the city.
There’s really no other way to put it — The 1980s were rough for Miami. In 1980, the Mariel Boatlift saw nearly 125,000 Cuban refugees arrive on Florida’s shores over a six-month window. That same year, four white police officers were acquitted of criminal charges in the murder of Arthur McDuffie, a Black insurance salesman who was beaten to death during a traffic stop, which led to days of violent unrest. The drug wars were in full swing and in 1981, Time magazine famously declared Miami as “Paradise Lost.” (If you’re looking for a deeper dive on this, I highly recommend The Year of Dangerous Days by Nicholas Griffin.)
To say that many considered Miami down for the count would be a big understatement. But, something remarkable happened during that period. Miamians decided that our city was actually very much in this fight. And they looked to Miami’s past — the Miami that had a deep appreciation for the arts — to define the city’s future.
One of the most notable manifestations of this commitment was Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s 1983 installation, Surrounded Islands. Initially invited by Jan van der Marck, the first director of the Center for the Fine Arts, now Perez Art Museum, Miami, Christo and Jeanne-Claude literally (spoken in a Miami accent) wrapped 11 uninhabited islands in Biscayne Bay with millions of square feet of floating pink fabric. If that sounds wild, it’s because it is. The installation, which remained in place for two weeks, did two important things. First, it signaled to the world that there was more happening in Miami than what the headlines were indicating. Second, it jolted Miamians into seeing their city as having a place—and a future!—in the contemporary world. In the decades since, more and more Miamians have come to believe in the arts as an essential part of the city’s identity. And private, public and philanthropic capital has followed.
Now, there were critics. Lots of them. Miami is not an arts town and never will be! Why should we invest public dollars in the arts when there are more pressing social needs? That is NOT art! Nevertheless, with continued nurturing, more and more green shoots emerged, the grassroots became fuller and more dynamic, and eventually full blown institutions evolved from them. It may seem like the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Perez Art Museum, Miami, and the New World Center have been around forever. Truth is, not one of these spaces has yet celebrated their quinces (15th birthday). No other major American city has built as many arts and cultural institutions in the last two decades as Miami has. That momentum is 40 years in the making. Beyond Art Basel, which debuted in Miami in 2002, the city is alive year-round with vibrant and dynamic arts in all their modalities. Today, we can confidently say: Miami is an arts town.
Why tell this story? Because it’s the same story we see in Miami’s tech and startup community, but with a 30-year head start.
In 2012, Knight Foundation began investing its philanthropic capital in nurturing Miami’s startup community by connecting innovators, attracting investments and growing the city’s talent base. While we are not the “founders” of #MiamiTech — that distinction belongs to the entrepreneurs, investors and exceptional talent on the ground who built companies and community in the 305 way before we arrived on the scene nearly a decade ago — we saw many of the same things that Jan van der Marck, Ruth Shack and Christo and Jeanne-Claude saw in Miami back in the 1980s: an ambitious grit, genuine hustle and a desire for more.
From the start, we’ve sought to accelerate nascent, yet very much organic trends coming straight from entrepreneurs in our community. Our early investments, led by my predecessor Matt Haggman, Knight’s former Miami program director, helped connect a once fragmented ecosystem. Co-working and innovation hubs including LAB Miami and the Idea Center, and events such as Black Tech Week and eMerge Americas, created the spaces for community to come together. We’ve supported mentorship and funding organizations, including Endeavor Miami, 500 Startups, Miami Angels, Black Angels Miami and Function. And throughout, we’ve placed founders at the center of our efforts, ensuring we are creating spaces that are of, by and for entrepreneurs (h/t Local Leaders Collective and Hello Beaute). To date, Knight has invested over $40 million in building up Miami’s tech and startup community — following the market’s cues every step of the way.
As before, there were critics. Miami is not a tech town and never will be! It’s the dumbest idea in the world. There are more important things to focus on! But our startup community persisted. Venture capital flowing to the region steadily increased, growing from $1 billion in 2013 to $3.3 billion in 2019. Companies like Terremark, MAKO, Chewy and Nearpod found great success, which in turn gave rise to new companies (Cyxtera, Magic Leap and Neocis, among others), and the pipeline of growing companies continues to expand (Addigy, Blanket, Brave Health, Encompass, GovLia, Papa, REEF, SmartHop, Taxfyle, Xendoo… to name just a few.) All this to say, the grassroots of #MiamiTech are healthy, green shoots are coming up organically and, thanks to a certain mayor, more and more folks are recognizing Miami’s potential as a place to launch and grow tech ventures.
So, where to next? How do we lock in the gains of the past decade and level up to the next echelon? How do we respond to entrepreneurs’ growing demand for competitive tech talent and growing interest from Miamians to participate in the tech and innovation economy?
When introducing SoftBanks $100M funding commitment to Miami startups a few weeks back, SoftBank Group International CEO Marcelo Claure, put it this way: “We are huge believers that in order to propel a tech hub, you need talent and, the second piece, capital.” We agree. People are what drive innovation. People are what have and will continue to propel Miami forward.
That’s why Knight Foundation is making a bold bet on the people of Miami with $15.3 million in new funding to three anchor institutions that are providing companies with the talent capital needed to thrive here and Miamians the tools to succeed in the global tech economy:
- Florida International University — $10M: To support the university’s school of computer science by growing the faculty and student body by nearly 70%, accelerating curriculum modernization, redesigning career pathway programs and creating 20,000 square feet of interactive research and teaching space at the newly renamed Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences. Knight’s investment is part of a $116 million commitment in new funding to the school.
- University of Miami — $4.3M: To support the growth of the Institute for Data Science and Computing, an interdisciplinary center of scholarship that enables data science research, application and education through six new endowed faculty chairs. Knight’s investment unlocks $6 million in matching funds from local philanthropists Phillip and Patricia Frost, which will bring the total endowment for these six Knight chairs to more than $12 million.
- Baptist Health South Florida — $1M: To support the launch of the Knight Foundation Fellowship in Healthcare Technology Innovation, a multidisciplinary, yearlong fellowship that immerses participants in the principles, skills and tactics used in developing new healthcare products and interventions. Knight’s investment is matched dollar for dollar by other contributors.
With these new investments, Knight is doubling down on Miami’s greatest asset — its people — and our commitment to their success. They build upon decades of work Miamians have put into creating a vibrant community that supports the entrepreneurs, innovators and makers who seek to build their ventures in the Magic City. These investments bring to more than $55 million the amount Knight has committed to supporting Miami’s tech entrepreneurship ecosystem since 2012. They also represent a shift, informed by our community, to supporting institutional partners who can develop talent at scale.
After spending some time in Miami recently, one Bay Area entrepreneur and investor commented: “Miami simultaneously feels like both the future and callback of what America was founded on: optimism, energy, and a can-do attitude.” He’s right. Miami is a city of choice. Here, hundreds of thousands of people are seeking their own American Dream. They’re fueled by that hustle, that drive to make things work, that belief that if you work hard your children will be in a better position in life than you are. It’s in our bones. No, we haven’t historically flexed in the tech arena (yet). And like other American cities, we must expand access to opportunity. But Miami…Miami is hungry for more in a way you can’t buy with money, Bitcoin or $GME calls.
Miami’s tech and startup community has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade — fueled by our people. And yet, this is just the beginning of our story. The grit, hustle and desire for more that has brought us to today will be what carry us forward. We can’t wait to see what the next decade holds.
#LongMiami
Image (top) by Florida International University
To support CF Leads to build capacity in up to 16 Knight community foundations across the United States to assume greater community leadership and impactful grantmaking.
To continue to build staffing and convening capacity CatalyzeSV, a community engagement organization in San Jose, and expand capability through digital tools that facilitate engagement over distance and time.
The organizations are helping Miami become a more attractive place to launch and grow ventures.
MIAMI — (Jan. 21, 2021) — The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced a combined $665,000 investment in four Miami organizations that are creating more opportunities for local entrepreneurs. These investments build on Miami’s successes of attracting entrepreneurs from throughout the U.S. to relocate because of its high quality of life and reputation of being a desirable place to innovate and start a business.
The four organizations — Talent Scout, Digital Grass, Hello Beauté and Refresh Miami — aim to create pathways to strengthen connections within Miami’s rapidly growing startup community.
“Miami’s startup community continues to grow and draw the attention of entrepreneurs, investors and exceptional talent from across the world,” said Raul Moas, Knight’s Miami program director. “We’re proud to support organizations that are placing founders at the center of our ecosystem and making it easier for all Miamians to participate in our tech economy.”
A closer look at Knight’s support:
- Talent Scout ($240,000): To support the growth of Talent Scout, a membership organization that connects talented individuals from diverse backgrounds with South Florida-based technology companies.
- Digital Grass ($235,000): To support the organization’s launch of GROWTHerapy, a program that advances mental wellness, peer-support and sense of community for local Black entrepreneurs.
- Hello Beautè ($140,000): To support the growth of Hello Beauté, an entrepreneur peer group connecting female founders of color to community, capital and commerce.
- Refresh Miami ($50,000): To support the growth of Refresh Miami as a digital hub to educate and connect members of South Florida’s tech and startup ecosystem by providing collaboration tools.
“Talent Scout started as a simple newsletter connecting talent with local tech companies,” said Rebecca Danta, founder of Talent Scout. “As Miami continues to solidify its role as a global hub for tech entrepreneurship, we’re thrilled to be growing Talent Scout as well. This next phase will expand economic opportunity at a larger scale by helping bring together talented individuals with fast-growing companies.”
Since 2012, Knight has invested in Miami’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting initiatives that expand individual economic opportunities. At the core of Knight’s strategy in the city is connecting innovators, attracting investments and growing the local talent base.
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About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit kf.org.
Media Contacts:
Knight Foundation
Communications Officer: Raul Garcia, [email protected] or 305.908.2694
Image (above) by @wocintechchat on Unsplash.
