Connection, focus, and solidarity are essential for the Black community’s resilience and future. LaDawn Sullivan of BRIC Fund shares a vision for sustainable, Black-led philanthropy rooted in ancestral wisdom, collective power, and lasting change.

As we celebrate Black Philanthropy Month 2025, The Acumen’s final issue features a powerful conversation with LaDawn Sullivan, Executive Director of the Black Resilience in Colorado (BRIC) Fund. With over 30 years of experience in philanthropy and community leadership, Sullivan shares her journey, the founding of the BRIC Fund, and her bold vision for equitable giving and transformative Black leadership.

This Black Philanthropy Month, discover how small acts of giving—just $5—can create lasting change. LaDawn Sullivan shares the story behind the BRIC Fund and how community-rooted generosity builds Black resilience in Colorado and beyond.

At BRIC, we center Black joy as essential. Not a luxury. Not an afterthought. But a necessary ingredient in building strong, liberated communities.

This year’s Black Philanthropy Month theme, Sankofa Now! Remember. Reclaim. Rise, is more than a reflection; it is a rallying call. At a time when DEI initiatives are under attack and Black-led movements are being sidelined, we must remember our philanthropic roots built on collective care and community-driven investment.

In honor of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, the Black Resilience in Colorado Fund focuses on the importance of self-care and supporting mental health and wellness to fuel our collective ability to thrive together. This week, EDCI Alum and Full Circle Restorative Justice Executive Director Eric Lee shares a message for BIPOC nonprofit leaders—and for all of us—on reclaiming the energy and joy that sustain our purpose and power.

Five years ago—on Juneteenth 2020—the Black Resilience in Colorado (BRIC) Fund was born out of heartbreak and hope. We rose from the ashes of George Floyd’s murder and centuries of injustice with a singular purpose: to fuel Black-led change by resourcing the brilliance, leadership, and resilience that already existed in our communities.

Throughou history, Black women have broken barriers across all sectors, continuously shaping a future brimming with possibilities.

As we recognize the 60th anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination during Black History Month, we affirm an undeniable truth— Black labor...

Black resilience fuels progress. Through unity, leadership, and investment, we build a future rooted in strength, history, and action.

Celebrating 5 years of BRIC Fund: $5M invested in Black-led nonprofits. Join us in empowering communities & building a resilient Colorado!

EDCI strengthens the leadership pipeline of leaders of color. Congratulations to the Class of 2024! The 2025 program opens in January.

In times when fear and division are being stoked, we stand firm in our belief that resilience, unity, and justice will guide us forward.

On this 2024 Election Day, I wanted to reach out and acknowledge the unique challenges and opportunities we face as leaders...

Seventy years ago, the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court in the Brown v. Board of Education case determined state laws

At the BRIC Fund’s Executive Directors of Color Institute (EDCI), we believe in the transformative power of diverse leadership.

As we countdown to Black Philanthropy Month, an August celebration deeply rooted in Black communities' giving traditions and heritage, we re

BRIC raises money for organizations like Boss Generation helping Black women build wealth.

BRIC helps Black-led & Black-serving nonprofits

Amidst the 2020 turmoil, on Juneteenth, a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States, the Black Resilience in Colorado...