By Abdallah el-Kurebe

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded an “Equitable Recovery” grant, to the Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, to support vaccine acceptance and access for marginalized groups in northern regions in Nigeria.

The spokesperson of CITAD, Ali Sabo said “the grant is part of roughly $80 million in awards that MacArthur announced on Wednesday in support of the foundation’s Equitable Recovery initiative, centered on advancing racial and ethnic justice. The initiative is funded by MacArthur’s social bonds, issued in response to the crises of the pandemic and racial inequity.”

MacArthur President, John Palfrey said, “As we emerge from this moment of crisis, we have an opportunity to improve the critical systems that people and places need to thrive. Our systems and structures must be rebuilt.

“We are committed to ensuring that our response to the pandemic is focused on supporting the reimagining of systems that create a more just, equitable, and resilient world.”

ASHENEWS reports that CITAD is one of the organizations receiving grants to advance Public Health Equity and COVID-19 Mitigation as well as recovery focus area of the Foundation’s initiative.

Ali, in a statement said the “Public Health Equity and COVID-19 Mitigation and Recovery supports improving access to resources for immediate health challenges while advancing new policies, models, and structures to support a more equitable and resilient public health sector in the future, MacArthur is supporting work in that focus, as well as three other areas:

• Racial Justice Field Support, with a focus on combatting anti-Blackness, supports building Black power by supporting Black-led and -focused philanthropic organizations. MacArthur also will take a leadership role in positioning reparations and racial healing as issues that philanthropy helps to meaningfully address.
• Self-determination of Indigenous Peoples supports uplifting Indigenous communities to enable autonomous pursuit of a recovery guided by their priorities, cultures, and practices.
• An Equitable Housing Demonstration Project supports restoring communities and reducing incarceration and housing instability by generating an array of housing solutions that can help to permanently end the use of jails and prisons as housing of last resort.

“MacArthur identified the areas through a participatory process with a diverse group of external advisors, who informed its strategic approach.

“The participatory process aimed to center the voices of communities that are affected by the Foundation’s decisions and have a stake in the grant making outcomes.

“Almost two-thirds of the awards represent new grantee relationships, and most of the organizations are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led or -serving. The grants also reflect MacArthur’s global reach: 45 percent of the new funding supports work outside of the U.S., including 12 percent in India, and 14 percent in Nigeria, where MacArthur has offices.

Equitable Recovery Initiative

In the fall of 2020, MacArthur established a $125 million Equitable Recovery Initiative. The Foundation deployed $40 million of bond proceeds through 24 grants. Initial grants focused on strengthening voter mobilization and election protection, addressing anti-Black racism, and supporting Native Americans impacted by COVID-19. Grants also supported Black, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous arts organizations in Chicago, technology and justice, and a fund for social entrepreneurs advancing racial equity.”