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Tax season can be a challenging period to navigate for individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. New financial factors created by the COVID-19 pandemic are making this filing season especially unprecedented given the various stimulus and unemployment programs that were launched in the last year.

As Black History Month comes to an end, our Founder & CEO, Chanel Hampton, and our Manager of Equity Initiatives, Alyssa Williams, shared their reflections on the power of this month and the importance of lifting up the legacy of Black history throughout the year.

The 2020-2021 Community Impact Incubator cohort recently wrapped up their first four months with the program in Detroit’s Fitzgerald neighborhood. In their first quarter of work, these five nonprofit organizations impact more than 900 youth and community members and secured over $100,000 in additional grant funding from local and national sources.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities across the country, it can be difficult to make sense of all the health and safety information being shared on the news, social media, and other sources. The rising infection numbers come at an even more concerning time as we all preparing for the annual cold/flu season and balance the recent results of the 2020 Presidential election. So, what information can we trust and what steps should we all be taking to protect ourselves and our communities during these challenging times?

Next up in our series is William Sexton (aka Will), Communications Manager at Strategic Community Partners. As a lifelong Detroiter, William is deeply committed to ensuring the city’s resurgence is equitable and inclusive of all communities.

Next up in our series of team highlights is our Manager of Strategic Partnerships, Jenna Rote. Jenna believes that developing strong relationships is the foundation of everything, both professionally and personally. She exemplifies this philosophy in her role as Manager of Strategic Partnerships and is committed to helping SCP and our partners reach short and long term goals through intentional and strategic planning and execution.

Meet our Managing Director of Business Development and Operations, Celena Mancina! In her role, Celena serves on the leadership team and works internally and externally on mission-driven projects that create equity for communities across the country.

In the spirit of solidarity and to help prepare for this year's crucial elections, the fourth and final installment in our Culture for Change Preview Series engage local, state, and national leaders in a discussion on the power of the vote and the importance of voter mobilization.

At a consumer level, we have to start holding brands accountable. For every organization that's been putting out a statement, I'm looking at their executive leadership. If they have no Black representation, they have 100 percent white leadership, their commitment to Black Lives Matter only runs so deep right now. So there's work to be done there.

The Strategic Community Partners team has curated a list of local and national antiracist organizations, funds, and other community resources that we can all support during this time. The list will continually be updated and edited over the coming weeks/months.

Every Monday, our team logs on to our SCP-up--a quick space to share updates, needs, and requests across our greater team. Today, business couldn’t go on as usual. George Floyd was murdered a week ago in Minneapolis by a police officer who intentionally and carelessly held his neck to Floyd’s throat for 9 minutes. Today’s space our team held was not only for George Floyd or Breonna Taylor or Tony McDade--or Michael Brown, Jr. or John Crawford III or Sandra Bland. Today’s space was held because Black lives--men, women, and our trans brothers and sisters--have been intentionally treated without regard and with hatred for hundreds of years.

In the second installment of our Culture for Change Preview Series, we invited leaders from organizations across the country to share strategies and resources they are using to not only survive, but thrive while working remotely.

#GivingTuesdayNow is a day for everyone to stand together and give back in all ways, no matter who or where we are!

During these stressful times, taking care of your physical and mental health is not just important, it is essential to your overall wellbeing. However, the uncertainty state of the world can sometimes make it difficult to find balance in your new day-to-day routine.