There is much to be done to bring justice and equity to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color in Maine, Northern New England, and beyond.

As a CDFI, the Genesis Fund is part of an industry that emerged from the civil rights movement with the explicit goal of addressing the systemic racism that has denied communities of color access to financing capital—a system which still lingers to this day.

Yet our industry’s good intentions do not automatically mean we are achieving our aim.

At the Genesis Fund, we regularly examine and discuss how we can come even closer to the promise of our industry and of our mission. Our staff and board work to view all aspects of our work through a racial equity lens to consider how we can do better. We continue to seek feedback on where we’re falling short, what more we can do, and how we can use our institutional position to influence others.

We have more work to do.

We are committed to bringing capital and attention to racial equity, and to seeking out ways to address racial disparities and support organizations with a shared mission of building healthy, resilient, and equitable communities.

We believe that allocating more resources to affordable housing, child care, healthcare, and other social services is an essential part of creating opportunity and helping people overcome institutional barriers to prosperity.

And we believe that dedicating resources and building assets in marginalized communities can begin to shift power in ways that are essential for righting historic wrongs and moving toward justice.