Ava DuVernay’s non-profit foundation ARRAY Alliance, part of her media company and arts collective ARRAY, has set up a $250,000 funding initiative for arts organizations and individuals “dedicated to narrative change by people of color and women of all kinds.” ARRAY announced the 14 inaugural honorees in a press release.

The initiative, ARRAY Grants, is also backing regional film fests, screening series, arts advocates, filmmakers, creators, and journalists. The overall goal of the funding is “to provide vital financial support to grassroots entities that serve as a cultural catalyst for narrative change.”

ARRAY grantees are decided by nomination. A independent committee of philanthropic, entertainment, and academic leaders collaborate to select “extraordinary candidates” for the initiative.

The first round of honorees include independent film fests and screening series that have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

“Establishing ARRAY Grants furthers ARRAY’s mission to support arts advocates around the country that are cultural necessities in their communities. With more content from creators of color and women being made, it’s crucial to support the organizations that nurture and nourish these voices,” said Regina Miller, ARRAY Alliance Executive Director. “In just the last few weeks, we’ve all gained a new appreciation for the value of human connection and the simple comfort of being together, sharing stories, in a place that feels safe and welcoming. Every community deserves that.”

“The major impact of the grant is that we are able to survive without permanently closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Paula Guthat, co-founder of ARRAY grantee Cinema Detroit. “We are committed to keeping the movie-going experience accessible to as many people in our community as possible. However, unlike many other arts organizations, we do not have financial reserves. I never would have known how to go about finding funding sources without the consulting advisement that came with the financial support from ARRAY Grants. We have almost no experience navigating the nonprofit world, but now Cinema Detroit has a chance to survive.”

The other honorees are BronzeLens Film Festival, Cine Latino Film Festival, IllumiNative, Sankofa Film Society, Gary International Black Film Festival, UrbanWorld Festival, Cinema Sala, Lumbee Film Festival, Indigenous Film Festival, Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival, Visual Communications, ImageNation, and the Houston Museum of African American Culture. They, along with Cinema Detroit, received unrestricted ARRAY Grants of $10,000.

These grantees attended a skills-building summit, ARRAY Ascend, at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. “ARRAY also awarded consultation grants and commissioned Bridge Philanthropy to provide ongoing strategic mentorship addressing the more urgent needs of the organizations.”

The Sarah Jones Film Foundation and Wilson Morales of BlackFilm.com were also given additional ARRAY Grants.