Open Road Fund Archives - Nexus Community Partners https://nexuscp.org/category/orf/ Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:25:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://nexuscp.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/favicon-32x32.png Open Road Fund Archives - Nexus Community Partners https://nexuscp.org/category/orf/ 32 32 Become an Open Road Fund Community Access Site https://nexuscp.org/become-an-open-road-fund-community-access-site/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=become-an-open-road-fund-community-access-site Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:25:23 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=16987 Want to build Black community wealth with us? Become an Open Road Fund Community Access Site! We’re looking for community organizations and technical assistance providers who can support Open Road Fund applicants this year. Your organization could offer vital resources like physical space, computers/tablets, internet access, language support, or something else! Let’s work together to

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]]> Open Road Fund 2025 Rewind https://nexuscp.org/open-road-fund-2025-rewind/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=open-road-fund-2025-rewind Thu, 11 Dec 2025 19:49:20 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=16607 January – May We kicked off 2025 with the return of Open Road Fund’s Community Education Sessions: a free, virtual workshop series exploring homeownership, conquering money shame, pursuing a post-secondary education, and practicing joy. One of the most rewarding parts of offering these sessions was collaborating with incredible community allies in our shared mission to

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]]> Recap: Walking the Path to Liberation https://nexuscp.org/recap-walking-the-path-to-liberation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=recap-walking-the-path-to-liberation Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:22:20 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=16558 Wrapping up a year of celebrations, we hosted our final 20th anniversary event, Walking the Path to Liberation, to spotlight our Open Road Fund. It warmed our hearts to connect with our Nexus family, see awardees share their stories, and welcome back poet Tish Jones for another powerful reading of the Open Road poem. Watch

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]]> Walking the Path to Liberation: Celebrate ORF Nov. 13! https://nexuscp.org/walking-the-path-to-liberation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=walking-the-path-to-liberation Wed, 01 Oct 2025 22:29:15 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=16258 From Building Power through Bold Leadership and Rooted in Legacy, Owning Our Future to Deep Rest for Resistance, our 20th anniversary event series has shown that we’re not waiting for broken systems to change—we’re creating new ones, together.   Whether you attended our past events live or watched the recordings, we hope you’ll join us for

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]]> Open Road Fund 2025: Phase 2 Update https://nexuscp.org/orf25-phase-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=orf25-phase-2 Thu, 11 Sep 2025 18:22:50 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=16116 Dear Community, We’ve officially entered the next phase of the Open Road Fund 2025! We received over 4,000 applications from Black people in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and have informed all applicants of their selection outcome. We were hopeful and excited as we reached out to the 101 finalists who were randomly selected

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]]> Sign Up for Our Last Care Call of the Year https://nexuscp.org/sept-18-community-care-call/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sept-18-community-care-call Thu, 04 Sep 2025 15:30:57 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=16083 If you applied to the Open Road Fund this year, we invite you to join our final Community Care Call on Sept. 18, from 6-8 pm CT. We understand that many intense emotions can be stirred by the Open Road Fund application questions, especially those concerning our shared ancestry. And we also know that not

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]]> Top 5 Open Road Fund Misconceptions, Answered https://nexuscp.org/top-5-open-road-fund-myths/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-5-open-road-fund-myths Thu, 10 Jul 2025 16:58:19 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=15948 Confused about the Open Road Fund? We got you! Read answers to some common misconceptions below, and check out our FAQ page for everything you need to know before applying! Myth #1: The Open Road Fund uses a lottery system to select awardees. False. A lottery is a system that has been exploitive and harmful

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]]> Our Next Community Care Call is July 10! https://nexuscp.org/our-next-community-care-call-is-july-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=our-next-community-care-call-is-july-10 Thu, 26 Jun 2025 23:40:29 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=15929 We invite you to join our next Open Road Fund Community Care Call! The Care Calls are a series of three healing and learning sessions about African ancestry hosted by three Black mental health practitioners: Dr. Aja King, Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, and Dr. Cedric Weatherspoon. As folks descended from African people who were enslaved, we

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]]> The Open Road Fund is on Conversations with Chanda! https://nexuscp.org/the-open-road-fund-is-on-conversations-with-chanda/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-open-road-fund-is-on-conversations-with-chanda Thu, 26 Jun 2025 15:00:10 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=15900 Many thanks to Chanda Smith Baker for having us on her podcast, Conversations with Chanda! Nexus VP of Programs & Strategies Danielle Mkali, Open Road Fund Director Lavasha Smith, and Open Road Fund recipient Tari Sudduth joined Chanda to unpack the Open Road Fund and its $50,000 wealth-building gifts. Seeded by a $50M Bush Foundation grant,

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]]> St. Paul City Council Resolution Uplifts Nexus Community Partners https://nexuscp.org/st-paul-city-council-resolution-uplifts-nexus-community-partners/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=st-paul-city-council-resolution-uplifts-nexus-community-partners Tue, 24 Jun 2025 19:10:46 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=15874 On June 18, a group of Open Road Fund staff, advisory committee members, family and friends were invited to a Saint Paul City Council Meeting, where councilmembers passed a resolution honoring Juneteenth 2025 as an annual celebration of Black Liberation in the City of Saint Paul—with a special shoutout to Nexus Community Partners’ Open Road

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]]> Watch Our Open Road Info Session with the HUB SD! https://nexuscp.org/watch-our-open-road-info-session-with-the-hub-sd/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=watch-our-open-road-info-session-with-the-hub-sd Fri, 20 Jun 2025 18:49:17 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=15904  Thank you to the HUB SD for hosting us in a Facebook Live informational session! The HUB’s executive director, Julian Beaudion, sat down with our Open Road Fund Director Lavasha Smith to discuss the Fund as we begin the 2025 application period. Watch the recording above! The HUB SD is a nonprofit BIPOC leadership

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]]> Open Road Fund Questions? We Have Answers! https://nexuscp.org/open-road-fund-info-sessions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=open-road-fund-info-sessions Tue, 10 Jun 2025 05:00:47 +0000 https://nexuscp.org/?p=15561 Want to learn more about the Open Road Fund? Watch the recording of our June 4 information session or come to our next live webinar on June 25! We will talk about the Fund, the 2025 application process, and answer your questions. The 2025 Open Road Fund launches on Juneteenth (June 19)! RSVP: Info Session 2,

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