Marking 75 years, Wean Foundation Continues Focus

WARREN, Ohio – The Raymond John Wean Foundation is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and to mark the milestone, the foundation is reinforcing its focus on building community and advancing equity in the Mahoning Valley.

“The coming year is an opportunity for the Wean Foundation to illuminate what we have learned, celebrate the valuable partnerships we have developed and innovate for the future, forging fresh ideas and ways of working,” said Jennnifer Roller, Wean Foundation president.

Throughout the year, the Wean Foundation will host various events, including a one-day nonprofit summit Sept. 10 at The Grand Resort in Warren, featuring learning sessions, guest speakers and more. Details will be announced soon.

Additionally, the foundation expects to share historical, informative and thought-provoking contests throughout the year on its website and on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Over the past several years, the foundation has pushed into new frontiers, reorienting its work to put community building and racial equity at the center of everything it does. 

In 2019, the foundation adopted a five-year strategic direction that made race equity and inclusion its North Star and the bar by which it measures success. Since then, the foundation has taken steps to ensure its work advances its vision of empowered residents creating a more equitable Mahoning Valley. 

Among these steps, the foundation committed to funding the development and implementation of viable solutions led by organizations whose leadership reflects the racial demographics of the communities they serve. 

To better meet this commitment, the foundation in 2022 began disaggregating its Community Investment grantmaking data by race, noting the number of grantees who have both a staff and board composition of more than 50% who identify as Black or Hispanic, as well as the total dollar amount awarded to those organizations. 

In 2023, the foundation awarded $905,400 to five Black- or Hispanic-led organizations, a 64% year-over-year increase in total dollars. 

Learn more by downloading the foundation’s 2023 Impact Report.

Pictured at top: Image via Facebook | The Raymond John Wean Foundation.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.