GreenLight Cincinnati selects FII for second investment

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I joined the GreenLight Fund two years ago because I believe in Cincinnati, and I believe that all the families in Cincinnati–regardless of income or ZIP code–deserve the chance to create a better future. That’s why I couldn’t be more thrilled to announce that GreenLight Cincinnati’s second investment is the Family Independence Initiative!

The Family Independence Initiative (FII) brings a new approach to fighting poverty by trusting and investing directly in low-income families across the nation so they can work individually and collectively to achieve prosperity. Families that partner with FII set goals they want to achieve, such as purchasing a home or continuing their education, and work together to help each other meet those goals.  FII provides them with the technology platform to track their progress and then gives them access to resources, including cash, to accelerate the solutions that they’ve discovered themselves.

Our investment in FII is a partnership with The Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Together, we are investing $2.4 million to bring the Family Independence Initiative–and its innovative model of trusting and investing in family solutions–to Cincinnati.  This includes a $1.8 million grant from The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the single largest grant in the history of the foundation, and $600,000 in launch funding from GreenLight. Over the next five years, this funding will enable FII to reach 500 families–and we have a goal to grow that number to 1,000.

Most importantly, FII and their partner families are building a movement to change the way low-income families are perceived and invested in nationwide, and Cincinnati is now part of that movement. We are investing in the innate initiative of Cincinnati families, as FII is putting families back in full control of their destinies, allowing them to get out of poverty, and stay out of poverty. Cincinnati families deserve this.

As a part of the GreenLight Fund community, please join me in welcoming FII to Cincinnati! To learn more about FII‘s work and our partnership in Cincinnati, read our official press release. Special thanks to those that made this selection cycle possible – our amazing selection advisory council and countless community partners.

Read more about our announcement from media outlets in Cincinnati: