Three community projects proposed by WashU students — aiming to support education for prisoners, bolster St. Louis nonprofits that support LGBTQ+ people, and foster creativity within the Black diaspora — were funded through the Gephardt Institute’s St. Louis Impact Fund this month.
The Transform Grant is part of the St. Louis Impact Fund, an initiative which aims to analyze and support mutually beneficial relationships between WashU students and community organizations, ultimately advancing efforts critical to community needs.
Each grant provides up to $10,000 to students partnering with local non-profit or civic organization with which they have worked before. These projects — which can either be new initiatives or the expansion of pre-existing ones — must have clearly articulated goals and outcomes, with the goal of advancing regional priorities.
“The Transform Grant offers a great opportunity for students who have developed relationships with community partner organizations during their time at WashU,” said Sam Babb, Associate Director for Community Engagement at the Gephardt Institute.
“I like to think of the Transform Grant opportunity as the ‘next step.’ Maybe a student has been volunteering with an organization during their time at WashU, and the organization and the student see an opportunity for growth and transformation, but lack funding. Enter the Transform Grant: This opportunity not only teaches students about grant writing and in-depth community work, but also provides tangible resources for students and their community partners to advance their efforts to serve the St. Louis community.”
One of this year’s Transform Grants was allocated to the Missouri Prison Stories project, which was developed by Emma Gerber ‘25 and Priya Anand ‘25, in collaboration with the ACLU of Missouri.
The project’s goal is to publish the creative and academic work of currently and formerly incarcerated people in Missouri, ultimately fostering a dialogue and advocacy on the criminal justice system.
It aims to uplift and honor the often-overlooked creative and academic works of incarcerated individuals, to highlight first-hand accounts of the carceral system in Missouri, and to build a meaningful partnership among the ACLU-MO, WashU students, and the broader St. Louis community.
With the help of the Transform Grant, the Missouri Prison Stories project will culminate in the publishing of a digital and print magazine that showcases up to 30 contributions. This magazine will be printed and distributed to a wide audience. The magazine will also be published online for wider and longer-term engagement beyond the St. Louis metropolitan area.
The launch of the magazine will be paired with a launch party, which will provide an opportunity for selected contributors to share their work through readings and discussions, and celebrate the accomplishments of incarcerated people.
“We believe this magazine will empower contributors, raise awareness about the carceral experiences, and bolster our advocacy and outreach efforts,” said Elaine Sutton, Director of Organizing at the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri. “I have worked closely with Emma and Priya in the past, and I am confident in our ability to bring this vision to life, making a lasting difference for both the contributors and the broader St. Louis community.”
A Transform Grant was also awarded to the Collaboration STL Leaders Series, facilitated by the 50 Roses Foundation in collaboration with Julia Blanchard, a Master of Social Work student at WashU.
The project is a transformative initiative to strengthen the LGBTQ+ and allied nonprofit sector in St. Louis. This four-part workshop series will provide nonprofit leaders with essential tools, resources, and connections to enhance their organizations’ impact, build sustainable partnerships, and better serve their communities.
“By empowering nonprofit leaders, this series will have a far-reaching impact, enhancing the capacity of their organizations and improving the lives of the individuals and communities they serve,” said Rick Ruderer, Executive Director of the 50 Roses Foundation. “We are proud to champion the Collaboration STL Leaders Series as a model for meaningful nonprofit support and capacity building. This initiative not only strengthens the participating organizations but also contributes to a thriving and inclusive nonprofit ecosystem in St. Louis.”
Each of the four workshops focused on a critical area of nonprofit success. Topics include how to build sustainable partnerships, develop financial strategies for long-term impact, utilize inclusive marketing and outreach, and balance leadership and self-care in nonprofit work.
Ultimately, the Collaboration STL Leaders Series will serve as a springboard for new initiatives that strengthen connections between LGBTQ+ nonprofits and the broader St. Louis community. It will create a sustainable bridge to connect the on-campus queer community with the broader St. Louis Queer community, facilitating deeper relationships and long-term collaboration opportunities after the event series ends.
A third Transform Grant was awarded to RIZE Magazine for St. Louis, a project spearheaded by Labake Oyebamiji, Temi Ijisesan, and Nissi Yorke in partnership with The Griot Museum of Black History.
RIZE Magazine is a student-led Black publication focused on fostering creativity within the Black diaspora by amplifying the voices, talents, and contributions of St. Louis’ Black community. The magazine’s primary features include the publication of annual issues that showcase stories and perspectives from Black artists, writers, and activists, community-focused events and exhibits that highlight the work of local Black creatives, and skill-building workshops in areas such as writing, photography, and design.
The project seeks to create platforms that facilitate cultural exchange, foster dialogue, and encourage collaboration, all while celebrating the rich history, creativity, and resilience of the Black community.
“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with a diverse group of Washington University students who also want to impact the social cultural and economic movement of St. Louis’ African American community,” said Lois D. Conley, M.A., Founder & Executive Director of The Griot Museum of Black History. “We are excited about the socially relevant prograns, volunteer service, and awareness-building that this partnership can bring.”
Ultimately, the project aims to develop greater understanding and collaboration between Washington University students and the St. Louis Black community, providing opportunities for underrepresented voices to share their stories, and creating spaces that empower individuals through storytelling and skill development. For partners, such as The Griot, the project strengthens their ability to connect with younger audiences and expand their reach through collaborative programming.
“The projects selected this cycle display a deep level of collaboration work with community partners, and illustrate a commitment to the people of St. Louis,” said Babb. “The partners and students who collaborated to bring these projects to life have a clear and mission-driven vision on project creation, execution, and desired impact in community.”
“We have WashU students who are ready to do big things to help move St. Louis forward. They have deep partnerships with local community organizations and a shared vision for what they want to accomplish together,” said Stephanie Kurtzman, Executive Director of the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement.
“The Transform Grants are often the missing link to bring that vision to fruition with the help of a financial grant, advising, and support. We also hope our grants inspire students and their community partners to think about what they could do together with added financial resources, and dream bigger together.”
“This is at the heart of what it means to be ‘WashU In St. Louis, For St. Louis.’”
The St. Louis Impact Fund is supported by the Office of the Provost and generous donations to the Gephardt Institute. Since 2008, the Gephardt Institute has distributed over $320,000 in grants through the St. Louis Impact Fund and former Civic Engagement Fund, to advance student civic engagement and St. Louis regional priorities. If you would like to make a gift to support the St. Louis Impact Fund, please click here or contact Stephanie Kurtzman, Executive Director of the Gephardt Institute, at GephardtAdvancement@wustl.edu.