The Citi Foundation has announced a $25 million investment in its Community Progress Makers initiative in support of nonprofits working to connect communities of color to greater social and economic opportunity.

Part of Citi and Citi Foundation's Action for Racial Equity initiative, the expanded Community Progress Makers effort will focus on nonprofits working to assist communities of color in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington, D.C., through affordable housing and access, environmental sustainability, economic development, financial health and wellness, social justice, workforce readiness, and family-sustaining employment. Organizations will be eligible to receive unrestricted grants of $500,000 as well as access to technical assistance from national experts, including Urban Institute researchers, and the opportunity to learn and share best practices with fellow Community Progress Makers.

"We know from years of research, extensive surveys of nonprofits, and countless hours with community leaders that multiyear, general support is vital to an organization's ability to effectively execute against their mission," said Center for Effective Philanthropy president Phil Buchanan. "This kind of unrestricted support allows nonprofits to focus on achieving their impact goals, rather than the fundraising hamster wheel of single-year funding or the accounting challenges of program-restricted grants."

"Community change agents are both tireless advocates for the communities they represent, and social innovators working to reduce racial inequity and its negative impacts," said Brandee McHale, head of community investing and development and president of the Citi Foundation. "Through Community Progress Makers, the Citi Foundation wants to ensure that these change agents have flexible resources to address the challenges of today while creating a new reality for tomorrow."