FCI PromotionalFit Oshkosh has begun to put the first Forward Community Investments (FCI) Game Changer Grant to use, providing free Racial Literacy Training to three groups in Oshkosh: ESTHER Fox Valley, Our Saviors Lutheran Church, and the Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services.

About 20 people attended the two-hour training Saturday, February 18, for ESTHER Fox Valley, an interfaith social justice organization.

“This training meant moving forward,” said ESTHER member Rachel Westenberg. “To be able to put my board through this training with (Fit Oshkosh founder) Tracey (Robertson) has started a lot of needed conversations and caused us to look internally at our own organization. As a result of this training we will be having further conversations and looking to have more training to further this absolutely vital training to our organization.”

“I found this training eye- opening, engaging, and heartening,” said Steve Hirby. “It invited us to challenge ourselves individually and as an organization to challenge our past and present racism and work toward a future of equity.”

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church’s Racial Literacy Training is scheduled for Saturday, June 3. The Christine Anne Center’s Training has not yet been scheduled.

Through the Game Changer program, FCI makes the grant application process easier for small organizations that are responding to racial inequities in their communities. The application process consists of just one five-minute video — which could be just a cell phone selfie video — along with a one-page form. More than 50 organizations submitted videos for the first round of grants. What makes the program especially unique is that it’s not just a one-time award; instead, one $3,000 grant winner will be announced monthly throughout 2017.

Fit Oshkosh was the first grant recipient, announced in January. The Madison-based Workers Rights Center was the second; the third will be announced this month.

FCI invests in and advises organizations that reduce social, racial and economic disparities across Wisconsin. The organization hopes to build healthier communities by working with other organizations to understand the causes of social issues and by encouraging and supporting initiatives that make positive change possible.