Providence, Rhode Island, 2025. Are you white? Click here to get involved.
Silent Partners is a model through which Black artists and community organizers, and white funders, partner to combat unequal outcomes resulting from institutional white supremacy within traditional granting opportunities. We provide no-strings economic support to Black artists and community organizers in Providence.
We support work rooted in/reflective of the community with the potential to enrich the collective. Providence is the project’s second instance, and is being facilitated by Dailen Williams with support from Ben Sisto. Sisto co-founded SP with D’hana Perry in Brooklyn in 2020. Our logo and visual identity is by Jaylen Taylor.
As of March 21, 29 individuals have said YES to supporting Silent Partners Providence with a financial contribution.
Will you? Email Ben to learn more and get started.
Our Model: Partners (white people) refrain from discussing involvement online in effort to reduce virtue signaling. Partners are removed from the granting process entirely; they never see applications or know the makeup of panels. Partners are however, asked to contact other potential funders and initiate conversations about antiracist project models, and their own roles in upholding white supremacist systems.
While many of our grant recipients are now known, partners participate with the knowledge they may never know exactly where their money is going. Our position is that any conditionality—such as asking grantees for receipts, documentation, or requiring that names be made public—would undermine the concept of Reparations.
White People FAQ
Is Silent Partners a 501c3?
We are not a 501c3 or 501c4, more of a giving circle. This model isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. We’re an option, not the answer. Our project relies heavily on trust and personal relationships, and we encourage funders to ask questions and share well-intentioned critiques.
Silence? Doesn’t silence = violence?
Our exercise seeks to decentralize the role of white people and white money in the narratives of Black creativity and prosperity. The silent in Silent Partners is about making space, and is specific to this project.
To be anti-racist, white partners must continue to be vocal supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement at both public demonstrations and with their vote.
What if money is given to an individual or organization that funders disagree with?
Black people are not a monolith. We are not here to say what Black views, opinions, and projects matter, or to impose any sort of litmus test. We are here to say all Black views, opinions, and projects matter. Our panel is free to allocated funds in whatever ways they feel are most appropriate. We don’t do refunds.
What’s Next
March 2025: We have a website!
April 2025: Fundraising / $24k goal
May 2025: Grant portal opens
June 2025: Begin issuing funds
July 2025: Keep going as long as we can.
Make a one-time contribution, or pledge monthly support. We’ll take Zelle, Venmo, Paypal F&F, and checks—whatever’s easiest. No minimum. $50, $100, $500, $1,000—any amount helps!
Email Ben to learn get started.
Brooklyn: A Case Study
Between 2020–2021 we were able to raise just shy of $40k, allowing our Brooklyn panel to respond to many requests for support. The panel also hired a designer, Jaylen Taylor, who created our logo and brand. Panelists were also compensated for their time.
Below are some of the folks who received support. They represent and incredible cross-section of talents and backgrounds—click on a portrait for more info.
Note: On mobile, you’ll have to look for a tiny grey dot in the lower right of your screen to toggle-on more info.
From left to right / top to bottom: D'hana, Jaylen, Dailen, and Ben.
Thanks for reading. Now email Ben and get involved!
Silent Partners Providence is supported, in part, by Awesome Foundation Rhode Island. AFRI hosts this page to help keep SP’s costs down. Applying to, or being funded by one project does not disqualify you from applying to the other; review panels are fully separate.