Brandon Calloway

C2FO awards grants to three KC nonprofits boosting Black entrepreneurs with intention

A new grants program developed by one of Kansas City’s biggest scaleups was founded with a clear purpose, said Jay Lott, announcing the effort’s first three nonprofit recipients and touting C2FO’s ongoing commitment to community engagement within the Kansas City region. “We want to support the nonprofit organizations that are focused on intentionally elevating Black…

Give Black campaign returns, aiming to recapture energy needed to close racial wealth gap

The 2023 Give Black KC campaign kicked off Monday, beginning the annual week of fundraising efforts focused on supporting Black-led nonprofits in Kansas City in an effort to achieve racial equity. This year’s fundraiser will benefit four organizations: Be Great Together, Front Porch Alliance, WeCode KC, and Kansas City G.I.F.T. Brandon Calloway, CEO and co-founder…

GIFT hopes NFL Draft visitors touch down at Saturday’s Black Business Market; nonprofit passes $1M in grants given 

Packed streets for the NFL Draft around Union Station and downtown this week could mean added traffic to Saturday’s Black Business Market on Kansas City’s east side, said Brandon Calloway. “We’re gonna drive as many people over here so they see the vibrancy that can happen on Prospect, as well as exposing a lot of…

Blerdy for 30: KC comic creator’s documentary takes Black nerd culture from niche to your screen

A recently launched Kansas City entertainment company hopes to become the digital epicenter of “Blerd” — shorthand for Black nerd — content, said Brandon Calloway. Now the founder of Blerd TV, Calloway debuted the Blerd YouTube channel in January, where more than 3,000 subscribers already have access to free content, he said. However, that represents…

Brandon Calloway, GIFT

Co-founder of nonprofit that boosts Black businesses among two winners of $100K Pinnacle Prizes

Brandon Calloway reflects the best of Kansas City’s young leaders, said Maurice Watson, announcing the G.I.F.T. co-founder as one of two winners of the 2022 Pinnacle Prize — an award that comes with a no-strings-attached $100,000. “Brandon grew up in the urban core and is motivated to make social and economic conditions better than those…