The NBA Foundation today announced 31 new grants totaling over $16 million – the most-awarded grant round to-date – to help create employment opportunities, further career advancement and drive greater economic empowerment for Black youth. The recipients were named as part of the NBA Foundation’s seventh grant round during the league’s celebration of Black History Month.
BMe and Children’s Defense Fund, two non-profit organizations were recognized and awarded in the NBA Foundation’s Black History Month round of grants:
BMe
BMe provides interactive equity training to top foundations, associations, and social impact firms and builds community amongst Black leaders invested in creating positive narratives about the Black community.
The NBA Foundation will fund the organization’s signature program, the BMe Vanguard Fellowship program. The Vanguard Fellowship is an invitation-only leadership experience for local Black non-profit leaders within the NBA Foundation's grantee community who are committed to social justice and equity.
Children’s Defense Fund
Children's Defense Fund is a Washington D.C. based organization that has been working to defend children’s rights against poverty and violence for over 40 years.
This grant will support CDF’s year-long national Fellowship program seeking to train promising Black youth from across the country into careers as community leaders and organizers.
“We are thrilled to announce that BMe and Children’s Defense Fund, two non-profit organizations that play a pivotal role in youth development throughout our community, will benefit from the NBA Foundation’s fourth round of grants,” said Mrs. Gayle Benson, Governor of the New Orleans Pelicans and NBA Foundation Board of Governors member. “We will continue to support and uplift our communities.”
“Every month is Black History Month,” NBA Foundation Executive Director Greg Taylor said. “This is an ongoing effort that builds on the NBA’s long-standing history of being engaged in social justice and civil rights regardless of whatever month we do the grant making in.”
To-date, the NBA Foundation has awarded a total of 192 grants totaling nearly $70 million over two years. The NBA Foundation will continue to collaborate with all 30 teams, their affiliated charitable organizations and the NBPA to support national and local organizations, utilizing the collective $30 million annual commitment from the NBA Board of Governors as well as additional funding sources. To learn more about the NBA Foundation or apply for a grant, please visit www.nbafoundation.com or follow @NBAFoundation.