The NBA Foundation tipped off its second year of grant making, announcing 40 new grants totaling $20 million to organizations. These grants are creating employment opportunities, furthering career advancement, and driving greater economic empowerment for Black youth throughout the United States and Canada. Named as part of the Foundation’s sixth grant round and the second of 2022, the grants are focused on workforce development, pathways for higher education, mentoring and entrepreneurship for Black youth.
The NBA Foundation, which was seeded with a 10-year $300 million commitment from the NBA Board of Governors in 2020, has now awarded 158 grants to-date, totaling more than $53 million to non-profit organizations.
Reconcile New Orleans and YouthForce NOLA, two New Orleans-based non-profit organizations were recognized and awarded in the NBA Foundation’s sixth round of grants:
Reconcile New Orleans
Reconcile New Orleans supports young adults as they transform their lives by encouraging personal growth, providing workforce development and training, and equipping them with tools to achieve their potential.
“Café Reconcile works to ensure that all young people are embraced and empowered to pursue their potential by providing young adults ages 16-24 workforce development and supports to their success,” said Gerald Duhon, Café Reconcile executive director. “With the NBA’s investment and Mrs. Gayle Benson’s leadership, Reconcile Interns will experience a personally customized, youth-centered workforce development program where they gain occupational skills, receive one-on-one coaching, access to mental health services, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. As a result, Interns will experience a supportive community, meaningful work experience, and economic empowerment.”
YouthForce Nola
YouthForce NOLA is an education, business and civic collaborative that builds bridges between school and work through its network of partner schools, employers, training providers, and community organizations. Its vision is that New Orleans public school graduates will thrive economically as a result of being the most sought-after talent for hiring and advancement in the region’s high-wage career pathways.
“We are thrilled to renew our partnership with the NBA Foundation for two more years, and to deepen our relationship with the New Orleans Pelicans,” said Cate Swinburn, YouthForce NOLA co-founder and president. “Thanks to the leadership of Mrs. Gayle Benson, both locally and on the NBA Foundation board of directors, YouthForce is able to continue to open more doors to economic opportunity for New Orleans students.”
Previously, five New Orleans-based non-profit organizations; YouthForce NOLA, New Orleans Youth Alliance, Son of a Saint, Boys Town Louisiana and Youth Empowerment Project, were recognized and awarded in the NBA Foundation’s previous grant rounds.
“We recognize that we need to have a longstanding relationship with these organizations and we want to be respectful and responsive of that,” said Greg Taylor, the NBA Foundation executive director. “A couple of ways we look at success is strengthening the organizations that are impacting the lives of the young people and accelerating the outcomes of young people with things such as skill development, internships, full-time employment and college enrollment.”
The NBA Foundation, created by the 30 NBA teams, works in partnership with the teams’ affiliated charitable organizations and the NBPA to support national and local organizations with a specific focus on team markets, 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 on Twitter and Instagram.
About the NBA Foundation
The NBA Foundation is the league’s first-ever charitable foundation dedicated to driving economic opportunity for Black youth. The Foundation invests in local and national organizations that promote school-to-career and workforce development opportunities.