The NBA Foundation kicked off its second year of grantmaking today, announcing 40 new contributions totaling $11 million to organizations helping Black kids in the United States and Canada find work, progress their careers, and gain more economic empowerment. The grants, which are part of the Foundation’s fifth grant cycle and the first of 2022, are aimed at helping Black children with career development, higher education paths, mentoring, and entrepreneurship.
The NBA Foundation, established in 2020 with a 10-year $300 million commitment from the NBA Board of Governors, has now given out 118 grants totaling more than $33 million to non-profit organizations. The exalt, Marcus Graham Project, Operation DREAM, TEAM Inc., The Knowledge House, and the Youth Empowerment Project, are among the six grant renewals in the Foundation’s fifth grant round, over $1 million. These awards will promote pipeline development in their communities for high school, college-aged, job-ready, and mid-career people.
“As we enter our second year of funding and surpass the $30 million initially provided by the NBA Board of Governors to establish the Foundation, our work with national and local organizations that are driving economic opportunity for Black youth in the NBA’s 28 markets continues to strengthen and evolve,” said Greg Taylor, NBA Foundation Executive Director. “We look forward to our growth in the year ahead and are excited to establish new relationships with non-profits serving Black youth and to further collaborate with the organizations who have demonstrated their impact.”
The NBA Foundation, established by the 30 NBA teams, collaborates with the teams’ affiliated charitable organizations and the NBPA to support national and local organizations focusing on team markets, leveraging the NBA Board of Governors’ collective $30 million annual commitment as well as other funding sources. Visit www.nbafoundation.com or follow @NBAFoundation on Twitter and Instagram to learn more about the NBA Foundation or apply for a grant.
The complete list of the 40 grantees and their efforts can be viewed here.
