The NBA Foundation tipped off its second year of grantmaking, announcing 40 new grants totaling $11 million to organizations that 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 fifth grant round and the first 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 118 grants to-date, totaling more than $33 million to non-profit organizations. The fifth grant round features over $1 million for six grant renewals to exalt, Marcus Graham Project, Operation DREAM, TEAM Inc., The Knowledge House and the Youth Empowerment Project, who were a part of the Foundation’s first year of grantmaking. These grants will continue to support pipeline development for high school, college-aged, job-ready and mid-career individuals in their communities.
“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, 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.