NEW YORK, April 5, 2021 – The NBA Foundation today announced a total of more than $3 million in grants that will create employment opportunities, further career advancement and drive greater economic empowerment in Black communities. Nine organizations – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, Braven, Center for Leadership Development, City Year, CodeCrew, The Collective Blueprint, NAF, New Heights Youth and Road to Hire – have been selected as part of the Foundation’s second grant round. The grants will enhance and build upon the important work of these national and local organizations that align with the NBA Foundation’s mission to provide skills training, mentorship, coaching and pipeline development for high school, college-aged, job-ready and mid-career individuals in Black communities across the United States and Canada.
Below is a full list of the grant recipients:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, Inc. aims for all youth to achieve their full potential by creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite their power and promise. As an affiliate of BBBS of America, the oldest and largest mentoring organization in the country, BBBS Miami is rooted and grounded in social justice to develop a diverse and equitable workforce.
Braven is a national organization that empowers promising college students with the skills, confidence, experiences and networks necessary to transition from college to stable first jobs, which lead to meaningful careers and lives of impact.
Center for Leadership Development
For more than four decades, the Center for Leadership Development (CLD) has transformed the lives of Black young people in Indianapolis, helping students and their families overcome pervasive challenges by equipping them for post-secondary and professional success with the character development tools, values and skills needed to flourish and enrich their communities.
City Year is a national organization that helps students and schools succeed while preparing the next generation of civically engaged leaders who can work across lines of difference. In partnership with teachers and schools, City Year AmeriCorps members cultivate learning environments where all students can build on their strengths and thrive while acquiring valuable skills and experiences that prepare them for career success.
CodeCrew is a Memphis-based organization that educates and mentors Black students and professionals, who are underrepresented in tech, to become tech innovators and leaders through practical hands-on computer science training.
Through its mission to increase socioeconomic mobility for Opportunity Youth in Memphis by building pathways to thriving careers, the Collective Blueprint develops and runs high-quality supportive programs to help young adults secure careers while advocating to improve educational and employment systems for all young adults.
NAF is a national organization solving some of the biggest challenges facing education and workforce development by bringing education, business and community leaders together to increase access to opportunities for more than 100,000 high school students that help them reach their full potential.
New Heights is a New York City-based organization whose mission is to educate and empower promising underserved youth to be leaders, champions and student-athletes by helping them develop the skills necessary for success in high school, college and life.
Road to Hire (R2H) is a Charlotte-based organization that is redefining who is given the chance to start a life-changing career by connecting under-resourced young adults with onramps to high-earning and in-demand careers through paid training, college access, robust life skills support and mentorship.
In December 2020, the NBA Foundation announced exalt, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Marcus Graham Project, Operation DREAM, TEAM Inc., The Knowledge House and the Youth Empowerment Project as inaugural grant recipients. The Foundation will continue to collaborate with all 30 teams, their affiliated charitable organizations and the NBPA to support national and local organizations and their efforts to increase education and employment access in Black communities. Over the next 10 years, the 30 NBA team governors will collectively contribute $30 million annually in initial funding and the NBA Foundation will work strategically to develop additional funding sources.
To learn more about the NBA Foundation or apply for a grant, please visit www.nbafoundation.com.
