The NBA Foundation awarded EducationWorks’ PowerCorpsPHL with a grant as part of its efforts to drive economic opportunity and empowerment in the Black community by funding programs that generate successful transitions from school to meaningful employment for Black youth. This year for its eighth grant cycle, the NBA Foundation has awarded more than $12 million in grants to 31 organizations, 19 of which are new, first-time recipients, including PowerCorpsPHL.
“What we’re trying to do at the NBA Foundation, is to highlight the tremendous genius and leadership skills of black young people, which we think is consistent with what our history is all about,” said NBA Foundation Executive Director Greg Taylor in a recent interview. “We know that it’s about resources and opportunities, and that the genius of these young people to lead and contribute to society is already present in who they are.”
“PowerCorpsPHL was developed to address three priority challenges that young adults and communities face – disproportionate unemployment for young people of color, rising rates of gun violence, and the need to bolster our cities’ climate resiliency. These funds will enable us to strengthen our work preparing young people for careers in green infrastructure and clean energy, diversifying and generating talent for these sectors, and expand our impact by providing technical assistance to communities seeking to adopt a similar multi-faceted model,” said Julia Hillengas, Co-founder & Executive Director, PowerCorpsPHL.
The NBA launched its foundation in the midst of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, with the mission to invest $300 million in grants over the next 10 years to organizations that empower the Black community. Two years later, they have already invested over $53 million in various non-profits across the US and Canada.
