Dear John,
Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is excited to announce our extended partnership with the NBA Foundation. In its largest single grant to date, the NBA Foundation has awarded CDF $3.6 million over three years to help identify candidates and support program management for the NBA HBCU Fellowship Program.
Launched in 2022, the fellowship provides career development opportunities in the business of basketball for undergraduate and graduate students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
CDF has endorsed congressional efforts to help level the playing field for young adults in college who come from marginalized communities. Although college enrollment rates have increased in general and across races and ethnicities, racial disparities remain due to continued hurdles, including financial ones and inequitable supports and opportunities. The NBA HBCU Fellowship program can help counteract these setbacks by providing Black college students with the tools to thrive and boost their economic mobility.
