Mayor Michelle Wu and the Mayor's Office of Black Male Advancement (BMA) today announced that applications are open for BMA's 2025 Community Empowerment grants. The Community Empowerment grants represent a $500,000 investment designed to support non-profit organizations dedicated to empowering and improving outcomes for men and boys in Boston. These grants will support organizations in expanding their work and amplifying their impact across the city's neighborhoods, with funding provided through the Black Male Advancement operating budget. Applying organizations may request financial support up to $20,000.

"I'm grateful to the Office of Black Male Advancement for their critical work to invest in and empower our communities," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "We're excited to relaunch these Community Empowerment grants and look forward to partnering with the community in our shared goal to provide multi-faceted, comprehensive programming and support that uplift our Black men and boys across neighborhoods."

"The third year of our Community Empowerment Small Grants represents a commitment to build stronger, more resilient communities by investing in organizations that uplift our Black men and boys," said Mariangely Solis Cervera, Chief of Equity and Inclusion. "By pairing these grants with capacity-building support, we aim to create sustainable change and foster lasting opportunities that resonate across Boston's neighborhoods."

Building on this series of grants entering a third consecutive year, BMA is providing more resources and support to ensure that selected grantees are supported throughout the process and beyond. To build community amongst new awardees, BMA staff will facilitate a community of practice for grantees. Grantees will also now gain access to BMA's Capacity Building and Impact Institute and enhanced mentoring opportunities through a partnership with Mass Mentoring. Together, these two new programs offered to grantees will provide personalized coaching, nonprofit training courses, expert tools, and resources to selected organizations aimed at enhancing their impact in the short term and building long-term capacity.

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"For three years, our Office has supported local organizations doing critical work in Boston neighborhoods," said Frank Farrow, Executive Director of the Office of Black Male Advancement. "On a daily basis, their direct impact is felt within our communities. We are investing in their systemic work to create lasting change for Black men and boys across Boston today."

The Community Empowerment grants will prioritize programs that expand one of the following seven focus areas:

• Mentoring and Out-of-School Time: providing quality mentoring, literacy and out-of-school time programs when and where they are needed, offering developmentally appropriate learning environments that support social emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Youth and Young Adult Pathways: providing educational and career pathways for youth and young adults navigating their own course to economic prosperity.
• Housing Mobility: providing a continuum of housing opportunities, resources, and supports that are effectively resulting in pathways to affordable housing and homeownership.
• Economic Inclusion and Wealth Building: supporting individuals to experience financial empowerment and economic mobility.
• Workforce Training and Development: helping unemployed and underemployed individuals attain livable wage jobs and helping businesses with training for employees to support a pipeline of skilled workers.
• Fatherhood Engagement: supporting fatherhood education, case management, and peer-to-peer support to strengthen positive father-child interaction, improve social and economic outcomes for fathers and their families and improve healthy relationships.
• Mental Health and Wellness: helping support and improve the mental health and wellbeing of men.

Applications are now open and are due Monday, January 6, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Grant applicants must be based in Boston, and have a successful track record of working positively with Black men and boys.  In 2023 and 2024, the BMA Community Empowerment Grants, totaling $1.5 million dollars, were allocated to 115 community-based organizations across Boston neighborhoods.

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The Office of Black Male Advancement will hold a virtual information session on Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 at 12:00 p.m for interested applicants through Zoom. Interested applicants can also visit the BMA website to register. To explore additional funding opportunities offered by the City of Boston, visit www.boston.gov/grants. For questions regarding City of Boston grant programs, please email grants@boston.gov.

The Office of Black Male Advancement works to empower Black men & boys and to ensure they have equitable access to opportunities in the City. The Office also focuses on policies, programs, resources, and local and national partnerships. Additionally, BMA directs and supports the efforts of the Black Men and Boys Commission and My Brother's Keeper Boston.

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