NBA Gives $2M in Grants to Support Black Community as Part of Social Initiatives

The NBA announced Thursday it will give out $2 million in grants to various organizations that support employment and career advancement in the Black community, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN.

This is the first donation in the league's pledge in August to give $30 million annually over the next 10 years dedicated to "creating greater economic empowerment in the Black community."

The recipients include exalt (New York City), Management Leadership for Tomorrow (Washington, D.C.), Marcus Graham Project (Dallas), Operation DREAM (Milwaukee), TEAM Inc. (Oakland, California), The Knowledge House (New York City) and the Youth Empowerment Project (New Orleans).

Woodyard wrote the organizations "align with the NBA Foundation's mission to provide skills training, mentorship, coaching and development for high school, college and midcareer Black men and women in communities across the United States and Canada."

The newly created NBA foundation will be led by Greg Taylor, who is the NBA senior vice president of player development.

"During my time at the league, I have been inspired by the efforts of NBA players, teams and governors to advocate for change and I look forward to using my experience working with non-profits to further our investment in the next generation of Black leaders," Taylor said in a statement.

It's a continuation of the efforts driven by players from before the restart of the 2019-20 season.

After numerous players across the league took part in protests against social injustice, the league allowed players to put phrases on their jerseys to further the movement while also having "Black Lives Matter" logos on courts.

The grants can provide more tangible help to communities across the country.