Office of Black Male Advancement Awards Small Business Grants to 25 Community-Led Organizations

To support the needs of Black male residents, the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement is awarding $100,000 in grants to 25 organizations committed to advocating and improving outcomes for Black men and boys in Boston. The grants are funded through the My Brother’s Keeper FY22 budget.

"Supporting our Black-led community organizations is essential to ensuring that Boston is truly a city for all," said Frank Farrow, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office for Black Male Advancement. "Black Male Advancement is excited to support the critical work of 25 organizations across the Boston area and increase their capacity with technical assistance, leading towards a stronger support network for Black men and boys in our city".

“The Black Male Advancement team continuously works to support community leaders who are empowering Black men, boys, and their families,” said Mariangely Solis Cervera, Chief of Equity and Inclusion. “I’m truly thankful for the grantees’ dedication to creating resources and solutions for communities of color and I look forward to continuing the work alongside them.” 

The 25 diverse, grassroots nonprofit organizations will each receive up to $7,500 for operational support and capacity building to serve the Black male community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City’s goals for these small grants were centered on connecting with and supporting Black-led organizations focused on one of the three following areas: (1) financial literacy and entrepreneurship, (2) youth development and mentoring, and (3) civic organizing. The funds will be used for a wide range of services including basic needs assistance, mental health programs, and artist development aimed at supporting Black men and boys.

“Black male advancement stood on principles by prioritizing and supporting grassroots organizations that ensure our community has the necessary resources,” said Derrel Weathers, Voices of Liberation. “We are now not only continuously putting in the work of ‘feed the hood,’ we are able to have recurring events like G’s To Gents Event, our direct aid program! With this grant, we are expecting to assist 200 more people through our program. For liberators like myself, this grant was a blessing & will be my first time out of over fifty events in two years that we will have money to work with.”

 The following organizations are selected for this year’s grant recipients:

• A Different Path: Career support programs for young Black men interested in entering the real estate industry.
• Beat the Odds: Summer program geared for youth creative development, culminating in artists’ curating a summer art project and showcase event.
• Boston Chargers: Operational and capacity building for youth football program; financial literacy and self-care workshops.
• Brothers Building: Summer forums that focus on the health & well-being of Black Men in the community. 
• Boston Raiders Youth Football: Operational assistance for youth registered to play in the upcoming football season and mentoring support.
• Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts: Operational support for College tutor program, connecting Black men in college with resources and mentorship opportunities with youth in Boston and Massachusetts.
• Copper Civic: Establishing healing retreat for men, investments into building the Black creative economy, and curation of artwork for Roxbury youth.
• Dad Ball: Operational assistance for community events for Black fathers and their kids, back-to-school supplies, annual dodgeball tournament and cookout, and a monthly conversation group with fathers to discuss their perspectives on parenting and family dynamics. 
• Daddy & Me: Operational and capacity-building support for community literacy programs and home libraries for families of color; Daddy & Me’s First Annual Family Fun Day & Resource Fair.
• Deke’s Boxing Power & Fitness: 6 Week Boxing Camp where students will do boxing 101 & Cardio courses to learn the basics of boxing.
• Herc42Skills LLC: Operational assistance for community events to support youth and families with health and wellness, basic needs, and school supplies.
• King Amongst Kings: Operational support for community events and for monthly meetings where Black men can add value by discussing relevant topics, their businesses, and upcoming ventures.
• Know Thyself: Know Thyself Educational Curriculum (The Relationship between Black Males, Black, the Black Family, and Black Culture).
• No Books, No Ball: Operational assistance for youth summer basketball and mentoring programs.
• The Nubian Square Foundation: Operational assistance for various programs that will support Black community members in efforts to understand housing and development, purchase properties and or developments in a collaborative effort to buy back Roxbury.
• NxT Era Panthers: Support programming and services for youth through sports, mentorship, and literacy.
• One Love Sports Academy: Operational assistance for enrichment, sports, and family programs and wrap-around services aimed at providing holistic care to Black youth and their families.
• Origin Nile Publishing Co:  Operational assistance to artist collective for events aimed at inspiring youth to read, write and express themselves. 
• Rebel Cause Inc.: Increasing professional development opportunities for artists and establishing community events highlighting local artists.
• Score4More: Operational assistance for Save Our Streets/Silence the Violence Weekend Basketball Tournament & Community Day event.
• Team New England: Basic needs assistance for youth mentees and development of a weekly mental health program with professional support.
• Union of Minority Neighborhoods: Community Dialogues with Black fathers and sons to understand the challenges of living in the Boston area; a public display of images and quotes from dialogues in various places in the community.
• Voices of Liberation: Expansion of G’s to Gents, a direct aid program that creates a safe, transformative space for men of color and from marginalized communities to take steps of healing, personal growth, and professional development; Operational assistance for Feed the Hood program, a food assistance program for families in need.
• Yardtime Entertainment: Series of innovative sessions tailored to men of color who are looking for solutions to dealing with mental health.  
• Young Man with a Plan: Summer programs associated with college and career, writing, financial literacy, wellness/fitness, and arts & culture.

About Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement

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. For more information, please visit the BMA website.