Google and Apple are awarding millions in grants to nearly a dozen historically Black colleges and universities, with the tech titans aiming to close the diversity gap within the industry and address racial inequity.
Google will award $50 million in grants to 10 HBCUs to help support scholarships, invest in infrastructure and develop curriculum, the company said Thursday in a blog post announcing the grants.
“This financial commitment is our largest to date for HBCUs,” Google Chief Diversity Officer Melonie Parker wrote in the post. “Each institution will receive a one-time unrestricted financial grant of $5 million, providing institutions with the flexibility to invest in their communities and the future workforce as they see fit.”
The 10 schools that will receive the grants are Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Howard University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, Spelman College, Tuskegee University and Xavier University of Louisiana.
Meanwhile, Apple said it is awarding $5 million “Innovation Grants” to four HBCUs — Alabama A&M University, Howard University, Morgan State University and Prairie View A&M University.
Those grants are part of its $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative launched last summer in the wake of the George Floyd protests, USA Today reported Thursday.
