African American Grants
A trip to any of the American colleges or universities a decade or so ago would have confirmed the prevalent view that the black community was historically one of the most disadvantaged minority group in the field of education. There were so few black students around. That was then. African American grants have radically changed the scene since.
Today, enrollment of black students is double of what it was 10 years back. Such a dramatic increase in enrolment was possible due to generations of federal, state and private supporters. African American students now have more college funding options available than ever before. Unlike in the past, today more African American students are opting for four-year degrees and graduate programs instead of vocational or two-year degrees leaving behind any question of cultural under-education, as is now the case with Hispanics.
United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
UNCF is the oldest organization in the United States dedicated solely to the educational advancement of the Black community. The UNCF directly administers numerous African American grants, scholarships and fellowships to black students entering colleges. It also generously funds over three dozen historically black colleges and universities that makes college or university education affordable to almost any African American student. Over time the number of donors has increased, making UNCF one of the main supporters of the educational aspirations of the black community.
Public and Private Organizations Offer Specialized Grant Funds
Grant, scholarship and internship programs from many sources are available to African American students pursuing general college degrees as well as those with more specific goals, such as athletics or career specialty:
The National Black Nurses Association and The March of Dimes Nursing Scholarships funds graduate level nursing students and most importantly minority students.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) provides African American grants for minority students enrolled in a full-time undergraduate degree program in accounting or finance. The grants are based on both financial need and academic merit.
The American Psychological Association’s minority fellowship program provides valuable grant to minority students enrolled in graduate level psychology programs. Large business corporations already have popular grant programs aimed at increasing cultural diversity in the increasingly global corporate world.
The African American Incentive Grant Program (AAIG) awards incentives worth $2,500 per year to African American students who succeed in high school. The African American grants are renewable for an additional three years if the student maintains a 2.5 GPA in UT course work.
Federal and State Grant Funds
The U.S. Department of Education has been assisting minorities and disadvantaged students since the mid-20th century. Later many states started funding the education of its students, often with the purpose of retaining well-educated graduates in the state.
The Federal Pell Grant is available for undergraduate students belonging to lower income groups. This government grants awards another $200 to $4,000 in grant money to financially underprivileged students.
The Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant is one state’s example of a modest, but valuable grant awarded to disadvantaged students.
