Celebrating Rosa Parks Day with 10 BIPOC Grants

66 years ago, history was made by one woman. When Rosa Parks got on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama on Dec. 1, 1955, she came prepared to take action that would change the Civil Rights movement forever.

Like normal, she took her seat in the colored section of the bus. However, after the bus filled up, the driver asked her to give up her seat to a white passenger. She refused and was arrested as a result. Parks was a well-known activist in the community and was a member of the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP.

Following her arrest, Martin Luther King Jr. and other African American leaders organized a bus boycott on the date of her trial. Ultimately, the boycott was successful and led to real change. And while the Civil Rights movement has come a long way, there are still many social justice issues that need attention. For this reason, GrantWatch has a category on its site for social justice grants.

There are grants available to U.S. and territories nonprofit organizations, for-profits, government agencies, IHEs, and tribes for research projects that address ethnic and racial inequities within the justice system.

GrantWatch also has a category for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) grants. And in honor of Parks and her bravery that led to more equality for people of color, GrantWatch is honoring the day with 10 BIPOC grants below.

10 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Grants

1. Firstly, there are grants to Black and African Amercan students in the U.S., Canada, and International regions studying computer science at institutions of higher education to attend a conference offered by the funding source.
2. Grants of $50,000 to U.S. filmmakers to mitigate work disruptions and financial hardships related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis. Funding is to assist BIPOC documentary directors and director-producers.
3. There are also grants of up to $15,000 and in-kind support to U.S. minority-owned businesses to recognize contributions of underserved business owners.
4. Grants of $5,000, $10,000, and in-kind support to U.S. Black entrepreneurs to support equal opportunities in business. The purpose of this program is to support high-impact ideas and solutions and break down barriers caused by racial inequality.
5. Awards of $1,800 to U.S. K-12 minority science educators in urban areas to participate in a professional development opportunity. The purpose of the program is to expand the talent pool for science teachers to prepare for future workforce challenges.
6. Funding to Black individuals working in the U.S. hospitality industry for mental health support during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
7. In addition, there are grants of $60,000 to U.S. and Canada minority postdoctoral fellows involved in biomedical and medical research. The purpose of the program is to support the postdoctoral experience and training of disadvantaged minority junior scientists.
8. An opportunity for U.S. Black-owned businesses to gain seed funding and participate in business accelerators.
9. Additionally, there are grants of up to $5,000 to U.S. female BIPOC-led nonprofits and for-profits to promote health and wellness. Funding is to support organizations that have demonstrated commitment to making health and wellness inclusive to female BIPOC communities.
10. Lastly, there is in-kind support of marketing and technology services to U.S. small businesses owned and operated by people of color in multiple states.