Since 2002, The B.E.A.M. (Building Excellence Affirming Manhood) Foundation — a local nonprofit serving Black communities throughout Charlotte and surrounding areas — has worked to support the educational and social development of hundreds of young Black men through hands on learning and mentorship. The nonprofit’s B.E.A.M. Coding Academy was inspired by data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that showed an underrepresentation by male minorities in STEM fields — with only 2.2 percent counted.

The Augustine Literacy Project received a $10,000 grant from CMCF to recruit and train volunteers who will tutor aspiring readers.

To address this gap locally, FFTC’s Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation recently awarded $15,000 to B.E.A.M. for its 10-week Coding Academy for youth in underserved communities. That grant was one of several recently awarded by the volunteer board of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation, FFTC’s primary grantmaking arm. In total, the board granted $550,000 to 31 local nonprofits for various projects that address the needs of families, children, youth and young adults, and foster social capital.

The grantmaking program was established following a generous bequest of $35 million from Lucile Puette Giles in 1995. To date, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation has awarded more than $59 million in grants. Because the fund was established as an unrestricted endowment, it provides a permanent source of grantmaking for community needs as they evolve over time. The most recent round of grant recipients include:

• $25,000 to Ada Jenkins Center for its LEARN Works program, an afterschool academic support and enrichment programming.
• $10,000 to Augustine Literacy Project-Charlotte to provide reading instruction to more than 500 children in local Title 1 schools.
• $25,000 to Carolina Youth Coalition for its Torch Fellows Program that ensures college readiness academically, socially and financially.

For a complete list of grants: visit here.