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.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0blog post<\/a>\u00a0announcing the grants.<\/p>\n \u201cThis financial commitment is our largest to date for HBCUs,\u201d Google Chief Diversity Officer Melonie Parker wrote in the post. \u201cEach 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.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Apple said it is awarding $5 million \u201cInnovation Grants\u201d to four HBCUs \u2014 Alabama A&M University, Howard University, Morgan State University and Prairie View A&M University.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n