Grants for Black Males in Graduate Programs

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program (GANN)

• Graduate students who plan to pursue the highest possible academic degree in a designated area of national need can apply through their schools for the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GANN) program. High GPAs and demonstrated financial need (as indicated by the FAFSA) are the main requirements. Current areas of national need include: biology, chemistry, computer and information services, engineering, mathematics, nursing, physics, and educational assessment evaluation and research. Application for the GANN program is through the graduate department or school.

  U.S. Department of Education
  Teacher and Student Development Programs Service
  Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program
  1990K Street, N.W., 6th Floor
  Washington, DC 20006-8524
  202-502-7767 or (202) 502-7779
  ed.gov/programs/gaann/index.html

Additional Federal Grant Programs

• In addition to the GANN, there are over 1,000 other grant programs available through 26 federal agencies at Grants.gov. This site, which was developed as part of the 2002 E-Grants Initiative, "provides access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards."

  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  Grants.gov
  200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
  HHH Building
  Washington, DC 20201
  800-518-4726
  grants.gov/

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)

• To fund education at the 27 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in existence in 1944, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) was created. Today there are 39 HBCUs that UNCF supports. UNCF administers over 400 scholarships, grants and fellowships to students pursuing college degrees through the post doctoral level. Although graduate level funding is provided by many sources, the main contributors include the Merck Research Laboratories and The Merck Institute for Science Education, the Gates Millennium Scholars Program and the UNCF Corporate Scholars Program. Interested students should contact UNCF for additional information and the full application process.

  United Negro College Fund
  8260 Willow Oaks Corporation Drive
  Fairfax, VA 22031
  800-331-2244
  uncf.org/aboutus/index.asp

Diversity City Media Funding Sources Directory

• Many professional organizations and associations provide money for black males to pursue graduate level studies. One of the best sites for finding these organizations is maintained by Diversity City Media, a black press release media service that specializes in distributing news to African American magazines and media outlets. The web site lists funding sources for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral studies.

  Diversity City Media
  750-Q Cross Pointe Road
  Columbus, OH 43230
  866-910-6277
  blacknews.com/directory/black_african_american_scholarships.shtml

Private Organizations

• Other sources for funding include professional organizations, sororities, and fraternities. Professionals in the fields of medicine, dentistry, law, business, computers, research and evaluation and many other careers have set up foundations or support funding for blacks males to receive advanced degrees through their fraternal organizations. An example of such funding is provided by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Although a female group, it does not discriminate by gender when awarding educational funding and the group supports graduate level applicants. More information and additional links for funding for this organization are available on its web site.

  Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, Inc.
  5656 South Stony Island Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637
  800-653-6528 or 773-947-0026
  akaeaf.org/programsandinitiatives/