The United Negro College Fund takes action in education stating, āWe canāt simply believe in equality in education, we have to create it.ā Through various scholarship opportunities aimed at serving minority communities, the United Negro College Fund has raised more than $5 billion dollars to help over 500,000 students to attend and graduate college, and become leaders in their community. Founded in 1944, the fund has helped to double the number of minorities attending college and has served as the nationās leading advocate for the importance of minority education and community engagement. In 2021, UNCF awarded almost 700 scholarships to Florida students attending Florida universities to promote higher education efforts in the state.
Racial Equity Grant Program
In response to the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many others who have perished unnecessarily, the Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund created the Racial Equity Grant Fund to build power within communities that have been historically overlooked because of systemic racism.
The Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund are committed to upholding equity and inclusion and will be committing $100,000 annually in the fight against systemic racism. Proposals for grants will be accepted from nonprofit organizations throughout the nine counties in the Tampa Bay region.
2023 Racial Equity Grant Recipients


Started in 2017, the Campbell Park Resource Center started as a partnership between Duke Energy Foundation and United Way Suncoast to create a community-focused, one-stop resource center to serve families working towards long-term financial stability. Through the resource center, families gain access to healthy and nutritious food to improve the health equity of South St. Petersburg. Looking to expand the food pantry program, the Campbell Park Resource Center hopes to grow the Evara Health Center to provide education opportunities for the neighborhood to understand the connection between food and medicine. It prides itself on five core values: integrity, stewardship, DEI, innovation and collaboration, each of which helps guide the resource centerās actions to affect a difference in the community.

The University Area Community Development Corporation, Inc. has a mission to affect positive change for children and family development, crime prevention and commerce growth. In the last two decades, the University Area CDC has accomplished positive change in the community resulting in over $80 million in construction development including a Community Center Complex. Through the Neighborhood Transformation Strategy, the UACDC engages the community in overcoming everyday barriers such as public transportation, infrastructure improvements and building safe and affordable housing. With a promise to be a beacon of hope for those seeking a voice, the University Area CDC helps empower residents by providing essential tools to create a better future for their community.

The St. Petersburg College Foundation strives to support their students by assisting in tuition payments and book support through scholarships and funding programs. In the 2021-2022 academic year, the foundation awarded more than $2.6 million in scholarships to over 3,000 students attending SPC. The mission of the SPC Foundation is to empower its students and community to achieve success and economic mobility through academic excellence and engagement. The First-Generation Student Scholarship directly assists students in focusing on advancing their education without the stress of having to choose between paying living expenses or completing their degree program. Through the Titans Care Services and Retention Support Program, SPC has implemented an array of 30 programs that focus on the basic needs of their students such as transportation and childcare.

The Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg (PAL) provides a safe, affordable place for children to go when they are not in school where caring adults offer thoughtfully-designed activities to help them succeed academically, make healthy lifestyle choices and grow to be productive adults. Created in 1960, the Police Athletic League has a mission to inspire hope and transform the lives of at-risk youth in St. Petersburg. Through the Partners in Literacy Advocacy for Youth (PLAY) program, PAL offers a nine-week summer camp aimed at enhancing literacy, communication, engagement and problem solving through STEM and arts integration.