Equity Innovation Grant
In June 2021, Long Beach City College received a tremendously generous gift of $30 million from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The award was given in recognition of LBCC’s leadership and transformative work in responding to the College’s changing demographics, closing equity gaps, and work in racial justice. LBCC also intensified its race-conscious efforts and adopted the Long Beach Framework of Reconciliation in Support of the Black Community to address the College’s own institutional racism that may hinder students of color from success. These actions were in response to the protests that took place in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and others in the Black community in the summer of 2020.
The unrestricted gift will be prioritized for initiatives that:
- Improve student academic outcomes by addressing racial equity gaps
- Engage in race-conscious and equity-minded practices that promote an inclusive and affirming campus environment
- Increase holistic support services for our most vulnerable students
As a result, after consultations with community members, faculty, and staff it was decided that $3 million of the funding would be earmarked for Equity Innovation Grants aimed at addressing one or more of the equity metrics (link to page that describes the equity metrics). The Equity Innovation Grants will be coordinated by the Student Equity Subcommittee.
The purpose of this grant is to advance innovation and large-scale change in alignment with equity-rooted institutional priorities. Priority will be given to programs or initiatives that will significantly affect equity and inclusion on campus.
