EmpowerMENt Fund Purpose: To support efforts that uplift young Black males in Washtenaw County while promoting their educational success.

The EmpowerMENt Fund and its purpose were established based on extensive community input and advice. The fund’s initiatives are taking a holistic approach to support people, groups, and networks that share our goals.

Our current systemic deficit is not reflective of the strengths, assets, and ongoing contributions of young Black men in our community and yet the inequitable outcomes persist. We would like to be part of community efforts and solutions seeking to change these inequitable outcomes.

The EmpowerMENt Fund is seeking to invest in programs that support middle school and up students through mentorship, vocational and skills trade training, and college readiness. Mentorship and relationship-building that center identity, belonging, and leadership development

• College readiness and academic support, including tutoring, advising, and post-secondary navigation
• Vocational training and skilled trades pathways that create access to sustainable careers
• Holistic supports that contribute to educational success, such as social-emotional development, mental health, and family engagement
• Collaborative, community-based approaches that engage young Black males in program design and leadership

Applications open Tuesday, April 7th and are due Friday, May 8^th by 5:00PM EST. Questions related to this grant program can be sent to Amina Iqbal, Senior Community Investment Officer, at aiqbal@aaacf.org

Available Grant Dollars: ~$80,000
Grant Request: up to $10,000 (one application per organization)
Geographic Reach: Washtenaw County
Application Deadline: Friday, May 8th, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Application Submission Process:

1. Review grant program guidelines at aaacf.org/grants.
2. Note that AAACF uses the NonProfit Portal for grant applications. Every NEW nonprofit must create an account to access the grant application and all future applications through AAACF. Please start this process early to allow time for processing and watch the Applicant Tutorial for help getting started.
3. Register for the optional but highly encouraged Information Session on Monday, April 20th from 12:00PM-12:45PM. THE INFORMATION SESSION WILL BE DONE REMOTELY VIA ZOOM and will NOT be recorded
   Registration will close at 12:00 PM the day prior to the meeting. Once registration is closed, a reminder and the login information will be emailed to all the individuals who registered the afternoon before the information session.
4. Submit all required narrative sections through the NonProfit Portal by 5:00PM on Friday, May 8th.