In June, the Amgen Foundation pledged $7.5 million to support organizations advancing social justice across the United States.
Today, we are pleased to announce the allocation of $5.25 million of that pledge to 55 organizations, including:
- 48 individual grants totaling $2.75 million in local U.S. communities where Amgen has a significant presence, and
- Seven grants totaling $2.5 million that expand the Foundation’s long-standing focus on science education
These grants are in addition to the $2.25 million already given to four national organizations: the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Equal Justice Initiative, Race Forward and Echoing Green.
Driving Change at the Local Level
The Amgen Foundation partnered with the Amgen Black Employee Network and leadership across Amgen’s U.S. sites to identify organizations which were already actively working to address the unique needs of their local communities.
The Los Angeles Brotherhood Crusade, for example, is an organization that for 50 years has been helping low-income individuals overcome the systemic barriers that deter their pursuit of success in life. According to Charisse Bremond Weaver, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Brotherhood Crusade, “The Amgen Foundation’s grant support will help us assist our community members who have been continually abused and exposed to inequitable conditions caused by the racial and social justice travesties that have been facing the South Los Angeles area for decades.”
Advancing Science Education
For three decades, the Amgen Foundation has inspired the next generation of innovators by bringing high quality, technology focused science education programs to millions of young people around the world. The $2.5 million in new science education grants will extend these programs to explicitly reach communities of color and to address racial disparities in science education. Seven organizations were selected, including The Education Trust, which seeks to close opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income families.
“With support from the Amgen Foundation, The Education Trust will be taking a deep dive into barriers preventing Black and Latino students from enrolling and succeeding in critical Advanced Placement (AP) STEM courses, including AP Biology,” said John B. King Jr., President and CEO of The Education Trust. “We will use student-level data, paired with enrollment data, to pinpoint the specific systemic barriers students face to inform recommendations for policy change to close these gaps in opportunity. This project builds on Ed Trust’s longstanding commitment to eliminate the racial disparities in access to advanced coursework.”
The Amgen Foundation recognizes that this effort is only the beginning. We will continue to listen, learn, and look to make a difference that is both meaningful and sustainable. We look forward to keeping you informed of our progress and thank you in advance for your support as we work toward a more just and equitable society for all.
Below is a full list of the grantee organizations.
Community Programs
Science Education Programs
| The Education Trust |
| From Prison Cells to PhD |
| LA Promise Fund |
| LabXchange (Harvard University) |
| Strive for College |
| Thrive Scholars |
| Thurgood Marshall College Fund |