Yield Giving and Lever for Change announced that NACME has been awarded a $2 million gift as one of the awardees of the Yield Giving Open Call

National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering’s vision is An Engineering Workforce that looks like America

March 19, 2024 – Yield Giving and Lever for Change announced that NACME has been awarded a $2 million gift as one of the awardees of the Yield Giving Open Call. This initiative focuses on supporting organizations working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States.

This generous gift will empower NACME to substantially enhance our renewable scholarship program for underrepresented students majoring in engineering or computer science. Both the dollar amount and the number of students served will significantly increase thanks to this funding.

NACME’s project was selected from among a national pool of 6,353 applications after a process of multiple levels of review, feedback, and diligence involving peer reviews and an external evaluation panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause.

In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources.

We are extremely grateful for this generous gift, which stands as a testament to the extraordinary dedication of the entire NACME staff for their unwavering commitment, ensuring the delivery of excellence daily to our Scholars, University partners, and to members of the NACME Board of Directors. It is through our collective efforts that the country will realize NACME’s vision of an engineering workforce that looks like America.

“I am thrilled to serve as Chair of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering. For decades, IBM and NACME have partnered to address the challenge of creating an engineering workforce that looks like America, and today that work couldn't be more important. Companies partnering to create economic opportunity through more inclusive STEM careers will lead to sustainable solutions to yield powerful outcomes and meaningful societal progress,” said Louissaint, Senior Vice President of Transformation and Culture at IBM.

Underrepresented minority groups have gradually increased their share in the field of science and engineering, but they remain underrepresented in degree attainment and in the workforce, particularly in the most senior roles. In science and engineering, historically underrepresented groups remain significantly smaller than their representation in the U.S. population

“As the U.S. strives to lead in the technology enterprise, it must be aggressive about cultivating the fullness of the nation’s domestic talent. Native, Hispanic and African Americans, remain underrepresented in fields identified as critical to U.S. competitiveness, specifically engineering and computer science,” said Michele Lezama, President and CEO of NACME. “IBM has a long-standing history of investing in under-represented communities’ access to a pathway to senior roles in technology roles, specifically in engineering and computer science. We are pleased to welcome their corporate officer and long-time NACME thought leader, Obed Louissaint, as our next Chairman of the Board of Directors”.

In the quest for social and racial equity, evolving our society through technology will require a significant diverse talent pool in computer science and engineering fields. NACME continues to inspire and encourage excellence in engineering education and career development toward achieving a diverse and dynamic American workforce.

Yield Giving

Established by MacKenzie Scott to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless people, Yield Giving is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. To date, Yield’s network of staff and advisors has yielded over $16,500,000,000 to 1,900+ non-profit teams to use as they see fit for the benefit of others. To learn more, visit www.yieldgiving.com.

Lever for Change

Lever for Change connects donors with bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems—including issues like racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. Using an inclusive, equitable model and due diligence process, Lever for Change creates customized challenges and other tailored funding opportunities. Top-ranked teams and challenge finalists become members of the Bold Solutions Network—a growing global network that helps secure additional funding, amplify members’ impact, and accelerate social change. Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change has influenced over $1.7 billion in grants to date and provided support to more than 145 organizations. To learn more, visit www.leverforchange.org.

The Open Call was managed in partnership with Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation that connects donors with bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems—including issues like racial inequity, gender inequality, access to economic opportunity and climate change.