Foundation Scholarships Will Help Atlanta HBCU Students Graduate

On Oct. 13, the foundation announced a $50 million, 10-year scholarship initiative to support students at four of Atlanta’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The investment will provide gap scholarships designed to increase the number of students graduating from Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College and Spelman College.

For many students, financial barriers—not academics—stand in the way of earning their degree. Gap scholarships provide direct support to students who are close to graduating but don't have the financial means to complete their schooling.

Over the next decade, the program is projected to support nearly 10,000 students and help raise graduation rates by at least 10% across the schools.

This scholarship initiative builds on the foundation's longstanding commitment to HBCUs, which includes $10 million to Spelman College for the Arthur M. Blank Innovation Lab and $3 million to Morris Brown College to digitize a one-year hospitality credential.

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Beyond the Check: Providing Comprehensive Support to Grantee Partners

The foundation believes that there's more to philanthropy than just writing a check. That's why we focus on developing strong relationships with our grantee partners and supporting them in a variety of ways that go beyond financial resources.

"We prioritize ongoing communication as a way to listen and respond," explained Danny Shoy, Jr., the foundation's managing director for Youth Development and Atlanta's Westside. "That means not just checking in during annual reports or payment cycles but maintaining a respectful and consistent dialogue."

This commitment to listening has directly shaped the foundation's strategies. In 2022, feedback from grantees, community leaders and residents led to a refresh of the Westside strategy, revealing new and critical needs that had emerged over time.

The foundation also invests in building grantee capacity. Through initiatives like Listen4Good, grantees are able to gather feedback from the people they serve, helping them refine programs and improve service delivery. The foundation also connects organizations that are working toward similar outcomes, creating informal communities of practice that strengthen their collective impact.

"Financial support is the cornerstone of philanthropy," Shoy added. "But to truly create long-term impact, funders and nonprofits need to go beyond the check."

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Preparing Montana's Youth for Careers in Hospitality

Tourism is Montana's biggest industry, and it's growing fast. In 2024, visitors spent $5 billion across the state, directly supporting 38,240 jobs and generating nearly $1 billion in employee compensation.

For young people in rural and Indigenous communities where employment options are often limited, hospitality offers accessible entry-level positions that can lead to supervisory roles, management positions and even entrepreneurship. In these communities, tourism serves as a vital economic engine, creating opportunities that might not otherwise exist.

"I always tell my younger team members that there's so much opportunity in leadership when it comes to hospitality," said Hillary Folkvord, hotelier and entrepreneur."If you're motivated, kind and can communicate, you don't need vast experience in hospitality. I see how quickly my team moves up and I continue to tell them that this is a great opportunity to really find your path in your career."

The foundation's $1 million investment in hospitality training supports economic mobility for Montana's young people, creating sustainable career pathways in their home communities.

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Photo by Kevin League

30th Anniversary Spotlight: Chidren's Museum of Atlanta

The foundation is a longtime partner of the Children's Museum of Atlanta, a unique educational institution designed to spark imagination, discovery and learning through play-based exhibits for children ages 0-8. In 1999, a $2 million foundation grant helped establish the museum's current location near Centennial Olympic Park, launching a partnership that has spanned more than 25 years.

Through ongoing support from the Molly Blank Fund, the museum has expanded its Access It! program, doubling subsidies for Title I schools and increasing the availability of subsidized tickets. The program now provides free or subsidized admission to more than 75,000 children and caregivers from Title I schools annually.

This expansion addresses declining academic performance in underserved areas, helping ensure all children can access enriching experiences that build essential skills for school and beyond.

Explore more grantee partners on our 30th anniversary page >

AMBFF In the News

• Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Donating $50 Million to Historically Black Atlanta College, AP News

• Future-Oriented Leadership, Stanford Social Innovation Review

• Young Futures Launches "Oops!...AI Did It Again" Challenge to Equip Youth in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Morningstar

• Falcons Expand Support for Girls Sports with 16,000 Sports Bras Across Georgia, Fox 5 Atlanta

• Expanded Civil Rights Center Reaffirms Atlanta's Role in the Movement, Saporta Report