03 Feb Giving Opportunities in February
February is a great month to begin corporate giving in the new year if you haven’t already. It is home to a handful of causes you can explore and align with your brand strategy, including Black History Month, American Heart Month, and the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The following charities and causes are not a comprehensive list of who you can support this month but a starting point. We encourage year-round giving and support of these causes beyond February but hope this list can inspire you to think about February’s causes and this year’s charitable initiatives.
Black History Month
Black History Month, also known as African American History Month, is a time dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of African Americans. In 1926 a group known as the Association for the Study of African American life sponsored a week in February dedicated to African American history which inspired many other institutions and communities nationwide to do the same. This week continued into the 1960s when the growing civil rights movement spread it out into a whole month, which now is known as Black History Month. Below are some of the charities that aid the message behind Black History Month and also increase opportunities for Black communities- year round.
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
The Legal Defense and Educational Fund works through the courts to bring equality. The NAACP utilizes strategies such as advocacy, educational outreach, legislation monitoring, and policy research while also offering scholarships for exceptional Black Students.
EIN: 13-1655255
Thurgood Marshall College Fund
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund provides scholarships, capacity building, and programmatic support as well as advocacy for students and public Historically Black Colleges and Universities to ensure students’ success by promoting educational excellence.
EIN: 41-1750692
100 Black Men of America is dedicated to improving the quality of life within their communities and enhancing educational and economic opportunities for all African Americans.
EIN: 58-1974429
American Heart Month
American Heart Month was first established in December of 1963 by President Lyndon B. Johnson with the intent to aid those who are affected by heart diseases. President Johnson wanted to bring awareness to the problem and direct funding to finding solutions. To this day, many charities work year round to raise awareness for heart disease and fund research to provide better treatments for all of those who are affected. The charities mentioned below are just snapshots of all of those who are working toward helping this cause.
The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke.
EIN: 13-5613797
Masonic Medical Research Institute
The Masonic Medical Research Institute is dedicated to improving the health and quality of life for all humankind by working to conduct high-quality basic biomedical and clinical research aimed at understanding heart diseases.
EIN: 13-5648611
The Children’s Heart Association supports clinical, translational, and basic investigations meant to advance pediatric heart medicine to advance the cardiovascular field.
EIN: 31-0537129
International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11th)
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science first began in 2015 when the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted it as a resolution. When the UN General Assembly realized a lack of representation and funding for women and girls in science, they wanted to create an opportunity to raise awareness by using this day to do so. The UN dedicated February 11th to this cause to promote more advocacy for women and girls in science. Through fighting for the same access to education and training in science fields, as well as equal employment rates with men, this day is dedicated to giving women and girls in science a voice. Below are some of the charities working towards these goals.
Association for Women in Science
The Association for Women in Science advocates for a positive system transformation that strives to ensure that all women in the STEM field can achieve their full potential.
EIN: 23-7221574
Girls Who Code aims to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks like to include women in the STEM space.
EIN: 30-0728021
The Society of Women Engineers works to give women engineers a unique place and voice in the engineering industry while continuing to evolve despite the challenges women face in engineering workspaces.
EIN: 13-1947735