Ralph Bunche Societies National Initiative for Minority Leadership Development

About this grant

This grant will provide support to the Phelps-Stokes Fund for the establishment of Ralph Bunche Societies at colleges and universities, particularly historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. As a trustee at the grantee organization for over 20 years, Dr. Ralph Bunche deeply influenced its goals of human dignity, education, racial harmony, democracy, and peace. The goals of this project include addressing the need for greater minority involvement in the international arena, better preparing minority students to become active participants in the global community, and expanding the academic and career opportunities for students, particularly minorities. The first year of the grant period will focus on establishing the tools and partnerships necessary to launch a pilot Ralph Bunche Society at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. In year two and beyond, the grantee will expand the number of societies and host expansion and leadership conferences. Established in 1911 by the will of Caroline Phelps-Stokes, the Phelps-Stokes Fund has facilitated the growth of human development by serving as an incubator to many nationally and internationally known programs and institutions.