The Joyce Grant Fund provides up to $5,000 in one-time awards to support Black women in midlife pursuing education or training. Rooted in empowerment, self-determination, and lifelong learning, the Fund helps women in Michigan and Massachusetts take bold steps toward what’s next.
The Joyce Grant Fund provides one-time awards of up to $5,000 to support Black women in midlife pursuing education or training that opens doors to new opportunities.
Applicants must fulfill all of the following qualifications in order to be eligible:
The Fund supports a wide range of formal educational opportunities, including college courses, trade or certificate programs, professional training, and other formal learning experiences.
Yes, some prior experience that supports your educational interest is required. Still, this includes both formal and informal experiences in the field. We encourage those with lived experience, curiosity, and commitment to apply.
Applications are accepted year-round, with awards made during two annual cycles in spring and winter. Each cycle has its own submission deadline, which will be announced on our website and through our newsletter. The first awards will be distributed in fall 2026.
Applications are reviewed with care and discretion, focusing on clarity of goals, readiness to learn, and how the funding will help move those goals forward. Our selection process follows a standardized system and incorporates input and collaboration from our Board of Directors.
Joyce recognized that Black women have long faced systemic barriers to education, especially when it comes to those ages 30 and older. The Fund aims to address long-standing systemic barriers that have forced Black women to put their aspirations on hold earlier in life. Supporting this group specifically aims to spark long-term ripple effects for families, communities, and future generations.
Created in June 2026, the Fund is currently in its inaugural award cycle (as of summer 2026). We are excited to welcome our first cohort of awardees and begin building on Joyce’s legacy.
Education changes individual lives and entire communities — and timing shouldn’t determine who has access. Your support helps remove barriers to education and puts resources directly into the hands of women ready to shape their futures. Together, we can carry Joyce’s vision forward, one learner and one new direction at a time.
The Fund aims to address long-standing systemic barriers that have forced women to put their aspirations on hold earlier in life. This investment empowers Black women ages 30 or older in Michigan and Massachusetts who seek a new direction through formal education or training that may have once felt out of reach.
The Fund honors the legacy of Joyce M. Grant, an educator, administrator, community organizer, global activist, and lifelong learner. It is designed to uphold Joyce’s vision of putting resources directly into the hands of individuals who can use them to create change, and trusting their ability to shape their own futures. Through every award, conversation, and story shared, the Fund ensures that Joyce’s work — and her faith in people — live on.
