June 3, 2025
The fund will grant $5,000 to eight students studying business at a HBCU.
The Social Change Fund United, created by NBA legends Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony, is making a significant impact on HBCU business students.
The fund, started in 2020, will now provide $40,000 in scholarships for students studying finance and entrepreneurship. Its founders aimed to support diverse communities in response to the growing social and racial justice movements of that year.
“It was a real moment,” Anthony told Fast Company in April. “We were watching a moment in society and our community, and our country, and it’s right in front of our faces, and the world was watching. It was a moment where I had to figure out, ‘Da-n, what do I want to do?’ And I think everyone was asking that same question. We just talked, came together, and we founded the Social Change Fund United.”
A post shared by Social Change Fund United (@socialchangefnd)
The scholarship will award $5,000 to eight students from any Historically Black College or University (HBCU) with a passion for business. Although applications have closed, the venture will continue to support recipients who want to use their entrepreneurial ambitions for social change.
“What we did was create a really clear vision on what we wanted to do on strategy, how do we advance equity, how do we advance social justice, criminal justice reform, and strategic partnerships,” Anthony said. “We became very intentional in our outreach, our partnerships, and just the messages that are out there. It took something tragic to happen for us—me, Dwayne, CP—to really have a vision on what we wanted to do.”
The Social Change Fund United also includes an executive council comprised of fellow NBA and WNBA stars, including Candace Parker and CJ McCollum. While supported by advisors in the sports and media management sphere, the fund continues to promote equitable and sustainable change for underrepresented groups.
Not only does the fund provide financial allotments and other resources to support the next generation, it fosters communal backing and partnerships to drive its mission further. With over $182,000 in grant funding across 24 U.S. cities, the Social Change Fund United offers a new avenue to combat racial injustice.
Winners of the scholarships will be announced July 1.
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