Grant will support the implementation of youth mentorship opportunities for under-resourced teenage girls in Southeast Michigan
DETROIT, Mich., June 2023–The BasBlue Foundation announced it has received a $1 million grant from Ballmer Group to continue its mission of creating avenues for women and non-binary individuals to create pathways, accessopportunities, resources, and mentorship.
The grant will be used to partner with under-resourced Detroit high schools to create youth programs benefiting teenage girls and individuals who identify as female. The new initiative will focus on mentorship, academic support, leadership development, career readiness, alternative career paths, and more.
“We are honored to receive a grant from Ballmer Group as it represents a powerful recognition of BasBlue’s commitment to empowering the next generation of female leaders in Detroit,” said BasBlue Co-Founder Nancy Tellem. “With this generous support, we can create a transformative mentorship platform that will equip girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds with the connections and tools they need to thrive today and tomorrow. While many youth programs focus solely on college readiness, BasBlue seeks to develop diverse skill sets among our youth from academic success to career readiness, as college may not be for everyone.”
The pilot program will launch in Detroit, where opportunities for youth development are critically needed in public schools. The BasBlue Foundation will invite students from around the city to participate in the inaugural cohort, with the key beneficiaries of the program being teenage girls and individuals who identify as female during their junior or senior year of high school.
“Ballmer Group is proud to support BasBlue to ensure women and high school girls have access to the social capital and skills they need as they define their own pathways to success and economic opportunity,” said Temeca Simpson, portfolio manager at Ballmer Group. “BasBlue has powerful programming that will equip the next generation of entrepreneurs across Detroit.”
The BasBlue Foundation aims to bolster and strengthen the Detroit and Southeast Michigan community by providing access, opportunities, and financial support to historically underrepresented and under-resourced individuals. BasBlue has more than 700 members and offers more than 100 educational and impact programs, including the Zero-to-One Entrepreneurial Fellowship Program, Trailblazer-in-Residence Scholarship Program, Founders + Fund(hers) Pitch Day, Art of BasBlue, and more.
About BasBlue:
BasBlue is committed to advancing women and non-binary individuals’ economic mobility and leadership skills by providing community connection, educational programming, and resources. Established in October 2021 as a mission-driven nonprofit, BasBlue creates pathways and collaborates with local organizations on initiatives that lead to change in the community, while serving as a welcoming space for more than 700 members. Through the Foundation, BasBlue eradicates barriers by offering access to programming, mentorship, and business resources to under-represented and under-resourced women and non-binary individuals in Detroit and Southeast Michigan.
