Black Economic Council of Mass Awards Grant to Support BFIT Students

February 22, 2022

The Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) today announced that it is awarding a $75,000 grant to Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT) that will provide tuition support to students who would otherwise not be able to complete their certificate or degrees at BFIT because of financial burdens or crises. This is the largest single grant provided to an organization in BECMA’s history.

“I was raised by a single parent who upon earning her college degree, entered the middle class which changed the trajectory of our lives forever,” said Nicole Obi, President & CEO of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts. “Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology is a valued member of BECMA because of the work it does to transform the lives of its students.   Our funds will support BFIT students who are at risk of dropping out of programs which will enable them to enter Massachusetts’ high paying, skilled workforce.”

“We are very grateful to the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts for this generous grant that will allow students to finish their academic and training journey with us, achieve their hard-earned degrees or certificates, and begin meaningful and rewarding careers regardless of their financial situation,” said Aisha Francis, Ph.D., President and CEO of Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology.

This award is aligned to BECMA’s Placement pillar, which is centered on placing more Black residents in the skilled workforce. BECMA’s approach for closing the Massachusetts wealth gap also includes pillars focused on Entrepreneurship, Commerce, and Ownership.

About the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts

BECMA’s mission is to advance the economic well-being of Black businesses, organizations, and residents in Massachusetts through advocacy, business and leadership development, and strategic partnerships.

BECMA started in 2015 after the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston published its “Color of Wealth in Boston” report, detailing the ever-widening racial wealth gap. Researchers discovered that the median net worth of Black Bostonians was only $8.00, compared to $247,500, the median net worth of White Bostonians.  To learn more about BECMA please go to www.becma.org