TechCrunch is excited to announce Black Girls Code as the recipient of the first TechCrunch Include Grant of $50,000.
The mission of Black Girls Code aligns perfectly with the founding goals of the Include Grant by aiming to increase participation of women and girls of color in technology and computer science by facilitating early involvement in the field, moving them from being consumers of technology to creators of it. Through a series of after-school workshops and summer camps that leverage computer science with other disciplines, such as art, media, business and engineering, Black Girls Code drives engagement around girls’ existing interests.
Over 145 organizations from our own backyard of San Francisco to cities around the world applied to the program. These groups work across every demographic, including technical training and education, hosted hackathons and meetups. They build communities of founders and provide seed money. All of them advocate to make tech a more inclusive place.
The application process demanded each applicant was making an impact in their local community. From this list, we selected our runners-up and ultimately our winner.
Runners up are Mission Bit, Latino Startup Alliance, Oakland Digital Arts and Literacy Center. Over the next year, we’ll be working with these organizations to ensure they are better connected to TechCrunch’s most valuable asset — you, our community. Whether you have time to mentor, teach or simply tweet to spread the word, we hope you’ll join us in helping these organizations to scale and create more widespread impact.
As the Include recipient, Black Girls Code will receive tickets and exhibiting space at upcoming events. TechCrunch will also provide coverage of the nonprofit as it grows and serves our community.
Special thanks to our Include Advisory Committee for assisting in the selection process. They are Aarthi Ramamurthy, Kate Courteau, and Charles Hudson.