Target and the Target Foundation have announced a commitment of $100 million through 2025 in support of efforts to advance racial equity and drive economic prosperity in Black communities across the United States.

Part of the company's Racial Equity Action and Change strategy announced in 2020, the initiative will support Black-led local nonprofits to ensure that resources are specifically designed for the communities they serve, such as the Philanthropic Collective to Combat Anti-Blackness & Realize Racial Justice's Minnesota Holistic Black-Led Movement Fund, which bolsters the transformative procedures, practices, and solutions that drive racial equity and justice. With the goal of increasing awareness and understanding of Black experiences, Target and the foundation also will sponsor programs that elevate Black narratives and voices, including the PBS NewsHour series Race Matters.

In addition, the commitment will fund scholarships and assist students attending historically Black colleges and universities. Target will serve as a founding supporter of the PENSOLE Lewis College of Business & Design in Detroit, which will open at the site of the Violet T. Lewis College of Business — an HBCU founded in 1928 that closed its doors in 2015 — as the country's first HBCU to focus on design and offer free tuition.

"As one of the largest retailers in the U.S., we know we have the responsibility and opportunity to use our resources to help end systemic racism and accelerate economic prosperity for Black communities," said Amanda Nusz, senior vice president of corporate responsibility at Target and president of the Target Foundation. "With this commitment, we aim to support the next generation of Black talent, expand the impact of Black-led movements and voices, and create economic opportunity in Black communities across the country."

(Photo credit: PENSOLE Lewis College of Business & Design)