Black-Owned Tech Nonprofit CodeHouse Gets $1 Million Grant From Google

HBCUs

By Alyssa Wilson Published: December 10, 2021

Black-Owned Tech Nonprofit CodeHouse Gets $1 Million Grant From Google

Morehouse alum Tavis Thompson (left) and Ernest Holmes (right) are the founders of CodeHouse. (Photo: Emani Rashad / CodeHouse)

In Summary

A Black-owned technology nonprofit dedicated to diversifying the technology industry received a grant from Google's charitable initiative.

CodeHouse, a nonprofit focused on diversifying the technology industry, received a $1 million grant from Google’s charitable arm, Google.org.

The organization was founded by Morehouse College alum Ernest Holmes and Tavis Thompson. Its mission is to cultivate “a strong pipeline between students of color and industry-leading technology companies.”

Morehouse alums and @codehouseorg founders Ernest Holmes ’19 and Tavis Thompson ’20 land $1M grant from https://t.co/o6yIU3BLS5 to combat the diversity gap in technology.
Read more: https://t.co/sD7B0FQvGF pic.twitter.com/S7RmjK3FaZ
— Morehouse College (@Morehouse) December 8, 2021

According to a release from Codehouse, the funding will allow the organization to expand its initiatives to students attending HBCUs in Washington D.C. and North Carolina over the next two years. This will help strengthen the organization’s mission to “build a diverse tech workforce.”

The grant also benefits the CodeHouse Scholars Initiative, a four-year mentorship and scholarship program for underrepresented students attending HBCUs in pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The program, launched in March 2021, gives students technical training and internship opportunities with top tech companies, including PayPal.

“Since CodeHouse’s founding, we’ve been able to reach thousands of students of color in the Atlanta area and equip them with the tools they need to successfully pursue careers in tech,” said Holmes, CodeHouse’s president.

Adding, “With this grant from Google.org, we’re able to take our efforts to the next level and impact the lives of thousands more. The time is now to increase diverse representation in tech, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to receive this generous funding to support us in our mission to do so.”