The Sallie Mae Fund Provides $125K Grants to LGBTQ- and Hispanic-Serving Organizations

The Sallie Mae Fund — the charitable arm of the consumer banking company Sallie Mae — is awarding $125,000 grants to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and the Point Foundation, a scholarship fund that provides financial aid for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer college students. The two grants will fund internship opportunities, mentoring programs, scholarships and financial aid to the students served by HACU and the Point Foundation.

“We’ve seen first-hand the value of a higher education and how a college degree can have a lasting, positive generational impact,” said Jonathan Witter, CEO of Sallie Mae. “Too often, however, those from underserved and marginalized communities are not afforded these opportunities. Our goal — through grants, scholarships, and free confidence-inspiring tools and resources — is to continue to help level the playing field to ensure that more students, of all backgrounds, are able to not only access, but also complete college.”

According to Sallie Mae, the grants are part of its $4.5 million commitment to increase higher education access and completion among minority students and underserved communities. In total, Sallie Mae has contributed $500,000 to HACU and the Point Foundation over the past two years.