Walmart’s Empowering a Better Tomorrow Scholarship for African American Students

Scholarship snapshot

The Empowering a Better Tomorrow Scholarship was launched in 2021 by Walmart in partnership with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

NAACP is the oldest, largest, and strongest civil rights organization in the United States, with the vision to ensure a society where all individuals have equal rights without racial discrimination. The organization also takes an active role in providing equitable educational opportunities for outstanding Black students to help them achieve success in their school, work, and life.

In our series focusing on NAACP scholarships, we have written on ten other scholarships they currently have available. Check them out.

But while you are here, let’s learn more about the Empowering a Better Tomorrow Scholarship.

Objectives of the Empowering a Better Tomorrow scholarship

This scholarship program provides financial support for those who desire to further their education as they enter back into society. It targets individuals who have served their sentence after being recently convicted or who were previously incarcerated.

The NAACP recognizes that formerly incarcerated citizens require intentional and overdue support to effectively reintegrate back into society. With this partnership, the organization can achieve its mission of securing political, educational, social, and economic equality for all individuals.

In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that a lack of supportive systems for the formerly incarcerated has contributed to long-term unemployment, recidivism, as well as a host of other issues. You can also ascertain this from the following facts:

Facts	Source
75% of re-entrants are unemployed one year after being released.	American Civil Liberties Union and the Prison Policy Initiative
75% of re-entrants are back behind bars within five years	Deloitte Center for Government Insights
Black Americans up 40% of the U.S. incarcerated population, yet represent only 13% of U.S. residents	The Prison Policy Initiative
Black Americans are incarcerated at roughly five times the rate of white Americans	The Sentencing Project

A primary objective of the NAACP’s work is to bring attention to the growing need for society to reevaluate its approach to the treatment of persons who are from marginalized groups, including those formerly incarcerated. Changing the narratives and closing these disparities will not only benefit and create a positive impact on returning individuals but society as a whole. 

Amount of the scholarship

The Empowering a Better Tomorrow scholarship awards ‌$5000 each to 20 deserving individuals. This brings the total award value to $100,000 yearly. 

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Empowering a Better Tomorrow scholarship, an applicant  has to meet all the following criteria:

• Must be a citizen or resident of the United States.
• Must have just been released from custody and/or convicted but not sentenced for a crime. 
• Will enroll in the Fall semester of 2022, at a public 4-year, 2-year, community college, trade school, or other public educational institution.
• Must have no serious disciplinary incidents within the past 12 months.
• Must have applied for and received all federal, state, and other grants and loans available to them.
• Must show leadership qualities, a commitment to improving society, and a desire to contribute to society.

Scholarship application

If you are eligible and wish to apply for the Empowering a Better Future scholarship, you will need to apply online with all necessary credentials through the NAACP’s Inspire Initiatives scholarship portal. You can access that portal here.

A scholarship committee made up of NAACP leaders scores applications, reviews transcripts, and selects recipients for approval. If selected, you will receive a notification from the Inspire scholarship portal. The selection committee’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.

Application Timeline

Application for this scholarship is currently closed. Detailed information about the Empowering a Better Tomorrow scholarship application timeline will be available subsequently on the NAACP website. Be sure to follow up on the latest of this scholarship on the NAACP website.

The Agnes Jones Jackson scholarship is part of a series of scholarship opportunities available for Black students through the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Find other opportunities in the series in the list below:

How to Get NAACP’s Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship Award 2023
‘All-American Homecoming’ Grand Slam Scholarship for HBCU Students
Dark & Lovely Presents: Building Beautiful Futures Scholarship for Young Black Female Students
Walmart’s Empowering a Better Tomorrow Scholarship for African American Students
NAACP’s Hubertus W. V. Willems Scholarship for Black Male Students
James Weldon Johnson Scholarship for Students From Underrepresented Groups
Katherine McIntyre Scholarship Awards for 25 African Americans
The NAACP Creative Sole Scholarship for African American Students in Creative Fields
The NAACP X Society Awards Scholarship for African American Students
NAACP’s Uplift Scholarship for African American Students
Write Her Future Scholarship for Young Black Female Undergraduates 2023

At Scholarship Monitor, we are committed to providing you with up-to-date information on scholarship opportunities. Make sure to always check back for more updates and take advantage of the resources we have provided to help you achieve your academic and career goals.