Perkins Coie Launches $2.5 Million Racial Equality Grant Program

SEATTLE (December 14, 2021)—Perkins Coie is pleased to announce the launch of the firm's racial equality grant program, which will provide at least $2.5 million over the next five years to organizations focused on advancing racial equality through legal representation, policy advocacy, and community-based activities.

Eligible local or national organizations can now apply for grants here. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and the deadline for applying for consideration of 2022 grants is February 28, 2022. The racial equality grant program will prioritize disbursing grants to organizations that focus on pursuing social and economic justice, regionally or nationally, and that have not historically had ready access to other funding sources.

"The past two years have starkly highlighted the racial inequality that persists across our nation," said Sunita Bali, a Perkins Coie partner and co-chair of the racial equality grant program. "We know that issues of race and ethnicity still too often determine access to opportunity, and we recognize that effective legal representation, policy advocacy, and community-based activities can be critical in opening up opportunities for diverse communities. We hope our program will help make a difference to grassroots organizations engaged in this work, and the communities they serve."

The initiative is part of a set of commitments that Perkins Coie first announced last year in the wake of the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others.

Since then, the continued rise in violence based on race or ethnicity, including anti-Asian and antisemitic violence, has only increased the need for support of organizations aimed at improving racial equality and social justice in the United States. These initiatives are developed by our attorneys and staff, integrated into the firm's practices, and regularly communicated to all firm personnel.