UPS and IMG team up on grants supporting HBCU students

Shipping service UPS and IMG have teamed up to launch a new partnership designed to support students looking to produce a fashion show during New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

Dubbed NYFW: The Shows Small Business Grant Supported by UPS, the initiative aims to particularly provide funding to three designers from historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), who will each get an equal share of the 150,000 dollar fund.

Applicants are required to submit designs to a committee of industry experts, which include UPS executive vice president and chief marketing officer Kevin Warren and Ali Bird, senior vice president of global talent strategy and incubation at WME Fashion.

The initiative builds on past efforts of UPS to support Black- and minority-owned businesses, which have previously included the release of its Be Unstoppable merchandise, the proceeds of which went towards its Proudly Unstoppable campaign, launched to break down barriers for small businesses.

It also partnered with nonprofit organisation Blk to support emerging Black fashion designers.

Applications for the grant run until June 5 and can be made through a dedicated application form available via NYFW: The Shows’ official website.