The Omega Life Membership Foundation, Inc. (Foundation), established 42 years ago, has faithfully been fully engaged in and committed to philanthropy throughout its existence. The Foundation intends to continue this path and be a force for good and growth in the years to come.

The IMPACT FUND is the first initiative created by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. It has been designed as a “Donor Advised Fund,” which means that the majority vote of the Foundation membership present at the Annual Corporate Meeting will decide the designee of the grant. In essence, the Foundation members will select and direct a significant grant amount to a worthy nonprofit organization on an annual basis.

The focus of the 2027 IMPACT FUND grant will be in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) education and community service to, with an emphasis on empowering youth to positively impact their communities. In various communities, systemic barriers exist that affect Black youth in accessing AI, education, technology, and opportunities to participate in an increasingly AI driven world. Nonprofit organizations that focus on kindergarten through 12th grade students to promote a holistic approach, combining education and physical development with clear, measurable outcomes in academic performance, leadership skills, and AI literacy to create well-rounded future leaders are essential to developing that pipeline of leaders.

The 2027 IMPACT FUND grant will be awarded to the nominated nonprofit organization that best exemplifies, in the eyes of the Foundation membership, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Community Impact: Empowering youth with the AI skills and education to serve and positively transform their communities.” By focusing on community-based initiatives, the grant fosters pride and connection to heritage and aligns with our priorities of equity, inclusion, and access.

The 2027 IMPACT FUND grant will be $25,000; we anticipate the award will be presented in July 2027. The application period will begin October 1, 2026, and end at 11:59 PM December 31, 2026. All nominations must be submitted by a Foundation Life Member. The IMPACT FUND Committee (IFC) will review and vet all completed applications and identify a slate of the top applications for the Foundation membership to ultimately vote on to select the one recipient for the $25,000 grant.

The IMPACT FUND Committee aims to have the top final applications available for the Foundation membership to review by March 31, 2027. Be advised that each of the finalists will be required to submit a 2-3 minute organizational narrative YouTube video. The vote by the Foundation membership will occur at the 2027 Annual Meeting of the Omega Life Membership Foundation, Inc.

Any questions related to the IMPACT FUND application and nomination process can be directed to the IFC Chairman OLMF Region 8 Director, James R. Ball at 314/537-5830 or jrbqmsu@yahoo.com.

Respectfully,

Dr. Michael A. Boykin, Esq.

16th Chairman, OLMF, Inc.