Georgia Power is showing its committment to supporting Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities with a donation toward infrastructure, technology tools, professional development, and more.

The company, along with its parent, Southern Company announced that they will provide $1.625 million in funding through the Southern Company Foundation, according to a press release.

This gift is part of the Southern Company’s multi-year funding strategy –announced in January 2020 — that will provide HBCU students with leadership development, scholarships, internships, and access to innovation and technology to support career readiness. It is included in the company and its subsidiaries’ $50 million HBCU Initiative.

“Georgia Power has been a longtime partner of HBCUs in our state and I am proud we can build on our support for these important institutions through these grants,” said the president of Georgia Power, Chris Womack, in a press statement. “Not only are these schools innovating for the future, but they are also helping lead racial equity efforts across Georgia. Every dollar we are able to invest in them is an investment in future leaders for our state and our communities.”

In Georgia, the six HBCUs receiving support include Savannah State University, Clark Atlanta University, Fort Valley State University, Albany State University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College.

According to the press release, grants in the latest round make up a total of $5.1 million, which includes the $1.625 million contribution in Georgia. The donation is to help alleviate challenges brought on by COVID-19 by funding infrastructure support, professional development, technology tools, and IT service to select undergraduate HBCUs within Southern Company’s service footprint in Mississippi, Tennesse, Virginia, Alabama, and Georgia.