MIAMI – (June 4, 2015) – Digital Grass, a social impact group and diversity accelerator, will expand its programs and services to help close the diversity gap across South Florida’s tech and innovation community with $75,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Digital Grass is a Miami-based group of business owners, professionals, consultants and community leaders committed to diversity inclusion. It provides minority, women and LGBT-owned startups and established companies with access to mentors, financial investors, symposiums and other business development tools. It also offers peer matchmaking assistance for established companies interested in participating in diversity inclusion.

Knight Foundation funding will expand Digital Grass’ current offerings to include convenings, speaker series, panels and talks that showcase the work of entrepreneurs from all backgrounds. Additionally, Digital Grass will launch the #W3RTech campaign to highlight diversity in Miami’s tech community and underrepresented professionals in the industry; the campaign will take a multimedia approach to call attention to the need for more diversity in tech. The group will help other organizations focused on diversity inclusion amplify their efforts and explore new opportunities in this area.

“At Digital Grass, we’ve taken a pressing topic in America and made it a focus in South Florida to show the power and benefits of diversity inclusion in technology and innovation,” said Michael Hall, Digital Grass co-founder. “Our sole objective is to weave the city together to show the world the melting pot that we really are, whether it is through the lens of collaboration to fill tech positions, build new innovation and tech companies or influence investors to see the power of diversity.”

“The success of Miami’s innovation ecosystem depends on capturing the diverse voices and ideas of the entire community,” said Matt Haggman, Miami program director for Knight Foundation. “Digital Grass will help build the framework for entrepreneurs of all backgrounds to co-create, collaborate and network. That’s Miami’s strength; it’s a diverse, global meeting place for ideas and creativity.”

Support for Digital Grass forms part of Knight Foundation’s efforts to invest in Miami’s emerging innovators and entrepreneurs as a tool to build community, while fostering talent and expanding economic opportunity. Over the past two years, Knight has made more than 100 investments in entrepreneurship in South Florida.

For more information on Digital Grass please visit: www.digigrass.com

About Digital Grass

Digital Grass Innovation & Technology (DGIT) is a co-create digital warehouse of professionals that share a goal of promoting inclusion in technology and innovation. Digital Grass co-creates with companies led by women, minorities and/or LGBT people. Digital Grass seeks to transform, develop and promote diversity and inclusion by increasing the presence of diverse groups in entrepreneurial ventures, innovation and technology. For more information, visit digigrass.com.

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.

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CONTACTS:

Michael Hall, Co-Founder, Digital Grass Innovation and Technology, 786-509-9022, mhall@digigrass.com

Anusha Alikhan, Director of Communications, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 305-908-2677, media@knightfoundation.org

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