Federal appeals court blocks Atlanta firm's grant program for Black female entrepreneurs

Ayana Parsons, right, and Arian Simone, of Fearless Fund, attend a news conference, Aug. 10, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

A legal battle between a program that awards grants to female entrepreneurs of color and a conservative nonprofit organization is expected to raise broader legal questions on the use of diversity programs in corporate America.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled on Saturday to temporarily block the Fearless Fund from running its Strivers Grant Contest, which awards $20,000 grants to small businesses that are led by at least one woman of color and other requirements.

The panel of judges decided 2-1 that the venture capital fund is “racially discriminatory.”