AVIXA Foundation Accepting Applications for Brad Sousa Impact Fund Grant

  • By Kate Lucariello
  • 03/07/24

The AVIXA Foundation, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association's charitable arm, has announced the launch of the Brad Sousa Impact Fund to honor the late Brad Sousa, AVIXA board member and AVI Systems chief technology officer. The foundation has seeded the fund with $50,000 and hopes that others in the industry will donate what they can toward a $200,000 goal.

The fund's aim is to "identify and empower digital transformation, contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future worldwide," the foundation said, by giving grants to "developing audiovisual and digital transformation professionals and their understanding of each other's overlapping needs."

The foundation said the fund will invest in:

  • People "seeking educational and vocational outcomes;"
  • Programs "with social consciousness and purpose, impacting society/community/culture;" and
  • Partnerships "that amplify missions of associations, community, and nonprofit organizations."

The foundation said Sousa was dedicated to using technology to make an impact in society and the world, not just influence them.

"He loved seeing the industry’s workforce evolving in real time — especially the diversity of scholarship applicants," said Sarah Joyce, the foundation's executive director. "He enjoyed reading what individuals were currently studying and their plans for the future. The Brad Sousa Impact Fund will allow the AVIXA Foundation to carry on his passion by supporting programs and people around the world."

Visit the Impact Fund page to learn more, donate, suggest an initiative to fund, and view eligibility requirements for a grant.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

Featured

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • abstract representation of equity at the core of AI

    Why Equity Must Be a Core Part of the Conversation About AI

    AI is an immensely powerful tool that can provide customized support for students with diverse learning needs, tailoring educational experiences to meet student’s individual needs more effectively. However, significant disparities in AI access and digital literacy skills prevent many of these same students from fully leveraging its benefits.

  • futuristic crystal ball with holographic data projections

    Call for Opinions: 2025 Predictions for Higher Ed IT

    How will the technology landscape in higher education change in the coming year? We're inviting our readership to weigh in with their predictions, wishes, or worries for 2025.

  • scene in a cybersecurity operations center, showing an AI and a human competing head-to-head

    91% of CISOs Say AI Will Outperform Security Pros

    A new survey of CISOs by Bugcrowd indicates AI is already beating security pros in some areas and is expected to take on a larger role in the future.