Black scholars continue to shape every field with groundbreaking innovation, yet systemic barriers to funding and advancement persist. Fellowships provide critical financial support, mentorship, and professional opportunities that empower Black students, researchers, and leaders to excel. Whether you’re starting your graduate studies, advancing innovative research, or spearheading community change, these fellowships are designed to break down barriers and elevate your impact. The opportunities here include journalism, technology, humanities, leadership, environmental sustainability, and social innovation fellowships. Explore the list below to find opportunities that align with your academic and professional aspirations!
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1. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellowship
The Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellowship, launched in 2022 and named after the “mother of African-American journalism,” offers yearlong, salaried fellowships with full benefits for recent graduates, mid-career professionals, and alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Hosted by The 19th News, the fellowship provides hands-on experience in reporting, audience engagement, and news product management. Fellows receive mentorship while developing expertise in equity-focused journalism, audience engagement strategies, and digital product innovation. The program includes three reporting fellows, one audience engagement fellow, and one product management fellow, all working to center underrepresented voices and shape the future of inclusive media.
2. blackcomputeHER Fellows Program
The blackcomputeHER Fellows Program is a 12-month leadership development initiative designed to support and cultivate Black women in computing and technology. The fellowship begins with participation in the annual blackcomputeHER Conference and continues with monthly virtual workshops, mentorship, and coaching from senior tech executives and industry leaders. Open to Black women pursuing advanced studies or in the early stages of their computing careers, the program provides access to cutting-edge topics like machine learning, human-centered design, and responsible AI, as well as career development resources. Fellows also give back by mentoring future cohorts, strengthening a pipeline of Black women leaders in tech.
3. Awards for Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
The Awards for Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) program, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), provides individual faculty and staff members at HBCUs with financial support to pursue humanities research and scholarly projects. Recipients can receive up to $5,000 monthly for two to twelve months to conduct research, write books or articles, develop digital resources, translate works, or enhance undergraduate courses. Open to full-time, part-time, adjunct, and retired faculty, the award offers flexibility in project outcomes and welcomes proposals across all humanities fields, from literature and history to philosophy and cultural preservation.
4. Black Leadership Institute
The Black Leadership Institute (BLI) is an 18-month fellowship designed to connect, inspire, and uplift senior-level Black leaders across sectors, providing them with the resources, networks, and community to expand their influence and impact. Fellows engage in in-person regional convenings, virtual sessions, executive coaching, and retreats in locations significant to Black history and leadership. The program focuses on leadership development, racial and gender equity, social impact, and community building, strengthening social, financial, knowledge, and cultural capital. Open to experienced nonprofit, philanthropic, public, and private sector executives.
5. Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Diversity Fellowship
The Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Diversity Fellowship is a two-year, paid fellowship that supports recent college graduates of color in launching careers in conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. Managed by the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP), the fellowship offers two tracks: RAY Conservation Fellows, placed with leading environmental organizations, and RAY Clean Energy Fellows, placed with clean energy-focused organizations. Fellows receive mentorship, professional development funding, networking opportunities, and hands-on experience in their respective fields. Open to individuals passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion in environmental work, the fellowship provides a full-time salary, benefits, and a $1,000 stipend for additional professional growth.
6. NABJ Ethel Payne Fellowship
The NABJ Ethel Payne Fellowship is a $5,000 travel award that helps NABJ members gain experience in foreign correspondence in Africa. Named after Ethel Payne, the first African American female journalist to focus on international news, this fellowship encourages journalists to move beyond stereotypical narratives and explore underreported stories about Africa and its people. The fellowship provides financial support for a project or singular report on the continent, empowering journalists to produce rich, nuanced coverage highlighting African communities’ diverse experiences and histories.
7. Racial Equity in Homelessness Fellowship
The Racial Equity in Homelessness Fellowship is a 9-month program for BIPOC leaders in Los Angeles County’s Homeless Response Sector committed to advancing racial equity and justice. Fellows engage in relationship-building, executive coaching, and leadership development while addressing systemic disparities that disproportionately affect Black and Indigenous communities experiencing homelessness. Participants receive a $2,500 stipend, peer support, mentorship, public identity development assistance, and well-being sessions. The fellowship is part of SJPLA’s broader initiative to recruit, equip, and retain equity-focused BIPOC professionals, ensuring that leadership in the homelessness sector reflects the communities most impacted by housing instability.
8. Echoing Green Fellowship
The Echoing Green Fellowship identifies and supports Black social innovators tackling the world’s most pressing issues through bold, community-driven solutions. For over 35 years, Echoing Green has championed racial equity and social justice, helping Black leaders disrupt systemic barriers in education, climate justice, human rights, and health. Fellows receive $100,000 seed funding over 18 months, leadership development, mental well-being support, expert mentorship, and access to a global network of changemakers. Through capacity building and strategic resources, Echoing Green empowers Black visionaries to transform their ideas into lasting impact within their communities.
9. Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity
The Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity is a 12-month transformative program that unites experienced leaders with a proven track record of advancing Black life to build global perspectives on racial equity. Fellows engage in a series of virtual convenings, a two-week in-person residency in Johannesburg, and a weeklong immersive capstone event designed to create peer connections, rigorous leadership coaching, and hands-on exploration of the histories and futures of race. Ideal candidates have at least five years of professional experience in racial equity or related fields and demonstrate openness, intentionality, and boldness. The fellowship covers round-trip travel, accommodation, meals, and up to $10,000 for leadership development and incidental costs.
10. PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship
The PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship is a five-month virtual mentorship program for early-career writers from underrepresented communities in publishing—including Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, immigrant, and writers with disabilities. The fellowship provides one-on-one guidance on current projects, insider knowledge of the publishing industry through panels and Q&As, and professional development workshops covering writing, editing, and marketing. It also offers a robust toolkit, networking opportunities, and a one-year membership in PEN America to help demystify the path to publication and diversify media industries. Applicants must be at least 21, reside in the U.S., and not be enrolled in a degree program or have an advanced degree or book published by an established publisher.
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