$10,000 Black Entrepreneurship Research Fellowship

The Center for Black Entrepreneurship, a partnership between Morehouse College, Spelman College and the Black Economic Alliance Foundation, is funding its first cohort of State of Black Entrepreneurship Fellows. Each fellow receives $10,000 to run an independent research project on Black entrepreneurship and helps write the annual State of Black Entrepreneurship Report over about 12 months in 2027.

What you get:

• A $10,000 fellowship to fund your research project
• Workshops and collaborative research sessions with feedback on your study design and early findings
• A chance to present your findings at the State of Black Entrepreneurship Symposium in Fall 2027
• A route to policymakers: CBE and Brookings select fellows' findings to share through blog posts, policy briefs or policy events

What you'll do:

• Run an independent research project in one of four areas: capital and investment access, venture creation and growth, entrepreneurial talent and pathways, or ecosystems, institutions and policy
• Contribute data, analysis, interviews or literature reviews to one domain of the annual State of Black Entrepreneurship Report
• Attend an orientation, a spring workshop and a summer workshop
• Deliver a draft paper, a project report and a symposium presentation with slides

Key dates:

• Applications close November 16, 2026
• Awards announced December 2026
• Orientation January to February 2027
• Spring workshop March to April 2027
• Summer workshop July to August 2027
• Findings presented at the State of Black Entrepreneurship Symposium, Fall 2027 (dates to be confirmed)

More information:

• Full call, proposal structure and evaluation criteria on the CBE research programme page

• Strong research skills and an interest in entrepreneurship and economic mobility
• A commitment to advancing knowledge about Black entrepreneurship
• Able to complete the project and take part in every fellowship activity
• Apply with a CV, a one page personal statement and a research proposal of up to four pages with a timeline and a detailed $10,000 budget
• Show reasonable access to the data you plan to use; letters of collaboration or data access agreements where relevant
• Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are welcome