The Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE), a partnership between Morehouse College, Spelman College and the Black Economic Alliance Foundation in the United States, is accepting applications for its first State of Black Entrepreneurship Fellows Program. Fellows receive US$10,000 to carry out original research on Black entrepreneurship, economic mobility and wealth creation, and help write the annual State of Black Entrepreneurship Report.
The fellowship runs for about 12 months from early 2027. It ends with fellows presenting their findings at the State of Black Entrepreneurship Symposium in autumn 2027. CBE works with Brookings to share fellows’ findings with policymakers.
Deadline: 16 November 2026.
Good to know: CBE’s call doesn’t set any nationality or residence rule, but the research is about Black entrepreneurship mainly in the United States, as the fellowship feeds a national US report. African researchers can apply if their project fits these themes. If you’re unsure, check with CBE through its contact page before applying.
At a Glance
| Organiser | Center for Black Entrepreneurship (Morehouse College, Spelman College and the Black Economic Alliance Foundation) |
| Award | US$10,000 per fellow, for research costs |
| Duration | About 12 months, early 2027 to autumn 2027 |
| Who it’s for | Doctoral students, postdocs, faculty, and think tank, policy and applied researchers |
| Application | CV, a 1-page personal statement and a research proposal of up to 4 pages |
| Deadline | 16 November 2026 |
Research Priorities
Your project should fit one of these four areas:
- Capital formation and investment access: how entrepreneurs raise and use equity, debt, grants and alternative funding.
- Venture creation and business growth: how businesses form, perform, innovate and scale.
- Entrepreneurial talent and pathways: how education, training, mentoring and hands-on learning develop entrepreneurs.
- Ecosystems, institutions and policy: how support organisations, networks and public policy shape business outcomes.
Projects on new issues affecting entrepreneurship and economic mobility are also welcome.
What Fellows Do
The fellowship has two parts:
- A contribution to the State of Black Entrepreneurship Report: data analysis, literature reviews, ecosystem research, interviews with founders and stakeholders, or recommendations for one of the report’s themes.
- An independent research project: for example a journal article, working paper, dissertation chapter, policy analysis, dataset or ecosystem study.
Fellows also take part in workshops: an orientation in January–February 2027, a design workshop in March–April and a summer workshop in July–August. At the end they submit a draft paper, a project report and a symposium presentation.
Benefits
- A US$10,000 research grant
- Workshops and feedback to strengthen your research design and findings
- The chance to present at the State of Black Entrepreneurship Symposium in autumn 2027
- Your work featured in a national report read by investors, foundations, companies and policymakers
- Help sharing your findings with policymakers through Brookings, such as blog posts, policy briefs or events
Note: the budget must be spent on your research. Personal expenses unrelated to the project and general office supplies aren’t allowed.
Eligibility
- Applications are especially encouraged from doctoral students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and think tank, policy and applied researchers.
- Researchers from HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) are especially encouraged.
- You should show strong research skills, an interest in entrepreneurship and economic mobility, and a commitment to research on Black entrepreneurship.
- You must be able to complete the project and take part fully in fellowship activities.
- Joint and interdisciplinary proposals are welcome. You can name a co-investigator.
What to Submit
- CV covering your qualifications, experience, research and publications
- Personal statement (1 page max): why you’re interested in Black entrepreneurship research and how your project fits the fellowship
- Research proposal (4 pages max) with:
- the problem and your research questions
- why it matters
- your methods and data sources, showing that you can actually access the data
- a timeline with milestones
- a detailed budget for the US$10,000
- Supporting documents where relevant, such as letters of collaboration or data access agreements
The upload is limited to 5 pages. Your CV and letters of collaboration don’t count towards that limit.
How to Apply
- Read the full call on CBE’s official fellowship page (link below).
- Prepare your CV, personal statement, research proposal and any supporting letters.
- Fill in the online application form with your name, institution, email and phone, then upload your documents.
- Submit by 16 November 2026. Awards are announced in December 2026.
Official State of Black Entrepreneurship Fellows Program page · Official application form
How Proposals Are Judged
A panel of experts in entrepreneurship, academia and business will judge proposals on originality, methodological rigour, relevance to Black entrepreneurship, practical impact and feasibility.
