BLI Executive Fellowship

To Connect, Inspire & uplift Leaders

The BLI Executive Fellowship connects, inspires, and uplifts executive leaders shaping social impact across the country and across sectors.

BLI brings together a national cohort of leaders in senior roles across the nonprofit, philanthropic, public, and private sectors who are leading in fields, or on issues, with significant outcome disparities for Black people – such as workforce development, incarceration and recidivism, health care and well-being, environmental justice, poverty, and education – for a twelve-month fellowship program. Through transformative programming, BLI supports leaders with the resources, network, and community to build upon their social, financial, knowledge, and cultural capital as they step into positions of greater power and influence.

BLI deeply connects each fellow to an expansive network beyond their own organization, and the profound impact of their individual journey within BLI has broad ripple effects that benefits the communities they serve.

Now in its fourth year, the BLI program will launch the newest cohort in January 2026, serving 35 executive leaders from seven cities across the country. The program connects Fellows both nationally and locally, allowing them to develop strong regional and national bonds of shared commitment, support, and purpose.

The program includes:

• Twelve months of programming, including six months of in-person regional convenings and virtual sessions with the full national cohort, followed by six months of individual executive coaching.
• Two in-person retreats in locations of significance to the Black experience in the US and to the growth of Black power and influence into the future.
• Sessions that anchor on critical topics that enable leaders to identify and implement new strategies for building greater power and influence in Black communities. Fellows will explore multiple forms of power, currency, and exchange through the lenses of social, financial, knowledge, and cultural capital.
• Sessions that cover authentic leadership, well-being and resilience, building and leveraging social capital, and navigating change for systemic transformations.
• A building and strengthening of local and national cross-sector networks.

Learn more about the BLI Executive Fellowship’s 2026 program schedule.

WHO ARE BLI FELLOWS?

BLI brings together a national cohort of leaders across the nonprofit, philanthropic, public, and private sectors who are leading in fields, or on issues, with significant outcome disparities for Black people.

Ideal candidates for the BLI Executive Fellowship are:

• Experienced nonprofit, philanthropic, public, and private sector executives, social entrepreneurs, and senior leaders who have direct oversight of a team and budget representing a significant portion, if not all, of an organization or enterprise’s work, and who share a passion for and dedication to equity and inclusion.
• Engaged in full-time work at the senior level for at least ten years, occupying roles with increasing responsibility, visibility, and impact both through their career and their community involvement, and a focus on driving impact for historically marginalized communities.
• Committed to taking on roles that address issues with significant outcome disparities for Black individuals and communities, including but not limited to, workforce development, incarceration and recidivism, health care and well-being, environmental justice, poverty, and education.
• Collaborative leaders who build or expand cross-sector networks, partnerships, and communities for social change, inside and outside of their work roles.
• Able to attend all in-person and virtual sessions for BLI.
• Growth-oriented and actively seeking to enhance their leadership and social impact through peer-based connections and development.
• Living in one of our current BLI communities, which now include: Boston, MA; Dallas, TX; Detroit, MI; Los Angeles, CA; New York City, NY; Providence, RI; and Seattle, WA.

The BLI Executive Fellowship is open to all candidates, regardless of race, color, ancestry, national origin, or sex.

Priority applications for our 2026 BLI Executive Fellowship cohort are currently open and being accepted through Friday, August 15th. Please contact recruitment@nonprofitpractice.org with any questions regarding the application process.

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