Black Leadership Institute

To Connect, Inspire & uplift Leaders

The Black Leadership Institute (BLI) connects, inspires, and uplifts senior-level leaders shaping social impact across the country and across sectors. 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.

A unique and transformative program, 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 an eighteen-month fellowship program.

Now in its third year, the BLI program launched its latest cohort in January 2025, serving 35 senior-level 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:

• Eighteen months of programming, including twelve months of in-person regional convenings and virtual sessions with the full national cohort, followed by six months of individual, virtual 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.
• A focus on cultivating joy and renewal through a pedagogy grounded in deep personal connection, community building, mindfulness, well-being, and the intersection of self-awareness and leadership.
• A building and strengthening of local and national cross-sector networks.

Learn more about the Black Leadership Institute’s 2025-26 program schedule.

WHO ARE BLACK LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FELLOWS?

We know that those closest to the social issues impacting our communities are not only the best equipped to address the critical challenges of our time, but they also possess the wisdom of lived experience to build an equitable future. That’s why 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.

Every BLI Fellow is deeply connected to an expansive network beyond their own organization, and the profound impact of their individual journey within BLI will have broad ripple effects that benefit these communities.

Ideal candidates for the Black Leadership Institute 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 racial and gender equity
• 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 Black Leadership Institute is open to all candidates, regardless of race, color, ancestry, national origin, or sex.

* We expect the BLI program to expand to more regions over time. If you don’t see your city on the list of BLI communities, sign up for our newsletter to be the first to learn about new locations.

Applications for our Black Leadership Institute are currently closed. Please sign up for our mailing list to be notified when applications open.