Black Visionary Fund

Black Visionary Fund · 2026–2027 Cycle

Application

Deadline November 10, 2026

BLAREMONT MAG Black Visionary Fund (BVF) invests in emerging Black talent and the ideas shaping culture, image, and innovation. Through funding and opportunities to share their work, the fund supports students’ creative, scholarly, and career ambitions, helping them bring their visions into public life. We begin at The Claremont Colleges, the community where BLAREMONT MAG was born. Working in partnership with the Office of Black Student Affairs, this chapter of the fund supports students across the five undergraduate colleges within the communities OBSA serves. Our long-term ambition is to expand nationally and, eventually, globally, connecting more Black visionaries with resources, audiences, and one another. That ambition begins with investing in the talent closest to us.

For the 2026–2027 cycle, three awards of up to $600 each will be announced in late fall 2026. Supported projects should launch, culminate, or become available for the public to view or experience in late spring 2027. Funding requires appropriate documentation and budget information. Recipients must also agree to participate in a cover story feature for BLAREMONT MAG and related coverage across its content platforms. Supported work may include community events, exhibitions, content creation, public performances, and other projects exploring culture, media, innovation, entrepreneurship, and enterprise. We welcome ideas expressed through images, words, performance, and cultural commentary, including work that moves across disciplines.

The BVF brings financial support into conversation with BLAREMONT MAG’s editorial coverage, digital platforms, and experiences developed with the Office of Black Student Affairs. Together, these offer a foundation for emerging visionaries to develop their practice, share their perspectives, and contribute to the cultural life of their communities.

Criteria

  • 40%Clarity and effectiveness of explanation of project (strongly articulated vision)
  • 30%Clarity of budget and potential for project to be completed for spring 2026
  • 20%Compelling nature and quality of portfolio, demonstration of creative vision across selected disciplines
  • 10%Evidence of initiative, self-direction and ability to apply skills outside of standard academic structures

Eligibility

  • Must be on campus in spring 2027
  • Must be a current enrolled student at Scripps, Pitzer, Pomona, Claremont McKenna or Harvey Mudd College
  • Must complete all required portions of the application and be available for follow up interviews or discussions.

Process

  1. Application deadlineNovember 10, 2026
  2. Finalist interviewsNovember 2026
  3. Award announcementEarly December 2026
  4. Project launch & featuresSpring 2027

Application

Fields marked * are required.

2026–2027 Cycle

04 If requested, I am able to verify that I am a current student enrolled at The Claremont Colleges.
05 I will be on campus (and will not study abroad) in winter 2026 and spring 2027.
08 Which Claremont College do you attend?

Portfolio criteria

An applicant must submit a portfolio and articulate up to three primary disciplinary areas that define the project in order to tangibly represent its multi-hyphenate nature.

Applicants must illustrate how their project aligns with multiple disciplinary areas and to demonstrate range and depth. This can be demonstrated by incorporating percentages. Examples: 40% graphic design 30% creative writing 30% technology · 50% choreography 30% cultural studies 20% visual art. Or a matrix.

Example matrix of disciplinary areas
09 Please submit a portfolio that represents each of your chosen primary disciplinary areas, using the matrix above as a guide. Caption(s) and visual elements may be essential to explain the piece and its role in your creative ecosystem. Portfolios can be PDFs, image files or links to video/audio hosting (ex. Vimeo, SoundCloud, YouTube).

Budget

Read all information carefully. Required for all applicants: please email an Excel spreadsheet of your expected budget with a list of items and associated cost(s) to [email protected] with the subject 2026-2027 BLACK VISIONARY PROJECT.

Expenses must be related to the project development, design and execution only. If an itemized budget is not shared by the submission deadline, the application will be considered incomplete and will not be considered. Please total all expenditures. Funding is awarded up to $600. Additional explanation or documentation of expenses may be requested by selection committee.

Thank you for your interest in the Black Visionary Fund! Selected applicants will be invited to interview with the committee.

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