Programs & Services

Black Student Fund offers services to ensure that a student’s academic and social experience at an independent school is a positive one. These programs and services target not only the scholars, but also includes families, educators and academic institutions.

BSF Institute for Cultural Inclusion (ICI)

The Institute for Cultural Inclusion is designed to assist BSF Member Schools in building inclusive, equitable learning environments.  ICI offers a series of professional development courses in cross-cultural communication for education professionals and administrators.  To create and sustain equitable, inclusive learning environments for all children, ICI course offerings provide pragmatic approaches for educators to expand their knowledge and techniques in teaching from a culturally and racially broadened perspective.  ICI (previously known as ERE) has graduated more than 600 heads of school, faculty, and administrators.  ICI and EEN contribute to the recruitment and retention of African American faculty, administrators, and students in independent schools. 

BSF Institute for Cultural Inclusion Brochure

Essential Support Services

Is a comprehensive set of programs, BSF Scholars and their families are afforded the necessities that allow students to focus on their education.  The program, when needed, meets the fundamental life-necessities of the entire family with food, clothing, and crisis intervention.  These services distinguish the BSF from basic scholarship programs and account for much of the BSF’s remarkable retention and college entry rates.

Education Employment Network

The Black Student Fund Education Employment Network (EEN) assists independent schools in increasing the presence of African American faculty and administrators in their schools.  By locating, interviewing, and referring candidates, the BSF provides an outstanding applicant pool from which Member Schools may hire black educators. Through the combined efforts of the Black Student Fund and our Member Schools, we have been able to increase the number of African American educators dramatically since the program began in 1979.  The EEN supports the need for black professionals in independent schools, by matching individuals and schools, and providing a year-long mentoring program. 

EEN Application Information

Independent School Recruitment and Referral Program

The BSF Independent School Recruitment and Referral Program focuses on increasing the enrollment of Black scholars at independent schools. To this end, we provide educational recommendations and assistance with applications procedures through a series of workshops and individual counseling.

Summer Programs

BSF Summer Enrichment Programs offer Scholars academic and recreational opportunities by sponsoring enrollment to residential and day camps in the Washington DC metropolitan area and nearby states.

Scholarship Program

Black Student Fund awards tuition scholarships, in conjunction with our Member Schools, to black children of modest financial means attending academically challenging institutions, grades pre-kindergarten through 12. Scholarship decisions are based on the family’s financial need, the academic promise of the student and our available funds.

To protect the privacy of our students, BSF scholarships are not available to students who receive grants from organizations that do not have a written non-disclosure policy. The Black Student Fund values the privilege of helping, and maintains certain practices and policies to insure the integrity of the giving process. Disclosure of one’s financial need undermines any chance of attaining equitable status. It worsens the already unleveled playing field, hampers self-esteem development, violates confidentiality and serves no useful purpose for the students.

Black Student Fund and the Member Schools maintain the confidentiality of BSF Scholars and their grant amounts. The Fund does not support the use of student grant recipients for fundraising purposes or as research subjects.