THE 1954 PROJECT LUMINARY APPLICATION
$1 Million to Back What You’re Building
The 1954 Project Luminary Award backs education leaders who have built something meaningful, can show what they’re learning and changing, and see possibilities for Black students and communities that demand more room to grow.
Luminaries receive $1 million in unrestricted funding, three years of strategic support, and lifelong connection to The 1954 Project Network.
We're in community with leaders with a body of work behind them and a bigger possibility in front of them.
If you lead an organization and drive meaningful change for Black students, families, and communities through one of our education-focused grantmaking areas, The 1954 Project could be a great fit for you.
EXPLORE THE AWARD
Everyone begins with a brief pre-application
Round 0 is an open-call pre-application form you'll complete to confirm baseline eligibility and alignment before we request a more substantial application.
What We Look for in Leaders
We're seeking people who bring imagination and pragmatism together. They see possibilities others may not yet see and do the work of making those possibilities tangible. They:
Have built from deep understanding.
Your work reflects real knowledge of the students, families and communities at the heart of your mission. That knowledge may come from lived experience, years of professional practice, long-standing community relationships, or some combination of the three.
Build for lasting contribution.
You care about the durability of what you are building and the people and communities it serves. You make choices with long-term impact in mind and build with future generations in view.
See what could be different.
You understand the conditions shaping your work and have a clear point of view about what needs to be different. Your vision is ambitious and grounded in what you have learned from doing the work.
Invest in collective progress.
You see relationships with other leaders as part of how change happens. You contribute what you know, learn from others, and build through shared effort.
Turn conviction into action.
You have already demonstrated that you can build, adapt and bring others with you. We are interested in what you have made possible, how you have responded when things have not gone according to plan, and what your leadership makes possible in other people.
What We Look for in Organizations
Work that's established
The organization has an established body of work, a track record, a clear understanding of the problem it exists to address, and meaningful work underway.
Evidence their work is making a difference
We look at evidence broadly. That can include quantitative results, qualitative evidence, community experience, external validation, learning over time, or other credible indicators that people are better off because the organization exists.
The organization is learning
Strong organizations learn from their work. We want to understand what you have learned, how those lessons have shaped the work, and what important questions you are exploring now.
The organization is building for durability
We are best positioned to support institutions building for sustained contribution, with the leadership, relationships, and organizational foundations to keep evolving.
Strategy
The organization can connect what it does today to the change it ultimately hopes to create. The organization understands its role within a broader landscape and what is distinctive about its contribution.
We review the substance of your application.
We know that strong organizations can have different levels of access to fundraising staff, consultants, evaluation capacity, and other resources. We assess what your application tells us about your work, leadership, evidence, and learning.
THE 1954 PROJECT GRANTMAKING AREAS
Innovation in
Teaching & Learning
Transform how and where students learn through approaches that center Black students, affirm identity and community, challenge structures that are not serving students well, and create stronger possibilities for learning.
This can include new school or instructional models, curriculum and pedagogy, out-of-school learning, student-centered design and other approaches that rethink the learning experience.
Diversity in
Education
Recruit, develop and sustain Black educators and education leaders who transform where and how students learn.
This can include teacher and leader pipelines, preparation, retention, professional learning, leadership development and efforts to reshape the conditions in which Black educators lead.
Pathways to
Economic Mobility
Build pathways to wealth, ownership and economic power for Black students, families and communities through education and training that expand career access, advancement and entrepreneurship.
This can include career-connected learning, postsecondary pathways, workforce development, entrepreneurship, credentials and other bridges between learning and economic opportunity.
Applicant organization’s primary work should align with one of these areas.
THE 2027 APPLICATION CYCLE
Timing after Round 0 is approximate and will be confirmed with applicants as the cycle moves forward.
Round 0
The Pre-Application
Oct. 22 - Dec. 7, 2026
Round 1
Invited Eligible Applicants
Early 2027
Round 2
Semi-Finalist Questions
Spring 2027
Interviews
Finalists
June 2027
Selection
2027 Cohort Announced
September 2027
TIMING YOUR APPLICATION
Why now matters
The Luminary Award meets organizations at consequential moments:
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Maybe you have proven an approach and see a meaningful next chapter for it.
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Maybe demand for your work has outpaced the infrastructure behind it.
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Maybe you see an opportunity to influence a system, deepen your model, strengthen the organization, or pursue an important opportunity.
Whether you have applied before or this is your first submission, we want to understand what this level of flexible capital could make possible at this moment in your organization’s trajectory. Share how the investment connects to what you are building, pursuing, or sustaining.
The strongest use of unrestricted funding may be expansion, infrastructure, people, experimentation, reserves, organizational health, or something else entirely. We want to understand how the investment advances your organization’s strategy and what it could make possible.
The Luminary Experience
Each Luminary organization gets more than funding. Through The 1954 Project, leaders gain a community, a platform, and space to grow with tailored support throughout the three-year journey.
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$1 Million, Unrestricted
Catalytic funding to expand what’s working.
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Leadership Coaching + Capacity Support
Guidance from peers and experts who are committed to helping you build a lasting, impactful organization.
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National Network
Luminaries join a powerful community of innovators, change-makers, and visionaries driving systemic progress to support students and communities across the U.S.
Selection Criteria
We look for leaders whose influence and vision contribute to the collective well-being and advancement of the Black community. These leaders:
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Are Visionary: They demonstrate a strategic and pragmatic mindset, articulating a transformative vision for significant, positive change.
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Show Demonstrated Commitment: They embody steadfast dedication to your cause, inspiring and influencing others, and galvanizing community involvement.
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Are Adaptive: They assertively tackle challenges, turning setbacks into opportunities for innovation, while maintaining humility and thoughtfulness in problem-solving.
