2025-2026 My Brother's Keeper Fellows Program
The 2025-2026 My Brother's Keeper Fellows Program by NYSED supports mentorship, leadership, and service projects for rising 12th-grade students, especially boys and young men of color, in approved NYS communities.
Funder: New York State Education Department
Due Dates (Anticipated): September 2026: Full application postmark deadline | September 2026: Full application electronic copy deadline | September 2026: Questions submission deadline
Funding Amounts: Up to $5,950 per Fellow per year; districts <10,000 students may select up to 2 Fellows ($11,900 max); districts >10,000 students may select up to 4 Fellows ($23,800 max); total program funding subject to legislative appropriation.
Summary: Supports leadership, mentorship, and service projects for rising 12th-grade students—especially boys and young men of color—in approved NYS My Brother’s Keeper Community Networks.
Key Information: Only approved NYS My Brother’s Keeper Community Networks may apply; a signed Memorandum of Agreement with required partners is mandatory.
Description
This program, administered by the New York State Education Department, funds initiatives that empower rising 12th-grade students—particularly boys and young men of color—by offering authentic leadership experiences, mentoring, and the opportunity to design and implement service projects that benefit their schools and communities. The program is delivered through partnerships between approved NYS My Brother’s Keeper Community Networks (NYSMBKCN) and at least one local postsecondary institution or community-based organization. Selected Fellows participate in mentorship, internships, and statewide collaboration, culminating in a service project aligned with the program’s core milestones. The program also fosters a statewide network of MBK Program Ambassadors to sustain and expand mentoring and leadership opportunities.
