Unlocking Futures: A Guide to the Building Beautiful Futures Scholarship and Other Opportunities

Securing funding for college is a top priority for most students. The Building Beautiful Futures Scholarship, in partnership with Dark & Lovely and The NAACP, is one of many funding opportunities available to students through NAACP's Inspire Initiatives. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the Building Beautiful Futures Scholarship, its requirements, and other related scholarships, particularly for African American students, to ensure equity in educational opportunity.

The Building Beautiful Futures Scholarship: An Overview

The Building Beautiful Futures Scholarship, powered by Dark & Lovely, is a merit-based scholarship typically offered to students who are seeking a higher education degree or certificate in the beauty industry. The scholarship amount is $10,000.

Eligibility and Application Requirements

To be eligible for the Building Beautiful Futures Scholarship, applicants must meet certain requirements:

Be a member of the NAACP. If you are not a member of the NAACP, join today.
Be a U.S. resident or citizen.

The application process typically requires applicants to submit a completed application form, official academic transcripts, and a personal essay discussing their career goals in the beauty industry. The essay is usually a chance for applicants to showcase their passion, creativity, and long-term plans. The scholarship committee tends to look favorably on applicants with a clear, unique vision for their future in the field.

Scholarship Timeline

The application period for this scholarship has now closed. Scholarship applications open on March 3, 2025, and close on April 11, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET. Recipients will be announced in the Summer of 2025. All completed applications are reviewed and scored.

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Other NAACP Scholarships

The NAACP has been offering African American scholarships for decades, and a wide range of scholarships are available to eligible members. NAACP has over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. The Legal Defense Fund- also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights. Here are some of the NAACP scholarships:

Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship: The Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship is one of many funding opportunities available to students through NAACP's Inspire Initiatives. The Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship honors the late Agnes Jones Jackson who was a long-time NAACP member from the San Francisco branch. This is a non-renewable scholarship opportunity. This $2,000 scholarship is intended for NAACP members pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. Applicants must be under 25 at the time of application and be enrolled at (or accepted to) an accredited American university.
Empowering a Better Tomorrow Scholarship Powered By Walmart: The Empowering a Better Tomorrow Scholarship, powered by Walmart, is intended to assist in creating a pathway for those who desire to further their education as they enter back into society. This scholarship will be available to the formerly incarcerated or recently convicted who have completed their sentence. This scholarship is open to students who will matriculate full-time enrollment at an accredited academic institution in the Fall of 2025. This is a non-renewable scholarship opportunity. This scholarship gives $5,000 to a formerly incarcerated or recently convicted person furthering their education. Applicants must have no serious disciplinary incidents in the preceding 12 months, and have received all other government grants and loans available.
Hubertus W. V. Willems Scholarship: The Hubertus W. V. Willems Scholarship is one of many funding opportunities available to male students interested in pursuing a career in engineering, chemistry, physics, and/or mathematical sciences through NAACP's Inspire Initiatives. This is a non-renewable scholarship opportunity. This $3,000 scholarship is intended for male students graduating high school or in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program. Similar to other scholarships, it requires a GPA or 3.0 or above.
The ED DWIGHT SCHOLARSHIP: The Ed Dwight Scholarship honors Ed Dwight, a trailblazer in the American space program and an author and sculptor. Ed was the first Black astronaut candidate; the first to enter the program, he completed the training and was fully qualified as an astronaut. This is a non-renewable scholarship opportunity. This $2,500 award honors Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate and a trailblazer with a long, storied career. Eligible applicants must be a high school or undergraduate student under 25, and they must have demonstrated financial need.
The NAACP X Society Awards Scholarship: The NAACP x Society Awards Scholarship is awarded to students interested in pursuing careers in visual/performing arts, including film, theatre, fashion, photography, graphic design, dance, music, journalism, and mass communications. Scholarships are awarded to those with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. This scholarship awards several $1,000 or $2,000 scholarships for African Americans to pursue studies in the visual or performing arts. To be eligible, applicants must be graduating high school seniors with at least a 3.0 GPA.

Scholarships for African Americans: Expanding Opportunities

Scholarships for African Americans are financial awards created to support African American students in higher education. These scholarships aim to increase access to education, support underrepresented communities, and reduce disparities. The NAACP and UNCF are two of the largest organizations that offer African American scholarships, but they certainly aren’t the only ones! Whether looking for scholarships for African American women, full ride scholarships for African Americans, or HBCU scholarships, there are plenty of sources to find them. Indeed, national organizations, local community groups, foundations, HBCUs, and professional associations all offer scholarships for African American students.

Key Organizations Offering Scholarships

UNCF (United Negro College Fund): Founded in 1944, UNCF has supported more than 500,000 students working toward their college degree by raising over five billion dollars. UNCF awards over $100 million in scholarships for African Americans and other minorities every year. In addition to scholarships, UNCF also supports a network of 37 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF): Founded in 1973, the Jackie Robinson Foundation has helped more than 2,000 students pursue their higher education goals. JFR’s scholarships for African Americans award up to $35,000 over four-years to eligible students. Scholars receive mentoring throughout their time in college, including support as they navigate their post-graduation goals and decisions. They also have access to comprehensive support services that provide guidance for everything from practical life skills to securing an internship and career placement.
Ron Brown Scholar Program: Since its founding in 1996, this program has helped provide countless scholarships for African American students, as well as leadership development and guidance. Scholars receive $40,000 over four years.

Types of Scholarships

Need-Based Scholarships: For those who can’t afford college on their own, need-based scholarships are an excellent way to make higher education more accessible. Students’ eligibility are determined by evaluating their families’ financial situations.
Merit-Based Scholarships: These awards are given to students based on exceptional accomplishments or skills. Merit-based scholarships can be awarded for academic, artistic, athletic, or even leadership excellence. Unlike need-based scholarships, merit scholarships don’t consider a student’s financial need.
Field-Specific Scholarships: For students who know their field of study, field-specific scholarships offer a different, specialized form of funding. These scholarships are fairly common for students planning studies in high-demand fields, like healthcare or STEM. Scholarships for African Americans fall into this category.
Demographic-Specific Scholarships: Demographic-specific scholarships are available to students from particular groups. These awards are college-specific. They may be merit- or need-based, or even a combination of the two. Students are often automatically considered for these awards when they apply to college, however, the application process varies by institution.

Tips for Securing Scholarships

Check eligibility requirements: When seeking out scholarship opportunities, you’ll want to be sure that you meet all of the eligibility requirements before filling out an application.
Learn about the supporting organization’s mission and values: After finding some viable scholarships, you’ll want to make sure you understand the foundations, groups, or programs behind them. Read about each organization’s mission, history, and what they look for in an applicant.
Apply to multiple scholarships: While you may have your sights set on one scholarship in particular, give yourself the best odds at funding your education. Rather than banking on a full ride scholarship, which can be quite competitive to earn, set yourself up for success by applying to various scholarships from different organizations.
Give yourself plenty of time to complete the application: Get organized with all of your application deadlines. Consider making a spreadsheet with requirements and deadlines to stay on top of things. Keep in mind that scholarships for African American women and men could require various essays and letters of recommendation. Start early so you can submit the best application possible on time.

The College Gurl Foundation’s Building Beautiful Futures Program

The College Gurl Foundation’s Building Beautiful Futures Program is dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for minority collegiate women. Since partnering with Dark & Lovely in 2022, CGF has awarded scholarships totaling $125,000 to over 150 women across the nation, empowering them to pursue higher education and professional growth. In addition to scholarships, the program hosts transformative experiences such as the Making Bold Moves Masterclass and the Play in Color Masterclass, designed to inspire young women to dare to be different, embrace their uniqueness, and pursue their goals fearlessly. These $750 book scholarships are in partnership with The College Gurl Foundation.

HBCU Scholarships

As of 2025, there are 107 HBCUs in the United States, of which 56 are private and 51 public. Before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed racial segregation in American classrooms, HBCUs were the main path to higher education for African Americans. As you may expect, there’s a large number of scholarships for African Americans attending or accepted to HBCUs.

Additional Resources

UNCF’s Minority Scholarships Database: The database is constantly updated with new scholarships, internships, fellowships, and grants, so it’s a great resource for African American scholarships.
Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health: Their site offers a long list of scholarship opportunities for minority and underserved populations.
Consider a google search for “scholarships for African American women,” “HBCU scholarships,” or “art scholarships for minorities” - basically, seek out what you’re interested in and see if there is an opportunity that fits.

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