As corporations and foundations reconsider how to support Black-run social impact programs, BMe Community continues to lead by example with its 2025 BMe Vanguard Awards. 

The 2025 BMe Vanguard Awards honors 13 exemplary Black leaders who have earned the trust of their peers, coworkers, and community for their unwavering commitment to creating opportunity for all people to Live, Own, Vote, and Excel in America.

Created in 2013, the scope of this life-changing honor includes a $10,000 angel grant for Honorees’ social impact initiatives, plus lifetime access to BMe’s leadership enrichment programs and community, beginning with a 4-day Florida retreat. BMe’s knowledge, influence, and networks enables BMe Vanguard to raise 54 times their initial grant on average, according to independent research by Penn State University’s Clearinghouse. Over 430 of the 650 projects that BMe has supported had gone unfunded before BMe’s endorsement. Additionally 88% of BMe Vanguard report improved emotional and physical health, 94% form meaningful new bonds with their peers, and 100% voluntarily collaborate with others in BMe Community for  greater impact and well-being. 

“Our BMe Vanguard Leadership Community was the flagship that showed us how to use cognitive and social psychology to cultivate sincere, high trust, high-impact, leadership communities that embody the #NextNarrative principle of defining people by their aspirations and contributions, before noting their challenges.” said Trabian Shorters, Co-founder and CEO of BMe Community. “Today, organizations and leaders of all races turn to BMe to run their leadership training, retreats, conferences, and programs because what we teach is proven to unite people of all political and racial identities in support of historic social progress.”

In a 2024 national landscape sample of executive leadership programs, The Bridgespan Group ranked BMe #1 for its intrinsic and multidimensional approach to providing impact at the leader, community, and systems levels. BMe has funded more than 650 BMe Vanguard initiatives benefiting millions of families across the United States.

BMe Community and its partners are honored to recognize these deeply dedicated builders of Black people and all people’s freedoms to Live, Own, Vote, and Excel on their own terms in America.

About BMe Community

BMe Community, an award-winning 501(c)(3), is ranked #1 by The Bridgespan Group for its intrinsic and multidimensional approach to impact at the leader, community, and systems levels. Top foundations, associations, and corporations turn to BMe to run leadership retreats, summits, and programs for them and their grantees because BMe consistently yields incredibly high trust, collaboration, and impact. The 2025 BMe Vanguard Awards are sponsored by McKnight Foundation and The Ballmer Group. 

For more information on BMe’s impact and offerings visit www.bmecommunity.org.