The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and Affiliates seeks to advance the profession of counseling, health equity, and access to mental health services across the globe through counselor certification and capacity building. NBCC offers national certification with foundational eligibility requirements defined by counselors, accountable to counselors, and serving as a model for regulatory licensure requirements.
Together, NBCC, along with our affiliates, the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE), and the NBCC Foundation (NBCCF), support counselors and other mental health professionals through credentialing, education, scholarships, and legislative efforts to expand equitable access to mental health care.
NBCCF's mission is to: leverage the power of counseling to advance global health equity through expanded access to counseling and mental health services. Its primary objectives are to increase the number of counselors and Mental Health Facilitators working with high-priority populations and to engage them in becoming innovators of counseling practices that benefit underserved communities.
Scholarships , fellowships, and capacity-building grants, are the primary tools for accomplishing these objectives. NBCCF's strategy is to award scholarships and fellowships to individuals pursuing careers as professional counselors who are affiliated with high-priority populations and commit to serving them after graduation. Capacity-building grants fund expansion efforts to increase mental health resources in rural and minority communities where access to mental health care is extremely limited. Scholars and Fellows participate in innovation training to expand effective practice in their communities.
Use the forms below to apply to open opportunities!
*Please note that application forms will appear below by 12:00 AM EST on the date the application opens. If no forms appear below, please check back on the open date of the application period.
The NBCC Foundation is pleased to announce the 2024 application period for the Garden State Master’s Counseling Initiative Fellowship. The NBCC Foundation will administer one master’s-level counseling fellowship of $10,000 for a student pursuing a career in professional counseling.
The Garden State Master’s Counseling Initiative Fellowship was created to increase the number of Black or African American counselors available to serve underserved populations in New Jersey inner cities. This fellowship provides financial support to one student who is currently enrolled in a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited counseling master’s program and will commit to serving underserved populations in New Jersey inner cities within one year of graduation for the duration of a minimum of at least two years post-graduation.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicants must identify as Black or African American.
- Applicants must currently live or study in New Jersey.
- Applicants can be a United States citizen, permanent resident, or international student with an F-1 Visa.
- Applicants must not already possess a master’s degree in a behavioral health field.
- Applicants must be currently enrolled full time and be in good standing in a CACREP-accredited master’s-level counseling program. Applicants must be currently taking courses. Applicants may not have a pending status, deferred status, or other future start date for coursework.
- Applicants are expected to graduate by May 31, 2027 (within three years of the date of the fellowship funding).
- Eligible applicants must not have an anticipated program completion date before Dec. 31, 2024, which will be verified in writing by their academic department prior to the awarding of funds.
- Applicants must commit to becoming board certified by applying for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification prior to graduation and to completing the application process. It is the applicant’s responsibility to determine their eligibility to obtain this certification prior to applying for the fellowship.
- Applicants must commit to providing mental health services to underserved populations in New Jersey inner cities within one year of graduation and for the duration of a minimum of at least two years post-graduation.
To check the CACREP status of a program, search the CACREP website.
The application opens Oct. 15, 2023, and the application deadline is April 30, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST.
Fellowship awardee will be announced by the end of June 2024.
For questions, please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). If you still have questions after reviewing our FAQ document, please email foundation@nbcc.org or call 336-232-0376.
If you experience any issues with the Submittable application platform, please email Support@submittable.com.
The NBCC Foundation is seeking dynamic presenters for our monthly webinar programs on:
- Innovations in Counseling: Working with Minority Populations
- Building Professional Excellence
These webinars enhance care for underserved minorities and provide ongoing training to NCCs and CCE credential holders in addition to Foundation scholars and fellows. These resources become part of our capacity-building plan and are archived in our webinar library available on i-counseling. Webinars are conducted online, and no travel commitment is required from our webinar presenters. The NBCC Foundation handles all the logistics of managing the webinar platform, advertising and promotion. All webinar presenters must hold a minimum of a master's degree in counseling or a related mental health field and be a board certified counselor.
Please use this form to nominate a presenter for an NBCC Foundation webinar.
The NBCC Foundation is seeking dynamic presenters for our monthly webinar programs on (1) Innovations in Counseling: Working with Minority Populations and (2) Building Professional Excellence. These webinars enhance care for underserved minorities and provide ongoing training to NCCs and CCE credential holders in addition to Foundation scholars and fellows. These resources become part of our capacity-building plan and are archived in our webinar library available on CCE Academy.
Webinars are conducted online, and no travel commitment is required from our webinar presenters. The NBCC Foundation handles all the logistics of managing the webinar platform, advertising and promotion. All webinar presenters must hold a minimum of a master's degree in counseling or a related mental health field and be a board certified counselor.
The NBCC Foundation (NBCCF) offers scholarships and fellowships to increase counseling services where they are needed most. NBCCF Board of Trustees determines priority areas annually. The current priority underserved areas are military communities, rural communities, minority populations, substance abuse, and career counseling and guidance. NBCCF also offers the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) scholarships and training awards. These awards enhance the careers of credentialed professionals by providing financial assistance to those seeking additional credentials and continuing education opportunities.
NBCCF is accepting applications for volunteer application reviewers and mentors.
NBCCF Volunteers Eligibility Requirements:
All NBCCF volunteers must meet the following eligibility requirements:
• A master’s degree (or higher) in counseling and a minimum of two years of postgraduate experience.
• Certification as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) in good standing.
• Counseling experience related to serving military, minority, rural populations, career counseling, or underserved minority populations.
• Volunteer application reviewers must commit to one review cycle.
• Volunteer mentors must commit to providing mentorship for a minimum of one year.
Application Reviewer Opportunities:
NBCCF volunteers will review scholarship and fellowship applications and rate applicants based on Board-determined criteria. Foundation staff will provide online training, the review periods will be 2-3 weeks in duration, and average eight hours of actual review time. All review processes will be online.
Interested NCCs should submit a brief letter of interest and résumé. The letter should demonstrate eligibility and availability and explain the potential candidate’s interest in being an application reviewer.
Additional Eligibility Requirements for Reviewers:
Fellowship and Scholarship Reviewers:
- Experience and knowledge with one or more of the following:
Career counseling and guidance
Substance abuse
Military and veteran populations
Rural communities
Underserved minority groups
Transition age youth
CCE Scholarship Reviewers:
- Must hold one of the following CCE credentials, and be in good standing:
CCE Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS)
Board Certified Coach (BCC)
Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF)
Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH)
- Extensive experience working with and knowledge of one or more of the populations that the listed credential holders serve.
Mentorship Opportunities:
Each year, the Foundation awards fellowships and scholarships to more than 80 counseling master’s students who commit to serving the Foundation’s priority underserved populations of military communities, rural communities and minority populations or providing career development services. The fellowships and scholarships provide substantial financial awards as well as training and support services, including mentors.
Experienced master’s-level National Certified Counselors (NCCs) have the opportunity to volunteer as mentors for the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) and NBCC Foundation scholarship program. Fellows and scholars with active mentor connections demonstrate increased success in completing master’s programs, contributing effective research, and attaining related employment and other opportunities. NBCCF will match mentors and Fellows or Scholars based on interests and experience.
At minimum, mentors will provide four interactions with their assigned Fellow or Scholar and make themselves available for additional inquiries based on mutual agreement with their mentee. Mentors will receive online training and orientation prior to engagement. The duration of the commitment is one year.
NCCs interested in mentoring can submit their application (including a brief letter of interest and résumé). The letter of interest should demonstrate eligibility and explain the candidate’s interest in being a mentor and expected achievements and outcomes for the mentoring process.
Additional Eligibility Requirements for Mentors:
Master’s Level Fellowship or Scholarship Mentors:
- Counseling experience related to serving military, minority, rural populations, career counseling, or underserved minority populations.
- Commit to providing mentorship for a minimum of one year.
Doctoral Level Fellowship Mentors:
- Doctoral degree in counseling and a minimum of two years of postdoctoral experience;
- Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with racially and ethnically diverse populations; and
- Counseling experience related to providing mental health or substance abuse services to underserved minority populations.
- Commit to providing mentorship for a minimum of one year.
For more information about the Foundation scholarship and fellowship programs, visit www.nbccf.org