The National Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing body of the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities known as the Divine Nine, has endorsed Operation HOPE’s 1MBB NEXT GEN initiative. NPHC is now encouraging its members across the country to volunteer as mentors to HBCU students and young people who want to start and lead businesses.
For more than a century, these organizations have developed Black leaders in business, law, medicine, ministry and public service. Put that experience next to a 20-year-old with a business plan and nobody to call, and you shorten the distance between an idea and a payroll. Mentorship is how ownership spreads from one generation to the next.
Thank you to Michael L. Kinloch, 36th National President of NPHC, and the council’s leadership for this endorsement, and to Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, our national Divine Nine partner on the program. If you are a member of the Divine Nine, I am asking you personally to sign up to mentor. The full announcement from Operation HOPE follows.
National Pan-Hellenic Council Endorses Operation HOPE’s 1MBB NEXT GEN Initiative
Historic Divine Nine governing body calls on its members nationwide to mentor the next generation of Black entrepreneurs
ATLANTA (September 22, 2026) The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated (NPHC), the governing body of the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities collectively known as the Divine Nine, has announced its endorsement of Operation HOPE’s 1MBB NEXT GEN initiative, a national mentorship program preparing HBCU students and aspiring young entrepreneurs to launch and lead successful businesses.
Through the endorsement, NPHC is encouraging its members across the country to volunteer as 1MBB NEXT GEN mentors, bringing the Divine Nine’s century-long legacy of scholarship, leadership, and service to students building the foundation for careers in business ownership.
“The National Pan-Hellenic Council proudly supports Operation HOPE’s mentorship opportunity. Being a mentor means investing your time, experience, and guidance to help others build confidence, strengthen leadership, and expand financial opportunity. I encourage Divine Nine members to answer the call and help create stronger, more secure futures for generations to come,” said Michael L. Kinloch, 36th National President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated.
1MBB NEXT GEN is an extension of Operation HOPE’s flagship One Million Black Businesses (1MBB) initiative, launched in 2020 with founding partner Shopify to help launch, grow, and scale one million Black-owned businesses by 2030. The NEXT GEN program leverages the reach and influence of HBCUs to identify, develop, and empower thousands of aspiring Black entrepreneurs, pairing them with mentors who provide real-world guidance in leadership, entrepreneurship, and financial capability.
The program’s current HBCU partners are Alabama State University, Clark Atlanta University, and Grambling State University. Participation is not limited to these campuses, and students from any college or university are welcome to join. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. is currently the program’s national Divine Nine partner, and Operation HOPE invites other Divine Nine organizations to join as national partners.
“Mentorship is the multiplier. Through our partnership with the National Pan-Hellenic Council, 1MBB Next Gen will connect young entrepreneurs with the leadership, experience, and legacy of the Divine Nine, helping the next generation build businesses, create wealth, and strengthen communities,” said Chris Rey, President of HOPE Initiatives at Operation HOPE.
“The Divine Nine has been developing Black leaders for more than a century. Their endorsement of 1MBB NEXT GEN connects that legacy directly to the next generation of business owners, and I can think of no better mentors for these young people than the men and women of the member organizations of NPHC,” said John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE.
Divine Nine members interested in serving as 1MBB NEXT GEN mentors, and students interested in participating, can learn more and sign up here. Divine Nine organizations interested in becoming national partners can contact Laura Van Brackle Sims at laura.sims@operationhope.org.
This announcement was originally published on OperationHOPE.org on September 22, 2026.
