Announcing Executive Director’s Retirement and Updates to 2026 Grant Cycle.

Melissa McKee Hackney, the director of the MV Vision Fellowship Fund since 2013, has announced her retirment, effective in mid-2026. The Board of Directors is initiating a search for Melissa’s replacement. In the interim, the 2026 Vision Fellowship grant cycle for postgraduate, mid-career, and project-based nominees will be highly competitive because a fewer number of fellowships will be awarded. Up to five Vision Scholar awards, which are solely for high school seniors who live on Martha’s Vineyard, will be awarded as usual. The deadline for nomination letters for Vision Fellowship and Vision Scholar awards is December 3rd at noon. All nomination letters must be submitted via email to hackney@vineyardvision.org.

https://www.mvtimes.com/2025/11/24/hackney-step-vision-fellowship/