Today’s Practitioners. Tomorrow’s Leaders.
With growing economic inequality, inadequate supply of affordable housing, broad gaps in educational achievement, and insufficient living wages, the work of our city’s robust nonprofit sector has never been more important.
It is critically important that tomorrow’s nonprofit executive directors and managers have the necessary knowledge and skills to guide their organizations in successfully addressing the challenges and opportunities facing New Yorkers.
The New York Community Trust Leadership Fellows program was created in 2015 in partnership with the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College to address these issues. Upon completion of the program, Fellows will receive an executive certificate from the Office of Executive Programs of the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.
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“Gleaning from such a diverse assemblage of distinct leadership was rewarding in and of itself, however, having the opportunity to spend my Fridays with a fantastic group of colleagues made it that much more special.”
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“Taking part in the fellowship was one of the best things I could have done. From building networks with individuals with a similar passion to developing my managerial abilities, the fellowship gave me the push I needed.”
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“The New York Community Trust Leadership Fellows was inspiring and changed my perspective on leadership. I look forward to applying the significant skills I gained through the fellowship program.”
Spring 2024 Nomination Form Questions
- Do you have approval from your CEO or ED to apply?
- What managerial and leadership experiences make you a strong candidate for this fellowship?
- What skills do you hope to strengthen through the fellowship?
- Describe the change project that you will design and implement during the course of the program.
Program Overview
Fellows will participate in at least 10 class sessions on Fridays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. They will also be expected to attend all of our Leadership Conversations, which are scheduled roughly once every two months on a Monday from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
All of the costs associated with the fellowship are underwritten by foundations. The program is effectively free for applicants and their organizations.
It features:
A curriculum taught through the lens of real-world issues and trends
- Small group exercises using tools and strategies to address the particular challenges and/or opportunities faced by the nonprofit sector
- Leadership Conversations where fellows connect with nonprofit professionals, social justice practitioners, and government leaders
- The opportunity to have a minimum of four 1-hour meetings with a carefully selected mentor
We aim to provide a supportive and inclusive environment for communities of color and immigrants, and we encourage executive directors to consider nominating talented people of color and immigrants from their staff.
Eligibility
- You must be a mid-career professional with a minimum of five years of overall nonprofit experience and at least three years of managerial experience — managing people, projects, and budgets.
- Your organization must have received a grant from The New York Community Trust, The Westchester Community Foundation, The Long Island Community Foundation, or Robin Hood within the last three years. Unfortunately, donor-advised grants are not eligible.
- You must be nominated by your executive director or CEO. (EDs and CEOs may nominate themselves.)
Class Schedule
The tentative schedule for the Spring 2024 cohort is listed below. Please note that all sessions are subject to change at this time. All session will take place at FPWA (40 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004) from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
- January 5
- January 12
- April 5
- April 12
- April 19
- April 26
- May 3
- May 10
- May 17
- No Session on May 24 in observance of Memorial Day.
- June 7
- June 14
- June 21
- June 28
- July 5
- July 14
- July 21
- July 28
- August 2
- August 9
- August 17
- August 23
How Nominations Are Assessed
Nominations are scored on a 20-point scale.
Candidates are awarded a maximum of 5 points for each of the following categories:
Analytical Thinking: Does the candidate describe a challenge or issue that gives context to his/her proposed project?
Written Communication Skills: Is the candidate’s writing clear, convincing, and easy to understand?
Leadership Experience: Has the candidate held leadership roles with internal and external stakeholders at his/her organization? Does the candidate have leadership experience prior to his/her current organization?
Proposed Change Project: Is the proposed change project of front-burner importance to the organization?
Join Us
Fall 2023 nominations are closed.
You may submit a nomination for Spring 2024, but dates for the Spring 2024 cohort have not yet been finalized.
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@leadershipfellows.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are we?
Leadership Fellows New York is a professional development fellowship for emerging nonprofit practitioners. It was established by the New York Community Trust in association with the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College and their Center for Nonprofit Strategy and Management. The Fellowship aims to ensure that tomorrow’s nonprofit organizations have the human capital to flourish and advance their missions on behalf of the people of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.
Can my organization participate in the fellowship?
Eligible organizations must have received a grant from the New York Community Trust, the Westchester Community Foundation, the Long Island Community Foundation, the Ford Foundation Good Neighbor Committee, the Fund for the City of New York, or the North Star Fund within the last three years. Donor-advised funds are not eligible.
Why should I become a Leadership Fellow?
Each year we aim to equip 60 mid-career practitioners, chosen from grantee organizations of partner foundations, with the knowledge, competencies, and skills to be more effective managers and leaders and support these practitioners in applying their newly learned skills within their organizations. Fellows develop their understanding and appreciation of both the overall nonprofit sector in the greater New York City region and the impact of local, state, and federal government policies and regulations on their work.
Our curriculum is malleable to the current trends and issues in the nonprofit sector during the period of the fellowship to keep competencies gained in the course of the fellowship relevant. Upon completion of the fellowship, fellows become senior fellows and become a part of our network of graduates who represent a breadth of nonprofit work a across the different sub-sectors of the New York metropolitan region.
How can I become a Leadership Fellow?
You must be a mid-career professional with a minimum of five years of overall nonprofit experience and at least three years of managerial experience working with people, projects, and budgets. Prospective fellows must be nominated by the executive director or CEO of their organization.
How are the nominations assessed?
Nominations are scored on a 20-point scale. Candidates are awarded a maximum of 5 points for each of the following categories:
Analytical Thinking: Does the candidate describe a challenge or issue that gives context to his/her proposed project?
Written Communication Skills: Is the candidate’s writing clear, convincing, and easy to understand?
Leadership Experience: Has the candidate held leadership roles with internal and external stakeholders at their organization? Does the candidate have leadership experience prior to their current organization?
Proposed Change Project: Is the proposed change project of front-burner importance to the organization?
Do I need to pay tuition to participate?
No. All costs associated with the fellowship are underwritten by the New York Community Trust. The program is free for applicants.
What time commitment do I have to make?
Each cohort runs for approximately four months in the Fall (October to December) and Spring (April to July) with about 30 fellows per cohort. Fellows will participate in approximately 10 sessions scheduled each Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Fellows are also required to attend all Leadership Conversation panel discussions that provide a forum for engaging with leaders and change makers in the nonprofit sector from different organizations and foundations as well as all levels of local, city, and state government.
What is the change project?
The “change project” is an initiative of front-burner importance for the organization, developed in consultation with the executive director or CEO of the organization. The initiative must address a potential leadership or managerial challenge or opportunity facing their organizations. Fellows draw on the knowledge gained in each session to develop their change project into potential initiative for implementation at their organization.