About the Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program & U.S. Diversity Fellowship

The Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society's Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program provides leadership training through seminars with Third-Sector practitioners, research based on best practices, and the application of a comparative framework.  Fellowship awards are available for emerging leaders at community foundations, at place-based grantmaking organizations and institutions that support community philanthropy.

Those interested in strengthening community philanthropy and building capacity in local Third-Sector institutions are encouraged to apply. This year's Fellows will be selected from abroad and also from communities of color under-represented in the U.S. grantmaking sector.

Fellows are based at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, where they design and pursue an individualized research project. In addition, they attend weekly seminars, explore work of key agencies and foundations, meet with nonprofit leaders and study U.S. and international community foundation models.

In addition to offering fellowship awards for the study of community foundations, the Center accepts proposals that explore other Third-Sector/civil society topics from applicants interested in participating on a tuition basis.

Acknowledgements:  The Center gratefully acknowledges the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation for its core support for the International Fellows Program.  Additional support for the 2012 Emerging Leaders Program was provided by Instituto Comunitário Grande Florianópolis – ICom, and Kenya Community Development Foundation. Special thanks for general program support go to the Pine Tree Foundation of New York, the Sudan and Elihu Rose Foundation, and our individual donors for their generous contributions.

The 2013 Program 

•  The program will run from Monday September 16 to Friday December 6, 2013.

•  The program focus will be community foundations and indigenous/place-based giving set within the context of the global philanthropic sector.   Additional trends and practices in philanthropy will be covered to provide background and to address the research interests of all participating Fellows.

•  Based on the seminars, readings, discussions with experts in the field, and the Fellows' own experiences, each participant will produce a research paper (approx. 20-25 pages) on their findings, which will be presented in the seminar.

Eligibility and Selection

•  The program is open to practitioners and researchers in the US and overseas.

•  College or university degree and strong spoken and written English language skills are required.

TOEFL scores or the equivalent are requested from those whose education was in a language other than English.  Alternately, please provide a statement describing your facility with the English language within your professional sphere.

•  Applicants should have a minimum of 3-5 years of experience in the nonprofit/NGO/grantmaking field.

•  Award recipients must have a strong institutional base and be well-placed to implement research recommendations.

•  Preference is given to candidates who are 1) affiliated with a community foundation or initiatives to support community philanthropy development, and 2) who illustrate in their proposals a clear interest in furthering the work of community foundations or strengthening the local culture of philanthropy.

•  Candidates affiliated with other institutions in the philanthropy sector who submit proposals on current trends and practices in philanthropy (other than community foundations) may apply for consideration on a tuition basis or with financial support from individual or institutional sponsors.

•  A select number of full fellowship awards are available, which cover tuition, accommodations and other program-related costs.  These are earmarked for citizens of countries other than the United States or for Americans from communities under-represented in the grantmaking sector.

•  Participation on a tuition basis or with financial support from individual or institutional sponsors is open to all, regardless of country of origin or residence. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements detailed above to be considered for participation on a tuition or sponsorship basis. For further details, please send an e-mail request to [email protected].

•  The selection of program participants will be made by a committee of leaders from the Third Sector. 

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