Movement Leader Fellowship Applications Open for our 2025 Cohort
What is the Movement Leader Fellowship?
Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice at the Colin Powell School and CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies invites applications for the 2025 cohort of the Movement Leader Fellowship, a program designed to give established professionals in the social justice sector an opportunity to hone their leadership skills, immerse themselves in theory and practice, and expand their community in movement work. This year-long program provides an intensive cohort experience, granting people the chance to connect and build relationships across issues, take space for reflection, and prepare themselves for the next level of leadership. The program offers a unique combination of academic coursework to expose practitioners to relevant fields in political economy, policy, and organizing with practical skills such as management, power analysis, and strategy development
To be eligible for the Movement Leader Fellowship, leaders must be based in the United States and working in labor, base-building, and community organizing with anywhere from 10-15 years of experience in social justice work. We strongly encourage applicants from historically marginalized backgrounds such as Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), women and nonbinary people, LGBTQ+ people, and people from low-income, working class, and immigrant backgrounds.
Priority Application Deadline: September 1, 2024
Final Application Deadline: September 21, 2024
The Movement Leader Fellowship offers:
Three In-Person week-long retreats across the country. Travel, meals and lodging are covered by LDSJ. Exact locations will be provided to participants after their acceptance.
Retreat Dates:
Week 1: February 24-28, 2025
Week 2: July 21-25, 2025
Week 3: November 17-21, 2025
An Advanced Certificate in Organizing and Social Change from the City University of New York
The Certificate includes two virtual academic classes (1 per semester) over the course of the year:
A virtual, 3-credit, graduate-level academic class on Power & Strategy through the CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies. The semester begins on January 25, 2025 and ends May 22, 2025. This class meets once per week from 6:15-8:45pm ET. See here for CUNY’s academic calendar.
The Fall 2025 semester (August 2025-December 2025) course is TBA, and will also meet once/week from 6:15-8:45pm ET.
The academic class requires about 2 hours of work time each week in addition to class time. It’s crucial that Fellows work with their organization to make sufficient time to commit to the class.
360 Leadership Assessment
1-1 Executive coaching
Meaningful connection amongst a cohort of peers organizing and enacting social change throughout the country
Access to a national alumni network of movement leaders
Virtual touchpoints in between retreats for workshops, mentorship, and coaching
Join an Info Session to learn more about the Movement Leader Fellowship
We are hosting virtual information sessions for potential applicants on:
Can’t make it to either session? Please reach out to Riki for any questions or concerns
Fellows in the Movement Leaders Fellowship will receive training and development on:
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Fellows will gain tools to become better movement strategists through a deep dive into movement history, strategies for social change “from below,” and analysis of their current and future movement work. Fellows will grow their capacity to understand power structures, identify leverage points for change, and design effective strategies that align with the historical context and present realities of the current movement landscape.
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Fellows will develop and/or deepen their skills to equitably and sustainably manage people and projects.
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Fellows will develop skills to understand and practice well-being in movement work that will enable long-term sustainability in their personal and professional lives.
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Fellows will gain a network and community of peers who are committed to social change work throughout the country.
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Fellows will understand and analyze historical movements and diverse worldviews, and enhance their ability to develop innovative approaches for driving social change.
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Fellows will learn how to maintain a healthy and long-term career as a social movement practitioner. Fellows will reflect on their current role and discern opportunities for growth.
Ideal candidates for the Movement Leader Fellowship are:
Social justice leaders with 10-15 years of experience
Currently occupying roles at base-building, labor, and community-based organizations with a focus on supporting historically oppressed communities
Engaged in full-time work with direct oversight of a team, budget, campaign, etc.
Committed to building power
Able to fully commit to ALL components of the fellowship
We encourage applicants from marginalized communities such as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); women and nonbinary people; LGBTQ+ people; in addition to people from low-income, working class, and immigrant backgrounds
Interested in deep study and learning in a community of their peers
How much does the fellowship cost?
Applicants do not have to pay to apply or participate in the fellowship. Their employers or host organizations will be asked to make a contribution on a sliding scale. Contributions are suggested – not mandatory – and do not carry weight in the application or interview process. We have robust scholarships available to all applicants.
Organizations with an annual budget of $5+ million = suggested amount of $10,000 per participant
Organizations with an annual budget between $2-5 million = suggested amount of $5,000 per participant
Organizations with an annual budget less than a $2 million = suggested amount of $2,500 per participant
Application Process:
Applicants selected for interviews will be notified via email. Interviews will be held via Zoom in October. Any applicant selected for an interview must submit a form indicating their organization’s support for their participation in the program by October 25th. The final cohort will have up to 24 fellows. Invitations to join the cohort will be sent via email in early November.
*Please note that these dates are subject to change, and we will communicate with applicants in the event that any of the above dates change.
“I have learned so much about the tools I have to impact my and my organization’s
sustainability. I also realized how much power I have to influence these practices within my organization.”
“I came into this fellowship doubting my leadership and was focusing my time on improving the infrastructure and operations of the organization without the connection to organizing, power
and strategy. I feel better prepared and confident in bringing this back to my organization.”