FAQ

The short answer: ongoing, structured, deep support. The long answer: You get 6 face to face coaching sessions that emphasize continuity and accountability.  You get a strategist as part of your personal fan club for a year; you can use this to figure out anything from career woes, to staff frustrations, to income strategies – up to you. You get a brain trust of leaders (your cohort) that you meet 4 times a year for full-day quarterly retreats – and we encourage you to cultivate relationships and be there for one another.  You get support when needed from your coach and the Fellowship team, for problems big or small. You get full access to our mobile & desktop platform to access our network of local, national and international changemakers. And to round it off, we’ll throw at you any and all opportunities as they arise because once a Fellow, you are in our circle.

All retreats and one-on-one sessions for the California Cohorts take place in Los Angeles. For the Colorado Cohorts, the location will be announced for each cohort, individually – we are currently exploring the Denver and Boulder areas.

We usually rotate at the location of the participating agencies – it offers a good opportunity for people to learn more about each other and it often makes the logistics easier.

Yes.

Yes. We are tax status agnostic. As long as you have a strong social mission as the base of your work, you are eligible.

You are eligible to apply IF you are the most senior person in charge of development at your agency, and IF you have the ability to implement whatever strategies you arrive at during the Fellowship. The program is designed for executives that have the ability to act on the changes they need to address.

Our expertise is substantial. To get a sense of our experience with international NGOs in a variety of focus areas, see this.

The exact date and day of the week for the full day retreat will be mutually agreed by the Fellows – once enrollment is completed a scheduling request will be sent to all Fellows to find the best date(s). Once dates and times are agreed upon, a calendar of meetings is provided to each Fellow.

The retreats go for approximately 7 hours each. Fellows can stay longer if they wish – we learned that 7 hrs is the optimal length of time for a structured, intense, working dialogue. We start around 9:00 am. Breakfast and lunch are included.

We aim for a weekday usually; I some cases weekend is the only time that works so we use that, but that is never our first choice.

There is content. For example, one retreat might be just the brain trust providing each other with strategies on specific things that Fellows are working on. Another retreat might have half a day dedicated to cause communication or getting investors. We also have a pretty heavy career focus and, as a rule of thumb, routinely address financial challenges and staffing as they are universal challenges.

The one-on-one sessions are usually about 1 hr long, taking place in between retreats. The Coach and the Fellow meet  at the Fellow’s location, our location, or in a mutually agreed spot (a restaurant, a coffee shop, etc.). Whatever works! These are purpose-driven working sessions; there is an agenda for each meeting, and the sessions are intended to continue the work and the support that has been unfolding throughout the year, picking up from where the previous call, face to face meeting, or retreat has left off. It is an opportunity to brainstorm, vent, learn, be talked off a ledge, be accountable on promised next steps, break a large plan into actionable steps, and/or do course corrections, etc.

Yes, absolutely. The Coach is available via email and phone to provide support throughout the year in between meetings.

The experience can be as light or as intensive as a Fellow needs it to be. There is no judgement.  Average in-person participation time: 32 hrs/year (1 onboarding call of 30 minutes +  4 retreats X 7 hrs each = 28 hrs  +  6 one-on-one sessions X 1 hr each). Add to that driving time, meeting prep time and whatever time it takes to push things closer to a Fellows’s goals.  In addition, Fellows are encouraged to use the year to reach out to each other and to the coach via email or phone for guidance on specific issues and whatever else they need help with.

The 4 cohort retreats are mandatory. When a Fellow enrolls, he/she makes a commitment to show up. The 6 one-on-one are greatly encouraged but not mandatory. The program is ultimately, what each Fellow makes of it and the final result is a reflection of this energy nexus.

You will probably lose your spot in the Fellowship program. Of course, each situation is different and we are open to discuss each situation individually.

No. We are big believers that people should have skin in the game.

The Fellowship is a coaching program. We create the space, facilitate the dialogue, create synergies, bring ideas to the table, connect people, point to potential follies, motivate and bring a dose of realism.  For implementation support, we have other service packages or we can make referrals to partners in the community.

Yes. Absolutely. We are also working to expand in other new geographies. Stay tuned!