Fellowship Application
Gain the knowledge and guidance to grow as a leader and scale your organization.
The Fellowship
Each year, Gratitude Network selects ~30 nonprofit leaders from around the world to join our prestigious Fellowship. Through our 13 month program of executive coaching, strategy facilitation, and peer learning, Fellows strengthen their leadership and develop the tools to scale and sustain their organizations, ultimately, expanding their impact. Learn more about Our Impact.
To learn more about our Fellowship program and the application process read below.
Any questions, please Contact Us.
Applications for our 2026 Fellowship are closed.
Application Details
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What is the Gratitude Network Fellowship?
The Gratitude Network Fellowship is a highly selective, 13 month program designed to accelerate the growth and impact of ambitious nonprofit leaders and their organizations.
Each year, we select ~30 exceptional global nonprofit leaders and their organizations to become our Fellows through a competitive application process.
Modeled after top-tier executive programs, the Fellowship provides coaching, strategic learning and tools, and a lifelong network — enabling leaders to scale their organizations, expand their impact, and lead with confidence.
Learn more about ‘Our Model & Impact’
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Eligibility
The Fellowship is designed to serve both the nonprofit leader and organization. Applicants must meet ALL of the below eligibility requirements for both the leader and organization.
Leader
– Has strategic decision making power for the organization
– Committed full-time to the organization
– Ready and interested to lead the organization through scaling and expanding impact
– Coachable – interested in working with a leadership development coach
– Advanced to fluent command of the English language.
– Adhere to the time commitments and schedule of the Fellowship
Organization
– Legally registered non-profit, charity, NGO organization
– Providing services for a minimum of two years
– Employs at minimum two full-time equivalent employees (can include the leader)
– Operating budget between USD 50,000 – 3 million
– Beneficiaries must primarily be children/youth and are served in one of the following categories: Education, Health and Well-being, Children’s Rights
– Ready to scale and expand impact
Not eligible for the Fellowship, learn about our Custom Services
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Application Process
Application Open (Part 1): November 19, 2025 – February 6, 2026
Step 1: Submit Online Part 1 Application – Due February 6, 2026
Step 2: Submit Online Part 2 Application (for selected applicants) – Due February 20, 2026
Step 3: Finalist Virtual Interviews (for selected applicants) – By April 21, 2026
Step 4: Cohort Selection & Tuition Confirmation – By May 1, 2026
Step 5: Public Announcement & 2026 Fellowship Kick-off – June 2026
Download 2026 Fellowship Application and Selection Process
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Benefits
The Fellowship is an investment with exponential return.
FOR LEADERS
– 94% of Fellows report stronger leadership skills.
FOR ORGANIZATION
– 94% increase their organizational scaling capacity.
– Multi-year strategic plan for executing the vision
– 3.5x average growth in revenue (3 years post Fellowship)
FOR BENEFICIARIES
– 5x increase in children and youth served across alumni organizations (3 years post Fellowship)
Our Fellows go on to not just scale their organizations but receive numerous accolades including, but not limited to: Forbes 30U30, Echoing Green Fellowships, Ashoka Changemakers, Goldman Sachs 10KSB, Funding from The Gates Foundation, Mulago Foundation, Woven Foundation, Go Campaign, and more.
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Application
Our 2026 Fellowship applications are now closed.
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2026 Fellowship Calendar
May 2026: Selection of 2026 Fellows and Fellowship Onboarding
June 2026: Public Announcement of 2026 Fellows and Fellowship Kick-off
July 2026 – May 2027: Fellowship monthly coaching and Scaling Up/Peer Circles
June 2027: Fellowship showcase – pitches presenting culmination of Fellowship work
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Tuition and Scholarships
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the Fellowship program costs are subsidized. We use a tiered pricing model so that all qualified candidates can access the Fellowship.
Full or partial scholarships are awarded to around 65% of selected candidates to ensure equity and access.
Tier 1 ($0–$1,000) – For small or resource-constrained organizations that have limited professional development funding available.
Tier 2 ($2,500) – For organizations with moderate budgets.
Tier 3 ($4,000) – For well-resourced organizations with strong professional development funding.
Please consider your organization’s budget, access to professional development funding, and overall financial context when selecting your Fellowship tier. Selection does not affect eligibility or application review.
We trust applicants to choose the tier that best reflects their capacity. Those who are able to select a higher tier help ensure that leaders from resource-constrained organizations can participate through subsidized and fully funded spots. By choosing a higher tier, you directly contribute to the sustainability and equity of the Gratitude Network Fellowship.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Prior to starting your Fellowship application, we recommend that you review these Frequently Asked Questions.
Q. What is the time commitment for the Gratitude Network Fellowship?
A. The average monthly time commitment for Fellows is 7-10 hours per month. This includes the monthly Scaling Up/Peer Sessions, Coaching, and working time outside of sessions to implement tools and material with teams.
Q. When does the 2026 Fellowship start?
A. Our 2026 Fellowship Cohort will be onboarded in May 2026, with a kick-off session in June. Regular monthly learning and coaching sessions start in July 2026.
Q. What is the application deadline?
A. For the 2026 Fellowship applications, the deadline to complete the Part 1 application is February 6, 2026. The deadline to complete the Part 2 application is February 20, 2026. Only selected applicants will be invited to complete the Part 2 application.
Q. What is the age range for “children and youth beneficiaries”?
A. 25 years and younger
Q. Can I still apply if I have a budget over 3 million USD?
A. If your organization has an operating budget above 3 million USD, please explain in your application why this Fellowship would be supportive to your organization’s growth (i.e. new program, new leadership, loss of a significant funding stream, etc.). Additionally, you can check out our Custom Services.
Q. Are there any costs or fees for the Fellowship and the application?
A. There is no cost to apply for the Fellowship. We use a tiered pricing model so that all qualified candidates can access the Fellowship.
Q. What type of organizations are eligible to apply? What classifies as a legally registered non-profit, charity, NGO organization?
A. Organizations applying for the Gratitude Network Fellowship, must be able to provide their non-profit organization status via registration and recognition by an official registry or governmental body.
Examples of charity/non-profit registration status include, but are not limited to:
– 501c3 status in USA
– Charity commission number in the UK
– NGO registration under Societies Registration Act, Indian Trusts Act, or Companies Act (Section 8) in India
– Equivalent non-profit registration in headquarter country
Fiscally sponsored organizations are eligible to apply.
Projects within larger organizations are not eligible to apply.
Q. What qualifies as two full time equivalent (FTE) employees?
A. We are looking for organizations that have the equivalent of two full time staff. One of these full-time employees should be the leader/applicant. However, the other staff member could be 2 part-time staff that make up another full time position or some other combination.
Full-time equivalent (FTE) measures how many total full-time employees or part-time employees add up to the full-time employees your organization employs. FTE is equal to the number of hours a full-time employee works for an organization. The concept is used to count “hours worked” rather than the number of employees to budget, forecast, staff and calculate wages. For example, if an organization considers 40 hours per week as full-time and there are four employees who work 10 hours each per week, the hours for those four employees add up together to make 1 FTE.
Q. What types of services are included in the focus on Education, Health and Well-being, Children’s Rights?
A. Education – such as school systems, training of teachers, education technology, and early childhood programs as well as how/what children learn at school or outside of the classroom (e.g. after-school or summer programs).
Health and Well-being – such as addressing children’s basic needs, including poverty alleviation, nutrition, water, safe shelter, disease prevention, mental health, and social-emotional health.
Children’s Rights – such as protecting children and families from abuse, exploitation, trafficking, incarceration, and other harm, as well as other advocacy.Q. What does ‘ready to scale’ mean?
A. Organizations that are entering a “growth stage” beyond the “startup phase”. Generally this means that organizations at a minimum have a clear vision of the problem they are addressing, an effective solution that is in use, and can track and demonstrate the impact of that solution.
We are looking for organizations that are ready to expand or deepen programing to make a larger impact on beneficiaries. This can include reaching more beneficiaries, starting new programs, adding more staff, further developing program offerings.
Q. What does ‘strategic decision making power’ for the applicant mean?
A. The role of the applicant should be one of the following or of a similar level:
– Founder/Co-Founder
-Executive Director
-CEO
As the applicant you are leading the organization and can influence and oversee the direction, aims and objectives of the organization at large.
Q. What does ‘committed full-time to the organization’ mean for the applicant?
A. We are looking for applicants that are currently active and engaged, working for the organization during the full year of the Fellowship. If you know you will take a sabbatical, go on parental or medical leave, etc. we would encourage you to hold off your application until the next Fellowship application year.
Q. What does ‘committing to the Gratitude Network Fellowship Program’ encompass?
A.
– Attending monthly virtual cohort learning and peer sessions
– Meeting at minimum monthly with your coach
– 7-10 hours monthly time commitment
– Will NOT be receiving other formal coaching/mentoring support during the Gratitude Network Fellowship Program year (July – June)Q. Are faxed or emailed applications accepted?
A. No – faxed/emailed applications are not accepted.
Q. Can multiple applications be submitted?
A. No – please only submit one application per applicant/organization.
Q. Can changes be made to the application once it’s submitted?
A. No – changes cannot be made to an application once it’s submitted.
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Contact Us
Join a Global Network of Nonprofit Leaders & Organizations
By becoming a Gratitude Network Fellow, you’ll join hundreds of leaders serving children and youth around the globe who continue to collaborate, share resources, and support one another long after their Fellowship year.