MOUNTAINTOP EMERGING LEADERS FELLOWSHIP
For the world’s most promising emerging leaders
The Mountaintop Emerging Leaders Fellowship is a one-year program for the world’s most promising emerging leaders who are committed to driving systems change in lower-income communities around the world.
Now in its third year, the fellowship offers high-potential local leaders the chance to embark on a world class leadership development journey while advancing projects deeply rooted in their home communities. It is fully funded, allowing Fellows to focus entirely on their leadership journey and their impact.
FELLOWS RECEIVE
Selected Fellows receive comprehensive support throughout the fellowship year, including:
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A fully funded two‑week residential Leadership Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, covering flights, visa costs, accommodation, meals, local transportation, and program activities.
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Access to expert advisors and leadership coaching with our team.
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Project guidance and structured reflection throughout the year.
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Access to competitive micro-grants, such as Catalyst Funds of up to $1,000, to support project needs.
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Increased visibility for their work through Mountaintop platforms and networks.
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Access to the Mountaintop global community of Fellows, alumni, and partners.
WHY THIS FELLOWSHIP
Leadership in under-resourced contexts is demanding and often isolating. Leaders are asked to build teams, secure resources, deliver results, and carry deep responsibility for their communities, often without the support or space to step back and reflect.
The Emerging Leaders Fellowship exists to support leaders who are already doing the work. It creates structured time for learning, reflection, and growth while Fellows continue advancing projects rooted in their own communities. The fellowship combines a two week fully funded in-person Leadership Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, online leadership courses, a global network of executive advisors, and a lifelong peer community.
This fellowship may be a good fit for you if you are:
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Leading or co-leading a nonprofit or community-based organization.
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Committed to your community and planning to remain engaged for the long-term.
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Seeking to strengthen your leadership without stepping away from your work.
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Looking for peers, mentors, and structure to grow with intention.
WHY MOUNTAINTOP
Experienced Faculty and Practitioners: Past leadership development facilitators have included faculty from institutions such as Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, and MIT, along with experienced practitioners and global leaders, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi. Sessions are focused on building applied skills and draw from Mountaintop’s recent Leadership Institutes and are grounded in real leadership challenges and lived experiences.
Deep Experience in Leadership Development: Mountaintop has designed and delivered eight leadership programs, supporting leaders across the United States and 27 countries. Our partners include the Harvard Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Ethics, the NYU Stern Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing, among others.
Dedicated Mentorship and Advisor Access: Fellows gain access to Mountaintop’s Advisor Program, which offers opportunities to connect 1:1 with more than 50 experienced advisors from entrepreneurship, NGOs, philanthropy, and business who are leading experts in their fields.
Proven Impact: The Emerging Leaders Fellowship has received a Net Promoter Score of 100 in each of the past two years, with all participants reporting a transformative or meaningful impact on their leadership. Fellows leading social ventures in the most recent cohort reported average year-on-year growth of 50 percent in revenue and 46 percent in staff size. Hear from the Fellows themselves at our most recent Leadership Institute.
WHO WE SUPPORT
The Emerging Leaders Fellowship supports leaders who are building and sustaining nonprofits or community-based organizations in severely under-resourced communities around the world.
The fellowship is designed for leaders who are deeply rooted in their communities and committed to long-term service and impact. It does not support individuals whose primary focus is academic research or those running for political office or engaged in political campaigns.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be considered:
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You are the Founder, Co-founder, Executive Director, or a senior leader with primary decision-making responsibility for a nonprofit organization or community-based organization.
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Your organization has been operating for at least three years.
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Your work is focused on serving severely under-resourced communities.
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You have a clearly defined project or initiative that you are leading, with specific goals and activities.
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You are committed to leading your organization and serving your community for the long-term.
In addition, applicants must be:
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Able to commit full-time to their fellowship project during the fellowship year.
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Available to attend a fully funded two-week, in-person Leadership Institute in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2026.
All costs related to the Leadership Institute are covered, including flights, accommodation, meals, local transportation, and visa fees.
Listen to our Fellows share their experiences from the most recent Leadership Institute.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
Beyond eligibility, we look for leaders who demonstrate:
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A strong track record of responsibility, initiative, and follow-through.
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Evidence of learning through experience, including navigating challenges and constraints.
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Clarity about the problem they are working on and why it matters
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Willingness to reflect, grow, and engage openly with peers.
The fellowship is particularly well suited for leaders who are early to mid-stage in their leadership journey and for whom this experience would meaningfully strengthen their impact and long-term commitment. We encourage applications from women leaders and individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
Eligibility Requirements
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You are the Founder, Co-founder, Executive Director, or a senior leader with primary decision-making responsibility for a nonprofit organization or community-based organization
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Your organization has been operating for at least three years
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Your work is focused on serving severely under-resourced communities
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You have a clearly defined project or initiative that you are leading, with specific goals and activities
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You are committed to leading your organization and serving your community for the long-term
Transformational Leadership Potential
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A track record of impactful leadership, public service, or social entrepreneurship.
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Innovative, collaborative, systems-oriented, and ambitious.
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Carrying significant leadership responsibility, with strong alignment between their current work and the growth, reflection, and support this fellowship is designed to provide.
Values Alignment
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Universal Compassion: Empathizing with the suffering of others, regardless of who they are.
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Unconditional Love: Loving others unconditionally, even those we deeply disagree with.
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Visionary Wisdom: Making imaginative, effective, evidence-based, and historically informed decisions and striving to understand diverse perspectives.
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Long-Term Dedication: Committing over the course of a career or lifetime to a particular community or cause.
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Selfless Courage: Acting for the greater good even in the face of uncertainty, complacency, inconvenience, risk, or danger.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The application process begins with an interest form and eligibility test. Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to complete a full application.
Before you begin your application, we encourage you to review the resources below, which are designed to support you throughout the process:
These resources are intended to provide clarity, transparency, and helpful direction as you prepare your application.
2026 FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION TIMELINE
Up to five Fellows will be selected. Fellows will join a larger cohort of 12-14 Fellows during the online components and the Leadership Institute and become part of Mountaintop’s global community of leaders.
If you are ready to take the next step in your leadership journey, we invite you to apply.
If you have any questions, we encourage you to review the FAQs or reach out to us at info@mountaintop.international.