MOUNTAINTOP FELLOWSHIP
Overview
Mountaintop’s Nonprofit Fellowship is a paid, one-year, full-time program for high-potential local leaders committed to driving systems change in lower-income communities across the globe.
Designed to help Fellows deepen their impact at home, the fellowship provides the resources, training, and network needed to lead transformational change.
What The Fellows Receive
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$3,600 leadership grant, disbursed in monthly instalments.
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A fully funded two-week Leadership Institute at Harvard University’s Edmond & Lily Safra Centre for Ethics.
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One-to-one mentorship with sector experts.
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Access to additional grant opportunities, including project funding of up to $2,500.
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Personalised coaching, virtual retreats, and leadership masterclasses.
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A lifelong global community of peers, mentors, and changemakers.
Fellowship At A Glance
$3,600 Grant
Fellows receive a $3,600 leadership grant, disbursed in 12 monthly installments of $300, to support their personal and professional development throughout the Fellowship year.
The Leadership Institute at Harvard
A fully funded, two-week residential program hosted at Harvard University’s Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics.
Mountaintop covers all associated costs, including:
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Flights and ground transportation.
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Accommodation and meals.
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Visa application fees.
The Institute prepares Fellows to scale their impact through:
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Small-group activities and experiential learning.
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Personalized coaching sessions.
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Site visits to leading social impact organizations.
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Practical workshops focused on leadership, strategy, and systems thinking.
2024 Highlights:
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Featured 33 global experts from academia, entrepreneurship, and activism
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Speakers included:
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Irini Albanti, Executive Director, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative.
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Arturo Condo, President, EARTH University (Costa Rica).
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Shady ElGhazaly Harb, activist and 2011 Egyptian Revolution leader
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Adaptive leadership coaches from the Harvard Kennedy School.
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Impact:
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Average satisfaction: 9.2/10
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77% reported a transformative impact on their leadership; 23% noted a significant shift.
1:1 Mentorship & Expert Guidance
Fellows receive access to Mentorship Office Hours with global leaders across social innovation, business, and policy.
Catalyst Fund
Fellows may apply for up to $2,500 in additional funding to implement a community-based project during their fellowship year.
Additional Benefits
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Customized leadership coaching from Mountaintop staff.
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On-call support during critical moments in the leadership journey.
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Two virtual multi-day retreats focused on skills, reflection, and renewal.
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A monthly speaker series featuring global changemakers.
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Access to a virtual community of practice — bringing together alumni and finalists from previous cycles for ongoing peer learning.
A Lifelong Peer Community
Fellows consistently cite the community as one of the most valuable aspects of the program.
It offers:
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Trusted professional relationships that last beyond the fellowship.
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Emotional resilience through shared experience.
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A safe and supportive space to exchange ideas, challenges, and celebrations.
Mountaintop Nonprofit Fellowship
The Mountaintop Nonprofit Fellowship includes a two-week training at Harvard and a $3,600 grant. It’s designed for emerging leaders running high-impact projects in low-income communities outside the U.S., with a strong personal connection to the communities they serve.
Mountaintop Executive Fellowship
The Mountaintop Executive Fellowship offers all the benefits of the standard fellowship — excluding the $3,600 grant and Catalyst Fund eligibility — and is designed for mid- to senior-level professionals at high-impact organizations. It focuses on strengthening leadership and management skills to drive transformational change. The program cost is $6,000, payable by employer sponsorship or the Fellow.
Mountaintop Anglican Fellowship
In partnership with Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies, the Anglican Fellowship is a track for emerging Anglican leaders. It includes all standard fellowship benefits, plus a year of guided online learning through the Faith Leadership Campus. Fellows should have a strong connection to the Anglican or Episcopalian faith.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
Mountaintop is seeking individuals who we believe have the highest potential to be transformational systems-changing leaders in their home communities long term.
Eligibility
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Committed to serving their home country, community, or state/province throughout their career.
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Committed to attending a two-week, full-time, in-person training at Harvard’s campus in Cambridge, USA, July 12-23, 2025 (Mountaintop covers all costs, including flights, lodging, meals, ground transportation, and visa fees).
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Committed to dedicating 40 hours per week to the fellowship project (does not apply to Executive Fellows).
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Committed to at least 5 additional hours per month spent on virtual activities, including mentorship sessions, monthly speaker sessions, and peer troubleshooting meetings.
Transformational Leadership Potential
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Proven track record of impactful leadership, public service, and/or social entrepreneurship.
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Innovative, systems-oriented, collaborative, and ambitious.
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Early in their professional career and able to show how the Mountaintop Fellowship can accelerate their growth as a transformational leader, helping them stay in or return to their home community or country.
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.
2025 FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION TIMELINE
Note that the steps are different for Anglican Fellows. See here for the Anglican Fellow timeline.
Applications
September 24, 2024 - November 8, 2024
Includes a resume, written responses, and project proposals.
Finalist Interviews
December 9, 2024 - December 17, 2024
Finalists will join a virtual interview with Mountaintop staff. References may be contacted afterward. Selection decisions will be shared by December 23, and offers must be accepted by December 31.
Leadership Institute
July 12, 2025 - July 23, 2025
The two-week Leadership Institute will be held in 2025 at Harvard’s Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics. Mountaintop covers all costs, including travel, lodging, meals, and visa fees.
Fellowship Service
August 1, 2025 - July 31, 2026
Fellows commit full-time (40 hours/week) to their project and receive monthly 1:1 mentorship, access to mentorship office hours, a speaker series, a virtual midpoint retreat, and a graduation retreat.
Alumni Programming
August 1, 2026 and Beyond
After the fellowship, alumni receive continued support to launch ventures, lead in government, nonprofits, and business, build movements, or run for public office.