About Us

Leadership Fellows at The Trust is the premier professional development opportunity for mid-career nonprofit practitioners in the metropolitan New York City region. The fellowship program represents a diverse, inclusive, and talented community of nonprofit leaders who are advancing social justice missions in New York and beyond.

Originally established in 2015 by The New York Community Trust in association with the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College and its Center for Nonprofit Strategy and Management, the fellowship has supported almost 600 leaders at more than 250 local and national nonprofit organizations.

Our Founding Story

In 2014, program officers at the New York Community Trust noticed a wave of executive director retirements across their focus areas. Leadership transitions were happening more often than ever before. Around the same time, The Bridgespan Group reported that about 60,000 nonprofit directors were retiring annually nationwide, with the New York metropolitan area being especially impacted.

To address this leadership gap, the Trust launched a professional development program for emerging nonprofit leaders. They partnered with the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College to establish it as a certificate program.

Program Overview

Each semester, selected Fellows participate in a rigorous, practice-based curriculum that blends classroom learning, mentorship, and hands-on leadership development. Classes meet weekly on Fridays for 12 weeks and cover a broad range of topics including organizational culture, financial management, communications, project management, and fundraising infrastructure.

Throughout the program, Fellows work on a real-world “change project” tailored to their organization’s needs. The change project is decided during the application process and evolves over the course of the program. They receive feedback from instructors, peers, and mentors, culminating in a final presentation that reflects their learning and strategic thinking.

The curriculum centers on equity, community, and personal growth, with sessions centering the humanity of our Fellows and offering space to reflect on the unique challenges nonprofit leaders face today.

Topics covered throughout the fellowship include:

• Leading Organizational Culture

  • Cultivating a culture of belonging

  • Centering equity and inclusion in the workplace

• Strategic Communication

  • Communicating for leadership and influence

  • Digital strategy and crisis communications

  • Storytelling for fundraising and engagement

• Project and Change Management

  • Designing and managing organizational change

  • Personality style assessments for leadership and team dynamics

• Financial Management

  • Budgeting for impact

  • Understanding IRS Form 990

  • Building sustainable fundraising infrastructure

• Marketing and Audience Development

  • Brand strategy and value proposition

  • Growing and engaging nonprofit audiences

• Data and Analytics for Nonprofits

  • Leveraging digital data to support strategic goals

  • A/B testing, dashboards, and AI tools for decision-making

• Wellness and Leadership Sustainability

  • Rest as resistance and renewal

  • Building restorative leadership practices

• Capstone Experience

  • Change project development and peer review

  • Final presentations and implementation planning

Now in its 10th year, Leadership Fellows at The Trust has supported over 600 rising leaders from more than 250 organizations across the region.