x

PROGRAM

MAP Fellowship

The Morgridge Acceleration Program (MAP) Fellowship matches nonprofit executives, called MAP Mentors, with emerging leaders, called MAP Fellows, looking to create a positive impact while developing professional skill sets and networks. MAP Fellows collaborate with peers and industry leaders through the program to challenge the status quo, foster new and meaningful connections, and spark the sustainable change needed to achieve a profound and lasting impact.

While driving impact for nonprofit organizations, MAP Fellows gain elite mentorship; travel, speaking, and networking opportunities; and access to a tight-knit group of supportive peers. Forbes has called the MAP Fellowship “a powerful opportunity for collaboration and innovative thinking.”

Applications for the MAP Fellowship are now closed. Please subscribe to our newsletter below for the latest updates and ways to get involved. 

Explore the Challenges
Twelve leading nonprofit executives representing different industries have issued unique challenges designed to engage MAP Fellows in the intense and rewarding experience of change-making. Fellows remain in their current, full-time jobs while dedicating approximately 15 hours a month, or 90 hours total, to the program.
ACHIEVEability
Human Resources
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Challenge

Provide a fresh perspective and tools for ACHIEVEability to cultivate an engaged workplace culture by supporting their team’s ability to thrive, as well as recruiting and retaining new talent, to ensure they are a high-performing and high-impact organization.

Gimme More

ACHIEVEability’s mission is to end poverty for Philadelphia families and foster a vibrant West Philadelphia community. In serving a community where more than 1 in 3 residents live in poverty, a high-performing team ensures that we can execute our mission of ending poverty for Philadelphia families. Due to recent transitions, approximately 70% of their team has been with the organization for less than one year. A key opportunity for ACHIEVEability lies in building a sense of internal community and establishing a thriving workplace culture. This initiative may require examination of their sense of community at the following levels: staff with each other; staff with program participants; and staff with stakeholders.

Mentor
Jamila Harris-Morrison

Jamila Harris-Morrison, MSW is an advocate for vulnerable families and communities. A lifelong Philadelphian, Jamila’s personal and professional experiences inform her belief that no one should live in poverty and that everyone deserves an opportunity to succeed. After a decade with ACHIEVEability, she was named Executive Director and leads execution of the organization’s mission, strategy and operations. To foster a healthy and thriving West Philadelphia for all, Jamila partners with diverse stakeholders across sectors to achieve this vision. Key strategies include strengthening families, preserving affordable housing, creating quality job opportunities, and revitalizing the 60th St. Commercial Corridor. Jamila holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Clark University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice. She is an avid Eagles fan, a loving sister, aunt and daughter, and an excitable line dancer.

Fellow
Angie Luo

Angie is the project manager at DC Design, a social impact design firm that partners with social impact entrepreneurs, governments, nonprofits and companies to address complex social problems and teach human-centered design methods. Previously, Angie worked in higher education and has more than seven years of experience leading community service projects in the areas of homelessness, youth empowerment, interfaith and political cooperation. She has a bachelor’s degree in NGOs, social change and social sciences with an emphasis in psychology and a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California. She is passionate about using technology and design to create workplaces and communities where joy, authenticity and creativity are celebrated.

Adventure Cycling Association
Community Engagement
Missoula, Montana
Challenge

Establish an Emerging Rider Advisory Council for Adventure Cycling to better understand the needs of access for younger, more diverse audiences to participate in bike travel and establish feedback loops with these audiences to accelerate innovation opportunities.

Gimme More

Adventure Cycling has been focused on empowering people to travel by bicycle for the last 47 years. Unfortunately, for myriad reasons, bicycle travel has historically been an inaccessible experience for members of marginalized communities, younger cyclists, and novice riders. By creating representation of the communities Adventure Cycling wants to reach, an advisory group will play a critical role in helping to guide short- and long-term strategies for piloting new programming, community engagement, and communications initiatives.

Mentor
Jennifer O'Dell

Jennifer O’Dell joined Adventure Cycling in April 2021 as the Chief Marketing Officer and became Executive Director in October 2021. Jennifer brings a collaborative leadership style and a background in product innovation and brand expansion across consumer-packaged goods, private equity and ecommerce for over 20 years, working with companies such as The Hershey Company. She served on the board of Girls on the Run, Northwest Arkansas chapter, leading their marketing and development strategy. Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing and finance and an MBA from the University of Oregon. Originally from Oregon and Alaska, Jennifer spends her free time exploring the outdoors with her family, driving kids to various sporting events, cooking, watching live music and reading books.

Fellow
Raiesa Ali

Raiesa Ali is a program assistant at Cause Effective, a nonprofit growth partner that collaborates with mission-driven leaders to achieve social change. Previously, Raiesa served as an organizing fellow with the Florida Democratic Party, consulted with the United Nations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and provided research for global organizations such as the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies. As a child of Guyanese immigrants and a first-generation student, Raiesa is dedicated to serving causes that promote equity, empowerment and joy for marginalized communities. Raiesa earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations from Florida International University and a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University with a concentration in human rights and humanitarian policy.

Big Picture Learning
Campaign Strategy
Washington, D.C.
Challenge

Provide a comprehensive campaign strategy with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement and mobilization for the Big Picture Living campaign, which is designed to offset the blatant health inequities and growing health crisis affecting youth in our nation and our world.

Gimme More

Today, we are at a crisis point where we face higher than normal mental and physical health concerns that impact us all—especially the day-to-day life of young people. The Big Picture Living campaign actively utilizes lifestyle medicine as the guide to educate and support positive behavior changes in young people by focusing on six lifestyle elements. Designing new ways to scale the reach of the campaign will help young people across the country make healthy lifestyle choices that give their lives meaning.

Mentor
Dr. Danique Dolly

Dr. Danique Dolly leads Big Picture Learning’s BPLiving initiative—a health equity campaign to illuminate mental health and preventive lifestyle medicine practices for young people. Danique was a founding teacher and advisor at The Met, Big Picture Learning’s first school. Prior to Big Picture Learning, Danique was the founding principal of a City Neighbors High School in Baltimore for six years. Danique believes in empowering students and families, his work transforms schools through leadership development and operationalizing equity in both education and health. Danique is from the Bronx and East Harlem in New York. He holds degrees from Morehouse College and Brown University and earned a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard University. In his spare time, Danique writes essays, such as his published piece, A Major Request: Please Stop Calling Us Minorities for Education Reimagined.

Fellow
Shannon Hong

Shannon Hong (she/her) is a Chinese-American writer and technologist based in San Francisco, CA. As a product manager at Scale AI, she leads technical teams to design and build solutions to accelerate the development of AI applications. She serves as the strategic planning committee chair on the board of CounterPulse, an experimental performing arts nonprofit that incubates the creation of socially relevant, community-based art and culture. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with degrees in development studies and data science. Shannon finds joy in building community all around the world, having worked in SF, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai and New York. You can find her editing the Asian American lit column APIA-nionated in ANMLY magazine or making tea brewing videos.

Center on Rural Innovation
Fund Management
Hartland, Vermont
Challenge

Create a set of actionable strategies and recommendations for the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) to support scalable tech entrepreneurship that focuses explicitly on developing and funding female and BIPOC founders in rural America.

Gimme More

The CORI Innovation Fund (CIF) invests in rural startups in Opportunity Zones across the country, which are under-served by traditional venture capital institutions. This work will include conducting a landscape analysis of current strategies and best practices for supporting underrepresented founders, identifying potential ways to increase deal flow into the fund, and developing community partnership strategies to help identify and reach more underrepresented founders.

Mentor
Matt Dunne

Matt Dunne is the founder and executive director of the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), a national nonprofit committed to advancing economic prosperity in rural America through the creation of inclusive digital economy ecosystems that support scalable entrepreneurship and tech job creation. A Vermont native and Brown University grad, Matt previously served 11 years in the Vermont state legislature, focusing on broadband policy and downtown redevelopment efforts, and was tapped by the Clinton Administration in 1999 to lead the AmeriCorps VISTA program. In 2007, he started Google’s Community Affairs division out of a former bread factory in rural Vermont, helping lead the Google Fiber rollout and the company’s U.S. philanthropy and engagement efforts. In 2019, CORI established the CORI Innovation Fund (CIF) to enhance entrepreneurial equity in America through investing in growth businesses in rural areas.

Fellow
Sabrina Bainbridge

Sabrina Bainbridge is the senior impact investment associate at Plan International. She leads the organization’s impact investing efforts, including the launch of a gender-lens investing initiative in Kenya. Sabrina supports the development of tailored financial vehicles aimed at addressing the unique barriers Kenyan women-owned and gender-inclusive businesses face when accessing financing. She was recently awarded The UN Women’s Gender Equality Award by her local chapter for championing women’s economic inclusion. Prior to her work at Plan, Sabrina supported early-stage entrepreneurs and investors. She completed her Master of Business Administration at the University of Oxford in 2020 and holds a bachelor’s degree in physiology from Oklahoma State University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Conservation Nation
Measurement & Evaluation
Washington, D.C.
Challenge

Create measurement and evaluation tools that allow Conservation Nation to gauge its impact on increasing diversity, inclusion, and representation in the professional field of wildlife conservation.

Gimme More

Conservation Nation is determined to help save the planet’s life-giving web of biodiversity for generations to come by cultivating a strong and inclusive corps of conservationists. They need to determine the key performance indicators that the organization can use to gauge their progress and impact and create a plan for how they can efficiently and regularly monitor their improvement.

Mentor
Lynn Mento

Lynn is the CEO of Conservation Nation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the planet by cultivating a large, diverse, inclusive movement of wildlife conservationists. Lynn and her team founded Conservation Nation as a stand-alone organization after its inception as a Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) initiative. Lynn ran Friends of the National Zoo as the first female leader in its 60-year history from 2015-2021. Before FONZ, Lynn held a senior leadership role at AARP headquarters leading membership and, before that, running marketing agencies in Washington, D.C. Lynn has served on various nonprofit boards and is currently Chair of the Board for Capital Caring Health, one of the largest nonprofit hospice organizations in the region. She lives in Virginia with her husband and has two grown children, Veronica and Max.

Fellow
Dr. Gabby Salazar

Dr. Gabby Salazar is an environmental social scientist and a conservation photographer. She has a master’s in conservation science from Imperial College London and a doctoral degree from the University of Florida. Gabby co-developed the Community Action Projects for the Environment program for 4-H youth, a program at the intersection of civic and environmental education. She collaborated with the Centre for Wildlife Studies in India to create an environmental education program, reaching over 20,000 students since 2018. Gabby is a National Geographic Explorer, Associate Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, and Past President of the North American Nature Photography Association. She recently co-authored the book “No Boundaries: 25 Women Explorers and Scientists Share Adventures, Inspiration, and Advice.”

Creative Commons
Brand Research
Mountain View, California
Challenge

Conduct brand research for Creative Commons that surfaces how to reach and communicate with a mainstream audience and how to encourage community engagement for existing users who do not see themselves as community members.

Gimme More

Creative Commons legal tools are used by millions to support the digital public commons that enables everyone to access and contribute to humanity’s knowledge and culture, but few realize they are hosted and maintained by an actual organization. Bridging this knowledge gap will support efforts to raise the mainstream profile of Creative Commons as an organization, and public awareness of their legal tools, with the long-term impact of driving increased adoption of CC licenses and support for their work.

Mentor
Catherine Stihler

Catherine Stihler, OBE FRSE has been an international champion for openness for over 20 years. She was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Scotland in 1999, a post she held until 2019. While serving as an MEP, Catherine was also elected as the 52nd Rector of the University of St Andrews between 2014 and 2017 and was the first elected Senior Lay Member, chairing the university governing body from 2019 to 2022. In 2018, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of her service to the university and, in 2019, the Queen recognized Catherine’s public service by awarding her an OBE. Catherine spent 18 months transforming the Open Knowledge Foundation before joining Creative Commons as CEO in August 2020. In 2022, Catherine was elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Fellow
Naily Nevarez

Naily Nevarez is a multidisciplinary designer and visual artist creating a more just and collaborative world. The youngest daughter of Mexican immigrants, she is driven by community values and the connectedness of humankind. In her social impact work, Naily has collaborated with organizations including Nike Valiant Labs, Detention Watch Network, The Cru and Creative Reaction Labs. She is currently the senior digital product designer at Planned Parenthood, where she leads design functions for the national office. Naily was one of 25 fellows from across six countries selected to participate in the John Lewis Fellowship. Her design and artwork have been featured in PRINT Magazine, Editor X Shaping Design, The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and Awwwards, among others.

Guitars Over Guns
Alumni Engagement
Miami, Florida
Challenge

Co-create alumni engagement strategies to support Guitars Over Guns in making connections between students’ post-graduate goals and quality peer organizations that can offer job counseling and placement, college advising, scholarships, and more.

Gimme More

Guitars Over Guns offers students from vulnerable communities a powerful combination of music education and mentorship with professional musicians to help them overcome hardship, find their voice, and reach their potential as tomorrow’s leaders. The organization is committed to elevating the needs and voices of the students and families at the heart of their mission, and they strive to grow their capacity in connecting alumni to “next step” opportunities.

Mentor
Dr. Chad Bernstein

Dr. Chad Bernstein is a husband, father of four kids, co-founder and CEO of Guitars Over Guns and a professional musician active in the evolution of the “Latin Funk” sound of Miami. Chad received a doctorate of musical arts from the University of Miami—his dissertation became the basis for Guitars Over Guns’ research-based methods. In 2015, Chad was honored as a CNN Hero for his work and has since been featured on the Steve Harvey Show and in People magazine. Most recently, Chad was selected from thousands of global changemakers as an inaugural recipient of The Elevate Prize. Chad has served multiple terms on the board of the Recording Academy, focusing on advocacy and education. He remains among South Florida’s premier Latin, jazz and funk artists, performing with the Latin Grammy-nominated band Spam Allstars and Miami-based Latin-funk band, Suénalo.

Fellow
Naika Pierre

Naika Pierre is the director of global programs at the International Women’s Forum (IWF), a membership organization of over 7,500 women leaders in 33 countries advancing women’s leadership and equality. She also serves as President of the Critical Language Scholarship Alumni Society, a nonprofit that provides scholarship alumni with professional development, community engagement and language retention opportunities. Before IWF, Naika worked at the New York City Commission on Human Rights, where she assessed allegations of discrimination in employment, housing, bias-based profiling by law enforcement, and more. She holds a master’s in human rights studies from Columbia University and bachelor’s degrees in Chinese and international relations from Tufts University. Naika is based in DC and speaks Haitian Creole and Mandarin.

Jane Goodall Institute USA
Program Management
Washington, D.C.
Challenge

Develop the framework of a digital toolkit to support the establishment and growth of Roots & Shoots basecamps in cities across the United States, which will be hubs of outreach, events, education, and volunteer engagement.

Gimme More

The Roots & Shoots Model focuses on best practices in Service Learning to grow compassion and action in young changemakers. The Jane Goodall Institute hopes to establish Roots & Shoots basecamps in at least 20 cities over the next two years, starting in Los Angeles and Atlanta. The digital toolkit will support the onboarding process for these basecamps and amplify their impact.

Mentor
Mary Ford

Mary Ford is the senior director of Roots & Shoots USA, the youth program of the Jane Goodall Institute. She works to empower young people to make a difference in their communities for people, other animals and the environment we share. Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s degree in environmental management, but her love of children, teaching and learning led her to a career in education and youth empowerment. Previously, Mary worked on education initiatives at the National Geographic Society, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the World Wildlife Fund and the National Audubon Society. She has served on numerous advisory councils, including at the San Diego Natural History Museum and the American Forest Foundation. Currently, she is the chair of the North American Association for Environmental Education and co-chair of the Education Working Group of the Citizen Science Association.

Fellow
Esmeralda Herrera

Esmeralda Herrera (She/Her) is passionate about the intersection of business, social impact and the Bronx. As director of programs and community relations at Communitas America, Esmeralda spearheads an accelerator for local social entrepreneurs. She currently works with founders to expand their social impact visions and business plans. Previously, she worked internationally with rural social enterprises in India and China that empower local changemakers to revitalize their local economy. Esmeralda has a bachelor’s in linguistics from Reed College in Portland, Oregon. She is an alum of the William J. Clinton Fellowship, Princeton Asia Fellowship and is currently a CORO Systems Workforce Leadership Fellow.

NewSchools Venture Fund
Public Relations
Oakland, California
Challenge

Develop an earned media and digital engagement strategy to increase visibility and recognition for NewSchools new Chief Executive Officer.

Gimme More

NewSchools is at a critical inflection point in their organization's history. In 2023, they will celebrate their 25th anniversary and welcome a new CEO to the helm. Frances Messano will be the first woman of color to lead this education-focused venture philanthropy and this is an important marker in a field where less than 2% of CEOs of philanthropic organizations identify as Latino/a. With the right support, they can launch her tenure with an integrated strategy that elevates her thought leadership presence and helps put NewSchools on the map for a new generation.

Mentor
Danielle Kristine Toussaint

Danielle Kristine Toussaint is the chief external affairs officer at NewSchools Venture Fund. Previously, she was the inaugural Morgridge Communicator in Residence for Ascend at the Aspen Institute. She also founded and led She Thinks Purple, a women-powered creative agency that leverages storytelling and content experiences to elevate women and founders of color leading mission-driven companies and organizations. She’s been a strategic advisor and angel investor to a growing list of successful social enterprises. Danielle is the author of Dare to Think Purple: A Survival Guide for Women in Social Entrepreneurship and has written op-eds and speeches for Huffington Post, Forbes and TEDx. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and African American studies from Yale University and a Master of Science in education from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.

Fellow
Misia Lerska

Misia is an artist and digital content producer who specializes in video, audio and photography. She earned a bachelor’s in cinema & media studies and peace & justice studies from Wellesley College, with a concentration in art for social justice. Born in the U.S., Misia’s first language is Polish and she now speaks five languages. Her multicultural identity is reflected in her work and desire for international collaboration and relationship building. Misia has worked for the Polish Jazz Network, Killer Films and the Google News Initiative in Chile, France, the. U.S., and Canada. She currently works for Burness Communications, where she develops creative digital content for nonprofits. Misia enjoys hiking, cyanotype photography, cooking buttery foods and swimming in Lake Michigan.

The Climate Initiative
Scale Strategy
Kennebunkport, Maine
Challenge

Provide The Climate Initiative a market entry strategy and plan to engage community college and trade school students in climate change conversations and solutions.

Gimme More

Community college and trade school students have traditionally been excluded from climate change conversions, yet these students are often the most impacted by climate change. The Climate Initiative strives to place equity as the foundation of its programming. Engaging more deeply with community colleges and trade schools will bring diverse lived experiences from some of the most impacted communities facing climate change.

Mentor
Jono Anzalone

Jono is the executive director of The Climate Initiative (TCI), which educates, empowers and activates youth around climate action. Prior to TCI, Jono served in disaster response and crisis management roles at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the American Red Cross. He has worked in countries around the world, including Mexico, Suriname, Liberia and Haiti. Jono has served as the advocacy chair for the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and is currently the vice-chair of the Craft Relief Emergency Fund. He teaches economics, disaster management and leadership at universities across the country. Jono holds a bachelor’s in political science from Creighton University, a master’s in economics and a doctorate in educational leadership and higher education from the University of Nebraska. He also graduated from the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. Jono and his husband recently moved from Panama to Maine with their goldendoodle, Penni.

Fellow
Dabreon Darby

Dabreon is the manager of organizational development on the executive team at the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). He creates and implements effective strategies to increase productivity and cash flows. Dabreon holds STEM certifications from the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at Cornell University and a dual bachelor’s degree in environmental studies & sciences and geology from Bucknell University, where he earned the George R. Faint Prize for excellent academic performance and leadership. He is currently an MBA candidate at American University Kogod School of Business as a National Black MBA Association Scholar. Originally from Buffalo, NY, Dabreon hopes to continue combining his passion for the environment and equity with business, and for a Buffalo Bills Super Bowl win.

US Olympic & Paralympic Foundation
Program Development
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Challenge

Explore how to develop, fund, and execute a robust fellowship program for Team USA athletes to learn more about the administration of sport through an integrated experience at the US Olympic & Paralympic Foundation.

Gimme More

The USOPC is focused on protecting, supporting, and empowering America's athletes. They are exploring how to provide long-term opportunities for their athletes who wish to continue their careers on the administrative side of sport. If the recommended program is funded and approved by the USOPC, it will provide real-world experience for Team USA athletes that will truly impact their lives over time.

Mentor
Sarah Cantwell

Sarah Cantwell joined the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) in 2009 as a frontline fundraiser. The USOPC launched the US Olympic and Paralympic Foundation and today Cantwell serves as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement for the USOPF. Previously, Sarah served as the Director of Development for the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Foundation in New York City and worked with Vista Maria, Michigan’s largest child welfare non-profit, in various capacities, including volunteer management, special events and development. Sarah received her Bachelor of Science and Master’s of Public Administration from James Madison College at Michigan State University, focusing on social relations and public policy. She also holds a Master of Science in fundraising management from Columbia University. Sarah volunteers for numerous organizations in the Chicago area and was president of the MSU Alumni Advisory Board.

Fellow
Ashley Bredeson

Finding a fulfilling career that deeply impacts the lives of others is how Ashley landed in the nonprofit world. Her first role was in a sexual assault advocacy center in rural Wisconsin. After that, Ashley graduated from Hamline University with a master’s degree in nonprofit management and completed the Certified Professional Project Manager certificate. These two programs provided the basis for her data-driven and relational approach to program development and leadership. Currently, Ashley works as the annual fund manager at the Pinky Swear Foundation, where she provides financial and emotional support to children battling cancer and their families. She finds deep joy in showing donors the impact of their gifts. Outside of work, Ashley enjoys reading and hiking.

Zora's House
Impact Measurement
Columbus, Ohio
Challenge

Create a community-centric framework to measure the impact of Zora House on the lives of the women in their community, including how they build social capital, social infrastructure, and advance racial equity, utilizing models and best practices from diverse sectors.

Gimme More

Since its founding in 2018, Zora’s House has helped over 3,000 women of color to connect with mental health resources; navigate job losses and other COVID-19-related transitions; incubate businesses; and activate their leadership in their families, neighborhoods, and workplaces. Much of the work of their membership is deeply steeped in racial equity, internal transformation, and building collective power, and they are looking to measure these less tangible aspects of social change.

Mentor
LC Johnson

LC Johnson is an award-winning writer, entrepreneur, and activist passionate about uplifting and empowering women and communities of color. In addition to over ten years of experience developing and facilitating entrepreneurship, economic development, and social justice initiatives, LC is the founder of Zora’s House, a coworking and community space whose mission is to provide women of color with the clarity, confidence, and connections they need to amplify their authentic voices; grow and contribute their talents; and powerfully transform their lives, careers, and communities.

Fellow
Meghana Karthic

Meghana is a sophomore at Johns Hopkins University studying computer science and entrepreneurship & management. She is a firm believer that every line of code she writes has the ability to create a society in which anyone has the potential to create meaningful change. Meghana currently serves on the Alumni Leadership Board of Technovation, a global nonprofit that empowers adolescent girls to create technology for social good. She is also developing a mobile app to democratize access to peer recovery support for people experiencing opioid use disorder. Last summer, she interned as a data scientist at the US Census Bureau to develop technology increasing access to government services. Meghana enjoys painting, jigsaw puzzles, crime podcasts and sushi with friends.

Program Highlights
MAP Fellows commit to opportunities that foster community, personal and professional growth, and leadership development. They’ll bring the lessons they learn and relationships they build back to their full-time positions, sharing the knowledge and networks they gain with their primary employer and colleagues.
Challenge
Mentors identify a challenge facing their organization that fellows commit to solving over six months. Each fellow pledges approximately 10 hours a month to solve the problem. Along the way, mentors provide hands-on guidance and knowledge.
Challenge Fund
Up to $5,000 is available for each organization to test, explore, and further innovate their challenge solution with their fellow. Proposals for the funds must be received by February 1, 2023, and will be approved pending challenge relevance.
Kick-Off Event
The kick-off event, hosted by MindSpark Learning and generously underwritten by The Rieschel Family Foundation, is designed to be immersive, hands-on, and fun, challenging fellows to grow leadership skills and collaborate with mentors to develop the strategies needed for their solutions to thrive. The kick-off event will take place in Miami, Florida, from January 19, 2023, through January 22, including travel.
Coaching
Fellows receive extensive support from working with a public-speaking coach to prepare for their culmination event presentations in Washington, DC. Watch the presentations from last year here.
Mind Melds
Fellows meet three times for a virtual brainstorming session that mines the collective thought of their peers. Each fellow will host a portion of the Mind Meld to pose questions they are navigating while solving their challenge. The diverse perspectives and experiences of the cohort drive dialogue that inspires an innovative course of action.
Cohort Convenings
Fellows and mentors participate in two virtual events throughout the program that facilitate community-building. In the past, these events have included speed networking, wine tastings, and challenging conversations sparked by a behind-the-scenes tour with the Denver Art Museum.
Nonprofit Site Visit
Fellows visit their mentors for two days to allow fellows and mentors to work together on-site and to provide the fellow an opportunity to shadow and observe their mentor in action. Fellows and mentors must schedule their site visit by February 1, 2023, and complete it by May 1, 2023.
Culmination Event
The program culminates with an event where each fellow presents to an audience of public, private, and social sector leaders, providing them a platform to share their MAP experience. The culmination event will occur in Washington, D.C., from July 11, 2023, through July 13, 2023, including travel.
MAP Summit Grant
Upon completion of the Fellowship, fellows are invited to apply for a Summit Grant. This pool of $50,000 is available exclusively to them for continuing their growth as social impact leaders. Read more on the "Summit Grant" page of the website.
The Qualities of a MAP Fellow
The MAP Fellowship focuses on unlocking and unleashing the potential of the next generation of social sector leadership. Fellows have demonstrated remarkable accomplishments early in their careers and crave opportunity for collaboration and coaching from esteemed leaders in their field. They exhibit a few key characteristics:
Imagination
They are emerging social impact leaders with the skills to tactically and creatively solve their MAP Challenge.
Initiative
They have a track record of being the driver on a foggy road: navigating the uncertain, understanding when to ask for directions, and ultimately finding their way.
Integrity
They do the right thing and rise to commitments of the fellowship.

Want even more details? The program’s founder wrote more about the qualities of a MAP Fellow here.

Frequently Asked Questions
Why did MFF create the MAP Fellowship?

MFF has long believed in the power of fresh perspectives to innovate stagnant systems. In 2020, the Foundation recognized an opportunity to usher in the next generation of social sector trailblazers by connecting them with vetted, impactful executives—and each other. What would it look like for the nonprofit leaders of tomorrow to collaborate directly with the nonprofit leaders of today? The MAP Fellowship was born.

What was the impact of previous MAP Fellows?

Past fellows have reimagined fundraising efforts, cracked the code for rebranding age-old institutions, and drove strategic plans that transformed entire organizations. Learn more about their impact by exploring our website’s ‘Impact’ page.

What is the timeline for the MAP Fellowship?

Fellow applications launched on August 15, 2022, and closed on October 14, 2022. Fellows will be notified by December 1, 2022. The six-month program will officially start on January 19, 2023,  and run through July 13, 2023. All in-person activities will take place according to CDC recommendations.

How many MAP Mentors and MAP Fellows are selected?

For the third year of the MAP Fellowship, MFF will select twelve mentors and twelve fellows, broken into two cohorts of six pairs. We will shape each cohort to encourage an intimate, diverse learning community that brings new perspectives and thoughts to each challenge.

Is the MAP Fellowship a full-time job?

Being a fellow is not a full-time job. It is a rigorous professional development opportunity to be completed with concurrent employment or education. Each fellow pledges to dedicate approximately 15 hours a month, or 90 hours throughout the program, to the program. A full breakdown of Fellow commitments can be reviewed here.

What are the Fellow commitment expectations?

We’re glad you asked! Click this link to view the full fellow expectation document.

Is there a fee to participate in the MAP Fellowship?

No, there is no fee associated with the program. MFF funds all travel, meals, and accommodation expenses related to the program for fellows and mentors. Each nonprofit will have access to up to $5,000 to allow their selected fellow to test, explore, and further innovate their work.

How are MAP Fellows selected?

Successful candidates will advance through two rounds of screening, with the final selection made by each mentor. Due to the high number of applicants to the program, we cannot interview everyone who applies.

How are MAP Mentors selected?

MFF invites esteemed, diverse nonprofit executives to apply for a limited number of openings. In order to be selected, candidates must submit a compelling challenge their organization is facing and make the case for how a fellow can solve that problem during the six-month program.

Do MAP Fellows need to live in the same city as their mentor?

Fellows do not need to live in the same city as their mentor. Fellows will work remotely for the majority of their time with the program, traveling to three events throughout the program, pending CDC recommendations.

Do MAP Fellows need to live in the United States in order to apply?

All MAP Fellows must live in the United States and be able to travel domestically as outlined by the program.

Is there an age requirement to be a MAP Fellow?

In the past, fellows’ ages have ranged from 24-36. That being said, the admissions team is looking for the strongest candidates possible, no matter their age.

I’m a student in graduate school, am I eligible to apply?

Absolutely! Graduate students are encouraged to apply for the MAP Fellowship.

How does the MAP Fellowship accommodate individuals with disabilities?

MFF will provide reasonable accommodations deemed necessary to participate both in the selection process and in the program. For accommodations or feedback, please contact MFF’s Program Manager, Ash Gallegos at ash.gallegos@thinkmff.org.

What role does MFF play throughout the program?

The Morgridge Family Foundation will:

  • Cover the cost of all travel, meals, and accommodation expenses for mentors and fellows throughout the program.
  • Provide each nonprofit up to $5,000 for their Fellow to test, explore, and further innovate their work.
  • Oversee all programming and logistics of the fellowship except the fellow site visits. While MFF funds the site visits, scheduling and logistics are the responsibility of the fellow and mentor.
  • MFF’s Program Team will work closely with program participants throughout their collaboration, acting as thought partners, coaches, and facilitators. 
  • MFF’s Communications Team will amplify the cohort’s work and is available to publish content as interested by each fellow and mentor. 
  • MFF’s Senior Impact Analyst will lead the measurement and evaluation of the program and the impact of each Fellow.
What happens to the MAP Mentors and MAP Fellows after the conclusion of the program?

Fellows and mentors are life-long members of the growing MAP community. Annual convenings, virtual get-togethers, and meaningful friendships will keep the network alive. The solutions generated by each fellow are designed to be sustainable and self-sufficient, impacting their mentor’s organization long after the program concludes.

I’m another Foundation or a nonprofit organization who is interested in learning more about the MAP Fellowship. What should I do?

We’re glad you’re excited about the program! After you’ve read through the materials on our website, if you have additional questions or would like to have a deeper conversation please contact Ash Gallegos: ash.gallegos@thinkmff.org