Fieldstone Fellowship - Fieldstone Leadership Network

Fieldstone Fellowship Program Overview

More and more, nonprofit leaders are being required to solve the pressing needs of society by thinking as social entrepreneurs and business professionals while being mission-centric and leading through an identified set of values. Recognizing the tension of these demands, The Fieldstone Foundation has created a leadership learning opportunity to think with and learn from skilled leaders in a variety of fields as they continue to work toward addressing social challenges in the nonprofit sector.

Presented in partnership with The Harvard Business School Alumni Club of San Diego, The Fieldstone Fellowship offers an opportunity for a nonprofit executive director to work with an executive coach, attend the Strategic Perspective in Nonprofit Management at Harvard University and work with a mentoring group of Harvard Business School Alumni Club members for one year.

Program Goals

To recognize and support nonprofit leaders using a strategic business development, social entrepreneur or mission-centric framework to lead and address social issues.
To advance the skills and capacity of nonprofit Executive Directors by providing him/her with meaningful opportunities to interact and learn with an executive coach and a peer group of other successful business leaders and entrepreneurs.
To build upon the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program with resources to deepen and implement the learnings from the Harvard University program.
To invest in the individual leadership of mid-career social entrepreneurs to increase their capacity to lead nonprofit organizations, thereby strengthening the collective competency to the sector.
To foster cross-sector dialogue among business/entrepreneurial leaders in San Diego County.

Eligibility

Individual candidates for this program should:

Be an experienced leader who has a demonstrated track record of successfully shaping the direction, mission, and programs of the organization to achieve community impact.
Work for a nonprofit organization as an Executive Director or serve as a founder of a nonprofit organization.
Hold primary or significant responsibility for management of the organization’s funds.
Have worked between 5 and 10 years leading a nonprofit organization.
Be employed full-time at the applicant organization.
Live full-time in San Diego County.
Be an active member of the Fieldstone Leadership Network (have graduated from a learning group or coaching program).
Be willing to participate in the various programs of the Fieldstone Leadership Network and share their experience and learnings with others.

The candidate’s employing organization should:

Be located in San Diego County.
Be recognized by the community as a premier nonprofit organizational in both mission and program delivery.
Be able to sustain regular operations during the candidate’s participation in the monthly meetings and out of town summer training program at Harvard.

Timeline

The Fieldstone Fellowship is currently filled. Applications are not being accepted at this time.

Be a Part of This Transformational Leadership Experience

This program is underwritten by The Fieldstone Foundation as part of the Fieldstone Leadership Network and is offered in partnership with the Harvard Business School Alumni Club of San Diego. It is only available in San Diego County at this time.

If you would like to participate in this program or have any questions, please contact Robin Stropko or click here to request additional information. If you would like to apply to be considered for this program, download an application by clicking below.

Download the Fieldstone Fellowship Program Application

Frequently Asked Questions

I have worked in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years, though not consecutively, and I have been employed by more than one nonprofit institution. Am I eligible?

Yes, you must have worked a minimum of ten years in a leadership role in the nonprofit sector, but those years need not be consecutive and do not have to be at any one organization. The important thing to focus on is the social entrepreneurial/business/values framework being used by the nonprofit leader.

I have had a successful run as an Executive Director of a mid-size nonprofit for the past ten years, and I am thinking of what my next career move might be. May I use the Fellowship as a vehicle to plan my future?

No, the Fellowship Program is designed to assist nonprofit leaders with tools, learning opportunities and human resources to further their efforts to address a social issue or concern through their organization. It is not intended for use as a career networking or planning. It is not intended to aid job transitions. We realize, of course, that there are natural transitions in individual career paths and in the lives of nonprofit organizations, and that former Fellowship recipients may eventually leave their positions. However, we ask that people who are actively contemplating job transitions do not apply to the program.

I will be retiring in the next couple of years. Am I eligible?

The program is targeted to nonprofit leaders who will continue to dedicate themselves to leading nonprofit organizations for years to come. Those who will soon retire or move out of the nonprofit sector are not encouraged to apply.

Who selects the Fellowship recipients?

As they bring a unique and experiential perspective, past Fellows will join foundation staff on the selection committee. Members of the Harvard Business School Alumni Club may also participate. Harvard University does reserve the right to approve the application to the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management class to ensure the Fellow is qualified for the course.

If I have already attended Harvard’s Strategic Perspective in Nonprofit Management program, may I use the funds for other professional development?

Not at this time as the program is offered in partnership with the Harvard Business School Alumni Club of San Diego. However, if you are interested in applying and have already attended the Strategic Perspectives Class, please contact Foundation staff to discuss possible options.