WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
Anyone over the age of 18 is welcome to apply. We are looking for applicants that embody a passion for learning and a collaborative spirit. Previous experience or interest in sexual or reproductive health, rights and/or justice is strongly encouraged but not required.
For more specific information, please review the candidate requirements for your fellowship of interest: Generative Fellowship and Speaking Race to Power.
For more specific information, please review the candidate requirements for your fellowship of interest: Generative Fellowship and Speaking Race to Power.
WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT?
Each fellowship spans six to eight months, beginning with an introductory webinar one month before the first retreat, and ending with the submission of a final activity deliverable that highlights the work of your project after the second retreat.
The two four-day/three-night retreats are typically held in Northern California. Attendance at both retreats is required. Fellows are also required to attend up to three webinars and up to three one-on-one coaching sessions with CoreAlign staff and/or faculty. Fellows will also organize and participate in monthly, small group peer-coaching calls throughout the course of the fellowship.
Both fellowships are heavily self-directed, meaning that you decide your own pacing and progress. We estimate most fellows spend between 5-15 hours per month on their projects – sometimes more.
The two four-day/three-night retreats are typically held in Northern California. Attendance at both retreats is required. Fellows are also required to attend up to three webinars and up to three one-on-one coaching sessions with CoreAlign staff and/or faculty. Fellows will also organize and participate in monthly, small group peer-coaching calls throughout the course of the fellowship.
Both fellowships are heavily self-directed, meaning that you decide your own pacing and progress. We estimate most fellows spend between 5-15 hours per month on their projects – sometimes more.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY “FINAL ACTIVITY DELIVERABLE”?
Each fellow is expected to submit a final activity that shares something meaningful and useful to you about your project or the fellowship process. This can look like many things such as: a blog post about the fellowship experience, a TED-style talk to pitch your project to funders, an infographic to explain the problem you’re interested in, etc. What you submit is completely designed and decided by you.
I WORK FULL TIME. HOW WILL I FIND TIME TO WORK ON MY PROJECT?
Most CoreAlign fellows work full time. If you expect that you are unable to attend both retreats and participate in the monthly webinars and/or calls, please consider applying at a different time. Applications for both fellowships will be considered every six months. It is also useful to consider what scale of project is realistic given other commitments and the time you can make available for the fellowship. Coming in with a realistic expectation makes the commitment more compassionate and sustainable.
WHERE ARE THE RETREATS LOCATED?
To date, all retreats have been held in Northern California.
DO I HAVE TO PAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FELLOWSHIP OR TO ATTEND THE RETREATS?
CoreAlign strives to engage with as many leaders as possible to create large scale behavior and culture change in the reproductive health, rights, and justice movement. As we began our programs, we fulfilled this commitment by covering the entire cost of each fellow’s participation in our programs. As CoreAlign matures as an organization, we are transitioning to a sliding scale for program fees and will provide a limited number of travel scholarships to participants. This will ensure that our programs will continue to engage and train leaders for many years to come. Since we recognize that this is a shift for participants, we will phase in our sliding scale model throughout 2017 beginning with an initial scale that requires a limited investment by participants. By 2018, we will have transitioned to our final program fee sliding scale.
CoreAlign invests approximately $10,000 per participant to provide each 8 month Fellowship cohort experience. Our costs include curriculum development and delivery by our faculty, fellowship materials, accommodations at our retreat sites, staff time and resources. The generous support of foundations allows us to provide a sliding scale for our program fees that are within reach for a wide range of individuals and organizations. The following list covers training fees based on an organization’s most recent annual budget or a foundation’s assets:
Non-profits budgets over 4M: $1,000
Non-profits budgets 1M - 3.99M: $500
Non-profits budgets under 1M: $250
Individual: $150
CoreAlign invests approximately $10,000 per participant to provide each 8 month Fellowship cohort experience. Our costs include curriculum development and delivery by our faculty, fellowship materials, accommodations at our retreat sites, staff time and resources. The generous support of foundations allows us to provide a sliding scale for our program fees that are within reach for a wide range of individuals and organizations. The following list covers training fees based on an organization’s most recent annual budget or a foundation’s assets:
Non-profits budgets over 4M: $1,000
Non-profits budgets 1M - 3.99M: $500
Non-profits budgets under 1M: $250
Individual: $150
WHAT IF I NEED CHILDCARE DURING THE RETREATS?
CoreAlign is committed to ensuring that parents are supported and able to participate in immersive retreats. Childcare support may be available upon request. Please contact us at fellowships@corealign.org for more details.
IS THE FELLOWSHIP A PAID POSITION/ OPPORTUNITY?
CoreAlign fellowships are not paid positions. It is a six- to eight-month training and leadership development opportunity, where you pick the project you want to work on, and CoreAlign provides the tools, frameworks, practice space, staff and peer-based support to support you in doing that work.
WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION?
A successful application is complete, clear and honest. The application questions are designed to have you demonstrate your alignment with each respective fellowship’s candidate requirements. In addition to the application, the next step in the application process involves a Google Hangout or Skype interview with CoreAlign staff. The interview is an opportunity for us to learn more about you, discuss your application, go over the fellowship's format and goals and address any questions you may have.
Both fellowships are about creating a culture of innovation and courageous collaboration – the process is just as important as the project.
Both fellowships are about creating a culture of innovation and courageous collaboration – the process is just as important as the project.
WILL MY APPLICATION BE CONFIDENTIAL?
Yes. Your application will only be read by CoreAlign staff, and held internally by us. We understand that people often want to work on issues that require confidentiality and sensitivity; if you are chosen as a fellow, how you talk about and publicize your project will be up to you.
WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES WILL COREALIGN PROVIDE TO HELP ME SEE MY PROJECT THROUGH?
During your introductory retreat, CoreAlign staff and faculty introduce skills, methodologies and tools that you will utilize for the development of your project. Having two immersive retreats gives us the opportunity to practice a shared language together and the space to come together to “try-on” the different mindsets and attitudes that support innovation, radical collaboration and movement building.
During the fellowship, fellows are required to participate in a number of webinars that offer a deeper dive on innovation concepts and practices. You are also assigned to a small group for fellows that will connect monthly and provide peer-coaching for each other. Lastly you will receive individual coaching from CoreAlign staff and faculty. Throughout the fellowship, CoreAlign staff members are here to help identify the best available support for you.
During the fellowship, fellows are required to participate in a number of webinars that offer a deeper dive on innovation concepts and practices. You are also assigned to a small group for fellows that will connect monthly and provide peer-coaching for each other. Lastly you will receive individual coaching from CoreAlign staff and faculty. Throughout the fellowship, CoreAlign staff members are here to help identify the best available support for you.
CAN I TALK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS COMPLETED THE FELLOWSHIP?
Yes! You can see lists of current and alumni fellows and their projects on the Meet our fellows page. If you’d like to be connected to one of them, contact us at fellowships@corealign.org.
MORE QUESTIONS?
Please email the fellowship team at fellowships@corealign.org!
