Carnegie Young Leaders Fellowship

C&S is opening applications for the next class of Carnegie Young Leaders, a fellowship that brings together young people ages 14-24 who have bold ideas to solve real-world challenges in their communities. The program is built on the belief that leaning in to lived experience can unlock lasting solutions and when youth work together with peers–they can go further, faster.

Carnegie Young Leaders form a five-person team and develop a shared project that addresses a pressing issue they have observed or experienced in their community. Over the course of the year-long fellowship, teams receive funding, mentorship, training and access to a national network as they work together to take their project from idea to impact.

What you’ll get from the Carnegie Young Leaders experience:

• Up to $7,500 in funding to support your project and time
• Coaching to guide your way
• Access to a comprehensive curriculum to guide project implementation and leadership development

Opportunity for in-person learning at a kickoff convening in New Brunswick, NJ

• Continuous project development support and networking through bi-monthly community of practice meetings and a secure online engagement platform.

The first class of 500 Carnegie Young Leaders are currently working across 100 teams to address issues including voting accessibility, disaster preparedness, mental health awareness and climate change. By joining Carnegie Young Leaders, you’re part of a growing network of young people, as well as coaches, educators and seasoned social entrepreneurs across the country who are seeding and cultivating tangible change in their communities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Form a five-person team with peers
• Develop a shared project that addresses a pressing issue you have observed or experienced in your community
• Work collaboratively over the course of the year-long fellowship to take your project from idea to impact
• Participate in training, coaching, and networking opportunities

QUALIFICATIONS/ELIGIBILITY

• • Ages 14–24
  • Based in any of the 50 states or Washington, D.C.
  • Interested in addressing a real-world issue in your community
  • Willing to collaborate as part of a team

Applicants do not need to already have a project up and running. We welcome ideas that may still be at the concept stage and leaders who are just beginning their journey as changemakers.

We especially encourage applicants from states where we have not yet had teams: CT, DE, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND, RI, SD, UT, VT, WV, WI, WY.

Proposal ideas can cover anything from climate and community health to education, immigration and economic opportunity. Projects should aim to reach at least 75 people in person or 300 online. We're especially interested in projects where Fellows bring people together across differences, use reliable evidence, and turn what they learn into community-driven action.

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, AND SCHEDULE

• $2.5K stipend for team lead
• $1K stipend for each team member
• Up to $1K in reimbursement funding to support project planning and implementation

Stipends are distributed in several installments over the course of the program, spaced about 1–2 months apart. Stipends are dependent on each Fellows’ participation in coaching meetings, bi-monthly meetings, and active work on their project.