The Movement Leader Fellowship is run by Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice (LDSJ), an institute of City College of New York and the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. It is designed to fit alongside full-time movement work.
From January to July 2027, fellows take a virtual graduate-level Power & Strategy course, attend two week-long in-person retreats, and receive individual leadership coaching within a national peer cohort.
Benefits & funding
- LDSJ puts the full cost at about $27,600 per fellow, covering tuition, travel, lodging, meals, course materials and coaching.
- Each fellow must contribute $500; a limited number of scholarships cover those who cannot pay anything.
- The fellow’s organization is asked to contribute on a sliding scale: $2,500, $4,000 or $7,500, by annual budget.
- Courses carry CUNY college credit.
Eligibility
- Must be based in the United States; no nationality is barred.
- Must commit to every component: the weekly virtual class and both retreats.
- LDSJ’s ideal candidate (preferences, not hard bars): 10–15 years of social justice experience; full-time work in a member-accountable power-building organization, overseeing a team, budget or campaign; currently leading a strategic campaign; handling complex leadership such as managing managers; connected to historically oppressed communities.
- Applicants from historically marginalized backgrounds are strongly encouraged.
Can you apply?
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Application process
- 1Submit the online form with a résumé and four essays of up to 500 words (experience, strategy, power, vision) by 19 October 2026.
- 2Have a supervisor or board member email a letter of support: recommended now, required if you are invited to interview.
- 3Shortlisted applicants interview in early November; cohort invitations go out by email in early November.
Program timeline
Final application deadline
19 Oct 2026
Interviews and cohort invitations
Early Nov 2026
Virtual course begins
28 Jan 2027
Retreat 1
21–26 Mar 2027
Retreat 2; fellowship ends
18–23 Jul 2027