Start Your Nonprofit Career With a Fellowship Program

By 2010 ProInspire Fellow Crystal Moore

We're on the final day of our 5 Days of Giving series on the blog with the goal of
helping each and every one of you with your goals to change the world, in both big and small ways.

So you have already made the decision that you would like to start a career in the nonprofit sector, but you're not sure how to make the switch. I've been there. It's not easy, but with the help of fellowship programs like ProInspire, I was able to circumvent a lot of the challenges that come with switching from the corporate to nonprofit sector.

Prior to my ProInspire Fellowship at DC Public Schools I worked for Accenture in their Washington, DC Office. After four years, I felt that I had developed my skills in a way that would allow me to effectively contribute to the education sector, and I wanted to align these skills with my passion for social responsibility and improving and enhancing educational opportunities. However, I wasn’t clear on how to transition my career into the social sector without having to start in an entry-level role. The ProInspire Fellowship Program essentially served as a catalyst for helping me to find a high-impact role at an organization that aligned with both my passion for education reform and social change, and my current skills.

Value of Formal Fellowship Programs
In addition to helping to place you into a meaningful and high-impact role within a nonprofit, fellowship programs typically offer professional development programs that accelerate your transition into the social sector. Through workshops, coaching and leadership development, you will be able to build the competencies that are most valuable to the social sector.

Additionally, fellowship programs offer the opportunity to expand your professional connections within the social sector. Fellowships are designed to provide access to well-established nonprofit professionals who have a real interest in the fellow's professional growth and development.

Nonprofit Fellowships to Consider
The Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs is a full-time, nine month, graduate-level experiential leadership training program that prepares diverse, talented and committed individuals for effective and ethical leadership in public affairs. Unconventional by traditional academic standards, the Fellows Program is rigorous and demanding, an unparalleled opportunity for personal and professional growth. The Fellows Program is offered in Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and St. Louis.

The IDEX Fellowship is a paid 10-month field placement in a social enterprise that offers cultural and social immersion into the field of social enterprise for college graduates interested in launching a career in the sector. Fellows are strategically placed to work with entrepreneurs to develop a blueprint for change. IDEX Fellows work in social enterprises span across five focus areas: Market Knowledge & Insights; Strategy & Operations; Business Development; Innovation & Sustainability; Impact Assessment & Analysis.

The Broad Residency is a leadership development program that places participants into full-time high-level managerial positions in school districts, CMOs, and federal/state departments of education. While working, Broad Residents receive two years of professional development and access to a nationwide network of education leaders. Residents are often tasked with leading major projects like opening new schools, leading budgeting processes, increasing operational efficiencies, improving human resources, or supporting the launch of major policy initiatives.

Education Pioneers offers an Analyst Fellowship for recent graduates with 2 full years of full-time professional work experience in analytical roles. The Analyst Fellowship places talented early career professionals with private sector experience in mission-critical roles in school districts, charter management organizations, nonprofits and other leading education organizations. Analyst Fellows leverage the skills and knowledge gained from the private sector to analyze and manage strategic, data-based projects and accelerate Education Pioneers Partners' pace of reform. Complemented by professional development workshops, mentorship, and community service projects, the Analyst Fellowship provides introductory exposure and access to successful leaders, organizations, and reform initiatives in urban education.

These are just four of my favorite fellowship programs, but there are many others, including: New Sector Alliance Summer Fellowship, City Hall Fellows, The Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, Global Health Corps, and The IDEO.org Fellowship Program. Whether you are several years out of college or just starting your career, formal fellowship programs give you the opportunity to do something new, impactful, and meaningful in a structured way.

**** 

Crystal Moore was a 2010 ProInspire Fellow in Washington, DC with DC Public School Office of Secondary School Transformation. She is now a 2013 MBA candidate at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.