Stanton Fellowship
Current Status:
April 1: Application Opens
June 24: Application Closes
August 4-27: Site Visits
Early September: Award Notifications
January 2027: In-person Orientation
For any inquiries, please reach out to admin@durfee.org.
The Eligibility Criteria section lists the requirements organizations must have to apply. The Review Criteria section describes what makes a strong application.
Eligibility Criteria
Individual candidates for this program should:
- Be a resident of Los Angeles County
- Be at an organization located and working in Los Angeles County*
- Be an established leader with at least 10 years of demonstrated impact in the nonprofit sector, government, or as an artist, movement leader, or social entrepreneur. The fellowship provides supplemental funding and cannot serve as the recipient’s sole source of income.
- Be in a position to influence peers, policymakers, and/or the general public
- Present a clearly articulated proposal to work on a big question over a two-year period
- Need financial assistance to underwrite the project
- Desire to participate in a cross-disciplinary network of leaders
- Commit to participating in an overnight orientation, overnight culmination, and six day-long meetings over two years
- Develop a plan for devoting a minimum of three months over the two-year fellowship period to the project, in increments of no less than two weeks at a time
- Not currently having institutional or academic support for this type of inquiry
- Not have received a Durfee Sabbatical within the last five years
Durfee is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek organizations whose mission, values, and staff are rooted in and reflect the communities they serve. We encourage applications from organizations that work with historically marginalized communities, including but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQ, and low-income communities, among others.
Questions? Please contact Durfee at admin@durfee.org
*Any eligibility criteria with an asterisk will have more information in the FAQ section below. Please refer to that if you’d like to learn more.
Review Criteria
The Stanton review panel will consider each application in light of these questions:
Is this the right person?
- Is the candidate a thought leader in his/her field and widely recognized?
- Is the candidate a “go-to” leader around the proposed inquiry topic?
- Is the candidate open to experimentation, and pursuing new and unexpected paths within the inquiry in a nonlinear fashion?
- Does the candidate have a platform and network for learning and dissemination of knowledge? (leadership position at an agency, influential community presence, media voice, etc.)
- Is there evidence that the candidate will be able to break away from the day-to-day and honor the program requirement to take blocks of time of not less than two weeks?
- Would the candidate be an engaged participant in the peer cohort, interested in sharing information, and learning from others?
- Does the candidate lack access to opportunities for research and inquiry? For example, a tenure-track professor or student at a university would not be eligible because they have access to research and inquiry. While we recognize that research funding is always in demand, the Stanton Fellowship is designed for leaders who typically do not have access to these opportunities.
Is this the right inquiry?
- Will the proposed inquiry have direct impact on Los Angeles?
- Has the candidate clearly articulated an inquiry that addresses a complex challenge?
- Does the candidate have a clearly articulated plan for initiating the inquiry?
- Does the proposed inquiry break new ground?
- Is the work plan sufficiently sketched out to be feasible in the Stanton time frame?
- Has the candidate given adequate thought to how s/he will expend Stanton resources and his/her time?
Is this the right time?
- Is the applicant at the right point in his/her career for a Stanton inquiry?
- Is there urgency around the proposed inquiry? Do external circumstances suggest that this topic should be pursued now
- Will the candidate’s schedule and circumstances be stable for the fellowship? If a candidate anticipates a professional transition in the near future she/he should not apply.
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are individuals only eligible if they are located and work in Los Angeles County?
The Durfee Foundation is a place-based grantmaker, investing in people and possibilities in Los Angeles County. Additionally, Durfee convenes folks at venues in Los Angeles during the grant year. Convening and relationship building is central to our programs, and we’d like this opportunity to be offered to all staff at organizations.
What is a “big question” or “inquiry”?
A Stanton inquiry is a question that matters for Los Angeles County and does not have a clear or immediate answer, even within two years. It often sits at the intersection of multiple issues or systems and may lead to new ideas, approaches, or collaborations.
Rather than proposing a specific solution, fellows begin with a question they want to explore. Over time, that inquiry may evolve, deepen, or take new directions as they learn.
What is an example of a Stanton Fellowship inquiry?
Stanton Fellowship inquiries vary by subject area. Please look at the descriptions of past fellowships by clicking the profiles. We presume that the inquiry will be substantially different from the candidate’s day-to-day work.
Project implementation, strategic planning for your organization, evaluations of existing programs, supporting the launch of a pilot program that has already been designed, or investment in a project already underway are not appropriate activities for a Stanton proposal.
What are appropriate uses of the Stanton Funds?
In addition to covering three months of salary and benefits, Stanton funds may be used for things like auxiliary space rental, research assistants, research materials, travel, translation services, conference fees, convening, facilitators, personal retreats, stipends for external collaborators, and meals for meetings. Funds may not be used for personal living expenses or stipends for staff members.
Do I have to be in a full-time paid leadership position to apply?
No. Stanton Fellowships are open to changemakers in the nonprofit sector and government, as well as artists, movement leaders, and social entrepreneurs. If you are currently employed, you should apply in that capacity.
Importantly, the fellowship provides supplemental funding and cannot serve as the recipient’s sole source of income.
How are the Stanton Fellows selected?
Fellows are selected by a review panel of past Stanton Fellows, along with Durfee trustees and staff. They use the review criteria and aim to create a vibrant, cross-sector cohort.
What expectations does the Foundation have about the Fellows’ outcomes?
The program is focused on inquiry rather than project implementation. Outcomes may be unknown, and the foundation does not expect one individual to solve a major challenge facing Los Angeles within two years. The goal is for fellows to ask critical questions, advance ideas, expand their practice, deepen community roots, and share lessons learned so the broader field can benefit.
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