Apply to the Fortis Fellowship

You built your own way in

You come from a low-income background, and you're the first in your family to take the path you're on. Tell us what you had to work out alone that others were handed.

You're building for someone else too

Your work makes other people's lives better. It doesn't have to be a nonprofit or a job with "impact" in the title. Members do this from hospitals, courts, ministries, classrooms, studios, banks, small businesses, and startups.

You have already started

Tell us the scale of what you want to change, and what you've done so far that suggests you can.

You're happy to help others

A network is worth what its members give it. Fortis runs on people who make introductions, share what they know, and show up for other members.

Most people spend two to three hours on the application. Every application is read against the four criteria above by members of the society.

A conversation with the recruitment committee. Expect to be pushed on something you wrote. We send a short guide beforehand so you know what the interview will cover.

Every candidate gets an answer, including those we turn down. New fellows are matched with a member as a mentor, and the six months begin.

Do I need to be nominated?

We welcome nominations from current members and peer organizations to help us reach a broad range of sectors, but a nomination doesn't replace an application. Every candidate, nominated or not, submits the same application and is read against the same four criteria above.

Does my sector matter?

We're open to all sectors with the goal of a cross-sector cohort. We are actively looking for people in the arts, education, government, and healthcare.

Do I need a degree?

No. There is no education requirement. We have deliberately designed the application to work for people who took various routes to build their careers.

How early in my career should I be?

We are open to any years of work experience, though new cohorts skew towards people with one to five years of full-time work experience. We're especially focused on people under five years into full-time work, because the network changes a trajectory most when it arrives early.

Does my location matter?

We build every cohort for global representation, with members across regions and a deliberate effort to reach the parts of the world where Fortis is still thinnest. Latin America is one of those regions, and it's where our next summit is, so you'll see extra recruitment effort there this cycle. We're open to applicants everywhere and expect this class to span many regions.

What does it cost?

Nothing to apply, and nothing for the fellowship. Your cohort days and the summit are funded. 

What is the time commitment?

From January to June, 2-4 hours of monthly virtual sessions and mentorship, at a pace that assumes you have a demanding job. Then four days in Medellín. After that, we host the summit each year with additional local gatherings. 

Can I reapply?

Yes. There is a new cohort every year, and each one is chosen as a group, so a candidate can reapply each cycle.