The Livingston Fellowship provides advanced learning opportunities to promising community-centered leaders who hold significant leadership roles in Colorado’s social sector. This innovative professional development opportunity reflects Bonfils-Stanton Foundation’s commitment to invest in the sector’s greatest assets—its leaders.  

The Livingston Fellowship is a $40,000 award for senior-level leaders that recognizes past contributions to the social sector and enhances their leadership through ongoing personal and professional development experiences. New fellows are invited to develop their own unique plan with the support of the foundation and alumni network. The foundation creates a space to pause and encourage reflection and creativity, as leaders imagine what is possible through the fellowship.

For nearly 20 years, fellows have traveled nationally and abroad, participated in academic programs, met with other leaders in their fields, and imagined and created life-changing experiences that inspire creativity, shift their worldview and bolster resiliency and well-being. Over time, the Livingston Fellow alumni network has grown along with the peer support, learning, and connections among the group, which inspires the fellows to strive toward and lead transformative change across the Denver Metro area.

Beginning in 2025, in recognition of leaders working in for-profit settings, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation is expanding the Livingston Fellowship eligibility criteria to include community-driven leaders working outside of the nonprofit sector, but with very clear eligibility criteria as detailed below.

Community-centered leaders of Denver Metro area-based organizations catalyzing systemic change who:

• Lead a 501(c)(3) or fiscally sponsored arts, culture, humanities, youth development, human/social services, health, environment, and science nonprofit organization OR for-profit business with a social purpose based in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, or Jefferson counties.

• Serve full-time in a senior-level, paid position with significant responsibilities for the programmatic and/or operational activities of the organization or enterprise.

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Candidate’s employing organizations

Nonprofits:

• Organization must fully support the candidate’s application, subsequent fellowship plan and be prepared to address organizational management needs during the candidate’s absence

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For-profits:

• Operate as a for-profit or social enterprise whose primary purpose is to directly address social needs, work in close proximity to and for the benefit of community and create systemic change  

• Provide assurances from community partner(s) of the business’s community focus

• Organization must fully support the candidate’s application, subsequent fellowship plan and be prepared to address organizational management needs during the candidate’s absence

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Ineligible candidates

• Elected officials, employees of governmental agencies

• Employees of community, corporate, private or family foundations or family offices

• Employees of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, a trustee of the Foundation, or a relative or partner of any employee or trustee of the Foundation

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Candidate Evaluation Criteria

• Proven Leadership: Demonstrated impact and leadership within their field

• Growth Potential: An awareness of areas for personal growth to explore through the Fellowship

• Equity Champions: A track-record of advancing equity and dismantling structural racism in organizations and systems

• Learning Readiness: An eagerness to engage in personal and professional development

• Future Visionaries: Individuals poised to make unique and significant contributions to the sector

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Additional candidate considerations:

• Intends to serve several years as a leader in their current organization, other nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, and/or in a position that would have considerable influence on the social sector;

• Potential to be a transformational leader and opinion-shaper within the community and with other social sector leaders;

• Committed to examining the history and culture of the social sector, making significant contributions to shaping more equitable practices and policies and exploring new solutions to complex challenges;

• Desire to share with, learn from, and meaningfully engage with community members, leaders, and peers, including the Livingston Fellow alumni network; and

• Prioritize the integration of the fellowship experience with personal and professional commitments.

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‍Nominations

November

• Submit nominations online at the above link beginning on November 8. Nominations must be submitted by 11:59 pm MT on Monday, December 2, 2024.

• Candidates are identified through nominations from program alumni, community members and self-nominations.

• Fellowship selection is based on the quality and impact of each nominee’s work, their individual merits, contributions to community, and potential to make a difference and NOT on the number of nominations received. One to two nominations are sufficient for each candidate.

• To assist with the submission process, a PDF of the nomination is available - Nomination PDF Download. The form is designed to capture information on candidates and nominators. If you are self-nominating, you will complete each section as yourself and respond to the questions in first-person.  

December

• After the December 2^nd deadline, Bonfils-Stanton staff will contact eligible candidates nominated by a community member and share a copy of their nomination. Candidates will have the opportunity to provide additional relevant information should they choose. Responses will be entirely optional and not required to advance to the panel review stage of the selection process. Eligible self-nominated candidates will automatically move to the panel review.

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Finalist Applications, Interviews & Selection

January

• A selection panel composed of Colorado community leaders who bring a breadth of experience will be convened to review nominations and recommend a group of finalists.

• Finalists identified by the panel will be invited to submit a full application which includes a resume, personal reflections on their leadership philosophy, goals and lived experiences, as well as an endorsement from their board chair or business associate with assurances that the organization supports their application and is prepared to address organizational management needs during the candidate’s absence if selected as a fellow.
  

February

• Interviews are conducted at the candidate’s workplace by representatives from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation staff and Livingston Fellowship alumni network.

March

• Fellow recommendations are considered and approved by the Board of Trustees of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation who determines each class of Livingston Fellows.

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Orientation, Plan Development & Network Engagement

April - May

• Fellows will participate in an orientation and 2025 class retreat where they will be invited to develop their personal fellowship plan.

• Attend a springtime reception to welcome new fellows into the fellowship community.

Ongoing

• Fellows will have the opportunity to come together with other fellows in different settings throughout the year. These activities are intended to build on their experiences and to foster a sense of community and collaboration among peers through continued exploration of issues and ideas of importance and concern to the social sector.

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