Children and Family Fellowship

A prestigious leadership program for outstanding executives who can steer and influence organizations serving children, youth and families.

An intensive applied leadership program — now in its third decade — that develops the potential of leaders at the helm of nonprofit, philanthropic and public organizations to improve the life circumstances and prospects of children, youth and families living in low-income communities. The Children and Family Fellowship^® strives to increase the pool of diverse, visionary leaders with the confidence and competence to lead and sustain major system reforms and community change initiatives. These leaders understand how race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation and language affect service delivery, policy, practice and advocacy and are committed to achieving equitable results.

Bring together leaders from varied professional backgrounds, geographic regions and racial and ethnic groups that form a powerful learning community.

Provide those who participate in our programs, called Fellows, with a series of opportunities for professional development and personal growth, including executive seminars, peer consultations and individual coaching.

Hone the skills of participants in making data-driven decisions; developing effective strategies; understanding systems; leading through complexity and ambiguity; and collaborating.

Offer nine four-day seminars that build the competencies of Fellows to achieve results and equitable opportunities for kids and families. The seminars help advance the Fellows' results work, provide opportunities to explore leadership challenges and introduce them to leaders and organizations who are producing measurable results for children and families.

Fellows are working in leadership positions serving children and families in communities around the country:

Three Fellows are leading philanthropic organizations and infusing their organizations with data-driven approaches to achieving equity.
More than 100 Fellows shared their experiences working on behalf of kids and families in the book Developing Leaders.
Three Fellows in Minnesota are collaborating to strengthen family financial stability.
A Fellow is helming the planning effort to eradicate poverty in Washington State in 10 years.
A Fellow is helping Appalachian students succeed by boosting kindergarten readiness in rural communities.
The top-level result for the subsidized and mixed-income housing communities served by a Fellow’s organization is that families are not only stable but thriving.
Two Fellows in the Seattle area are using results-based leadership to achieve housing stability for families of color experiencing homelessness.

An evaluation of the Fellowship found that the intensive leadership program helped social-sector executives transform the way their organizations worked on behalf of children in low-income communities. Fellows were able to embed a data-driven approach into organizational strategies, work practices and equity initiatives and extend that approach to their partners.

Every three years, the Fellowship accepts nominations and applications.

The Fellowship seeks talented, accomplished and ambitious professionals from across the country who want to strengthen public and nonprofit systems in ways that make them more effective, efficient, equitable and reliable. The Foundation seeks people who strive for excellence and for measurable and equitable results, who want to accelerate their professional and personal development and who want to amplify their effectiveness and make a greater difference.

Candidates typically must have the following:

a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the social sector, with increasing levels of responsibility serving children and families (for example, directors, deputies, program managers, department heads and executives);
a strong record of achievement and career advancement, with sights on even higher levels of effectiveness and influence;
an appreciation for engaging affected populations in solutions;
an understanding of how race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation and language affect service delivery, policy, practice, advocacy and leadership decisions;
a commitment to closing disparity gaps and achieving equitable opportunities for all children, youth and their families — most specifically those experiencing barriers to their full potential;
a willingness to grapple with and work in complexity and ambiguity; and
an openness to self-reflection and continuous learning as part of personal growth.

Since launching in 1993, 12 cohorts have participated in the Children and Family Fellowship. Learn more about the leaders who participated in each class.

One of the greatest long-term benefits of the Fellowship is the opportunity for all Fellows to join a nationwide network of 155 influential Casey Fellows.

The Network does the following:

supports collaborative activities among Fellows and encourages them to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and expertise of other Fellows;
serves as a source of peer support and consultation to Fellows as they confront leadership, organizational and personal challenges;
meets annually and conducts ongoing professional development activities; and
offers ongoing consultation and leadership to the Fellowship program and the Foundation.

From the Blog

A Black man converses with a Black woman in a business setting. As the man explains the woman listens intently.

Nominations and Application Open for 2025–2027 Casey Children and Family Fellowship

The Casey Foundation is seeking nominations and applications for its Children and Family Fellowship®. Learn more about the program and how to participate.

Thirty Years of Leading for Results

Developing Leaders shares lessons from the Casey Foundation's Children and Family Fellowship, which celebrated 30 years in 2023. Explore the book.

Using Results Count to Realize the Promise of Equity for All

Learn how PolicyLink leverages Results Count's data-driven approach to advance equity.

About the Children and Family Fellowship

Webinar for Potential Fellowship Applicants

This webinar reviewed the Fellowship selection process and criteria, as well as featured three recent Fellows talking about their experience and responding to questions.

Two Children and Family Fellows Speak About the Fellowship

This video features two leaders in the nonprofit sector talking about their experience in the Children and Family Fellowship. Learn what led these leaders to apply to the Fellowship, how the Fellowship has helped them focus on results and advice they have for future Fellows.

Perspective on the Fellowship From a Fellow’s CEO

This video features a nonprofit CEO who had a member of her senior leadership team participate in the Children and Family Fellowship. The CEO talks about her experience supervising and supporting a Fellow.