Trinity Leadership Fellows FAQs
Program Questions
What are the in-person program dates for the 2025 cohort?
The Trinity Leadership Fellows program will start in person at Trinity Church in New York City on September 14, 2025. Fellows are required to attend activities during the week of September 14-19, 2025. The rest of the year will be online. The 2025 fellows will meet again in person, most likely from September 14–18, 2026.
What is the overall time commitment?
The structured part of the fellowship lasts 24 months. There are two weeklong, in-person gatherings in New York City (one at the beginning of the program and the second at the end of the first year).
During the first year, fellows are expected to invest 3-4 hours per week in an array of live-online or asynchronous, self-directed learning and study activities.
In the second year, fellows are expected to invest 2-4 hours per month in meeting with their mentors and peer groups, as well as taking elective courses they deem useful to their work. The second year is a time for fellows to implement a project they conceived during the first year or work on a personal development goal with their mentors.
At the end of the program, fellows receive lifetime membership in the Society of Trinity Leadership Fellows.
What core courses are fellows required to take?
- Faithful Leadership: Understanding Yourself as a Leader – An introspective and deeply reflective class to maximize your potential as a leader and provide a values-based foundation for the rest of the program
- Understanding Your Community and Organizing for Mission – Learn the core principles and strategies for organizing from faith-inspired organizers who have brought about significant change in their communities.
- Conflict Transformation – A course focused on leading through multi-party disputes and post-conflict reconciliation
- Change Management and Organizational Development – Learn to faithfully lead through cultural, social, and institutional change.
- Church and Non-Profit Administration – A course focused on the essential techniques of managing organizations
- Adaptive Leadership and Systems Thinking – Learn the core theories of Adaptive Leadership contextualized for faith leaders in the modern world.
- Social Entrepreneurship – A course that examines the practice of identifying, starting, and growing mission-driven ventures that serve the common good and the flourishing of all people
Fellows may also take elective courses on their own:
- Faith and Finance – A course focused on financial administration, budgeting, decision making, and the theology of economics
- Mission Real Estate Development – An introduction to building sustainable financial capacity for ministry through the creative development of mission-aligned, income-producing real estate projects that have a direct social impact on the surrounding neighborhood
- DIFFERENCE – A course developed in partnership with the Archbishop of Canterbury to encourage faithfulness in a complex and divided world
Who will be teaching in the program?
Instructors are academics and practitioners with deep experience in their fields, representing leading seminaries, senior faith leaders in Christian churches and denominations, and academics from top secular institutions, including the Harvard Kennedy School.
Who will be mentoring the fellows?
Mentors are senior leaders from the church at large and from the nonprofit, business, and public policy worlds. They are chosen for their experience, commitment to leading from their faith and values, and the wisdom they can offer emerging leaders.
Does the program extend accommodations to applicants and fellows with disabilities?
Yes. Trinity will extend reasonable accommodations so that applicants and fellows with disabilities can fully participate in our process and our program. Applicants with disabilities who require assistance in completing the application should contact our team at TLFellows@trinitychurchnyc.org to discuss the accommodation process.
How much does the program cost?
The program is fully funded by Trinity Church. All program-related travel, lodging, and educational materials are covered by the program. Assistance funds for family care during orientation week are available.
What is included in the fellowship?
Participation in two weeklong gatherings (travel, including economy airfare to/from the event, lodging, and some meals during the events) during the time of your fellowship
Fellows receive a stipend of $5,000 USD.
Fellows receive a budget of up to $3,000 to take additional classes beyond our core curriculum at the university, college, or seminary of their choice.
Episcopalian fellows who qualify for curacy support will receive 50% of their salary and key benefits paid directly to their diocese or parish.
Exposure to opportunities provided by Trinity programming, such as speaking engagements and workshops
Participation in Trinity’s Society of Leadership Fellows, a group of global faith leaders poised to change the narrative of religious engagement with the world
Lifetime access to FaithLeadershipCampus.org, Trinity’s digital education platform
Eligibility Questions
Do I have to be Christian to apply?
No, this program welcomes leaders of all religious traditions. But please note that our curriculum will be framed from the Christian perspective.
Do I have to be ordained?
No, the Trinity Leadership Fellows program is open to both ordained and lay leaders in every religious tradition and every vocation.
Do I have to work at a church or nonprofit to qualify?
No, TLF is open to people in all professions.
What is the minimum educational requirement?
A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. Fellows must demonstrate proficiency in online and self-guided learning in addition to a facility with theoretical ideas.
What if I do not have a bachelor’s degree?
Trinity will accept the equivalent of a bachelor's degree, as determined by the relevant country's standards. At this time, the fellowship is not offered to applicants without a post-secondary education degree.
Is English proficiency required?
Yes, advanced English proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking are required as all programs are offered in English.
Is the program open to non-U.S. Citizens or residents?
Yes, the program is open to citizens and residents of any country. Successful applicants must be able to secure a travel visa to the United States for the residential weeks in New York City. Trinity cannot sponsor fellows for educational or employment visas.
Do you offer visa sponsorships?
No, the TLF is unable to offer sponsorship for work or student visas to the United States.
Can I apply if I have childcare responsibilities?
Yes, Trinity will provide special accommodations for parents including childcare stipends during the in-person weeks at Trinity. Unfortunately, Trinity cannot pay for your children to fly to New York City with you.
Do I need to have health insurance to participate in TLF?
Trinity requires that all participants have health insurance that provides coverage in the United States during the in-person gatherings in New York City. Participants whose health insurance will not cover them while in New York are required to purchase travel insurance for those weeks.
Is there an age requirement?
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age; there is no age limit to be a fellow. Please note that this program is intended for emerging leaders and aims to serve those with up to 15 years of professional experience. Those with no leadership experience or with many decades of leadership experience are less competitive in this program.
What if I have more than 15 years of experience but still wish to apply?
Those with substantial faith leadership experience might be interested in serving as a mentor for the incoming class of fellows. Although we only need to add a few new mentors each year, experienced leaders with 15 or more years of experience may reach out to TLFellows@TrinityChurchNYC.org to be considered for a mentor role. Anyone interested in the program may also go to www.faithleadershipcampus.org and request a link to take the courses individually or with a group.
I have a great desire to lead but haven’t put it into action yet. Am I eligible to apply?
The fellowship program seeks to develop faith leaders who have already shown meaningful impact in their communities. If you are still in the process of developing your vision and haven’t yet put your skills into action, then this fellowship may not be the right fit for you.
Can I apply on behalf of a leader in my group/organization/denomination?
No, applications are reviewed based on the individual and not their institutional affiliation.
Can I apply if I’m a member of the congregation at Trinity Church?
Yes.
Can I apply if I’m a grantee of Trinity Church?
Yes.
Application Process Questions
When is the deadline for the application?
January 31, 2025 at 5pm/17:00 Eastern Time/New York City time.
How is my application reviewed?
The Leadership Development team along with Trinity clergy, staff, and a select number of TLF alumni will review your application. A small group of applicants will be selected for online interviews. Candidates will be assessed based on the criteria listed here.
What documentation must I provide?
You must upload your resume. If invited to an interview, you will also need to provide a copy of your transcript(s) from undergraduate and graduate studies.
How should I select my references?
Your references should be able to speak from direct experience and observation about your capacities in leadership roles. Ideally, they can also speak about how your faith shapes your leadership. References will be contacted only for those who are invited to interview.
Is there an application fee?
No.
Can I send my application by mail?
No. All applications must be submitted online to be considered eligible.
How are interviews conducted?
Interviews will be conducted online over Zoom or another online communication platform.
Do I have to be nominated?
No, the application system is open to all. If chosen for an interview, we ask that all ordained Episcopal clergy and those seeking ordination provide a letter or email from their bishop or supervisor stating that they may participate in this program.
I am an Episcopal seminary student. How do I apply for curacy support?
As part of its mission to help emerging faith leaders serve more effectively, the TLF program is committed to ensuring new Episcopal clergy receive training and mentorship through a curacy. Trinity offers financial support to a limited number of fellows in their first placements following ordination in The Episcopal Church (USA) as curates. The goal of the curacy support is to help Episcopal ordinands and their bishops identify the best placement for their growth and development as priests. The curacy support includes 50% of a fellow’s salary and key benefits, reimbursing the diocese or parish directly. This support starts at the beginning of the Trinity Leadership Fellows program or when the fellow becomes a curate and is available for the duration of the fellowship, so long as the fellow remains in the curacy position. Seminary students with expected graduation dates in 2026 should apply to TLF by January 31, 2025, to be considered for curacy support. Seminarians who are graduating in May of 2025, but have not yet identified a call, should contact us at TLFellows@trinitychurchnyc.org to determine if you qualify for this support.
What if I’m an Episcopal seminarian not seeking curacy support?
Seminarians not seeking curacy support may apply to start the program after graduation. Seminarians with expected graduation dates in 2025 should apply by January 31, 2025, to be considered for the 2025 cohort.
When will I be notified of the results of my application?
Successful applicants will be notified by early April 2025.