Applications for the 2025–2027 Multicultural Fellowship Program cohort are now closed.
Go to our Careers page and review all open fellowship programs.
On the bottom of the Careers page, select and apply for your Multicultural Fellowship Program choice (People, Place, Power, or Strategic Learning & Evaluation).
Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter for their primary fellowship program choice by 11:59 pm PST on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Late applications will not be considered, and we do not offer extensions. You can only apply to ONE program. Supplemental materials will not be considered.
Your cover letter should communicate your commitment to equity, your approach to leadership, your interest in working with your chosen fellowship program team and in philanthropy, and dedication to personal and professional development through specific and demonstrable examples. Cover letters should not exceed one single spaced page. Letters of recommendations are not required and will not be considered if submitted.
At the discretion of the program team, applicants may be considered for other program areas.
Applicants selected to be interviewed will be contacted in mid-March. If selected, the interview process will occur from mid-March to early June and include at least three interviews with SFF staff.
Please review the Multicultural Fellowship Program FAQ below (or download the FAQ) for responses to common questions.
The San Francisco Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and seeks diversity with respect to race, ethnic, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical disability.
How do I apply to the Multicultural Fellowship Program? What should be included in my application?
Please submit your cover letter and resume to your primary fellowship program choice on SFF’s Careers page. Late applications will not be considered. We do not offer extensions. You can only apply to ONE fellowship program. Supplemental materials will not be considered.
Your cover letter should communicate your commitment to equity, your approach to leadership, your interest in working with your chosen fellowship program team, and your dedication to personal and professional development through specific and demonstrable examples.
What is the selection process and timeline?
In the first half of March, applications are read and reviewed.
First round interviews take place in mid- to late March virtually with the relevant Senior Director and/or current Fellow.
Second round interviews will take place in early to mid-April with three to five program team members.
Final candidates will then speak with San Francisco Foundation’s CEO and CIO. Reference and background checks will be completed for all final candidates. The four candidates selected for the fellowship program will receive offers between late April and early May. All applicants will be emailed with updates about their candidacy status.
I applied in the past and did not receive an offer, can I apply again?
Yes, we welcome re-applicants who believe their candidacy and interests are aligned with a program.
Do Fellows need to be located in the Bay Area?
Yes. We are a California-based employer and do not offer out-of-state employment opportunities. We require that staff be in a commutable distance to our office at One Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, California.
What benefits are offered to Fellows?
Fellows receive a competitive benefits package that includes vision, health and dental coverage; remote working options; donation matching program; volunteer service leave; and more. More specific information will be given to those who receive formal offers.
The Fellowship Program maintains a professional development budget every year to support the Fellows’ learning. This budget will cover conference attendance, supplemental training, and some individual resources (e.g., books).
What is a typical experience for a Fellow?
Each Fellow can expect to have a unique set of experiences – influenced by their personalities, interests, goals, past experiences, respective teams, mental models, cohort members, organizational and environmental circumstances, among other things. Fellows will gain on-the-job training in a dynamic work environment.
Fellows work with their program teams throughout the week and participate in periodic Fellows Gathers. Fellows Gathers include group discussions on leadership, philanthropy, and professional development topics, as well as site visits with grantee partners and meetings with sector leaders. Fellows also receive coaching from their program directors. Fellows are supported in designing and facilitating additional professional development opportunities for themselves and the cohort. Fellows also receive guidance from staff and alumni when searching for their post-Fellowship opportunities.
There are approximately three to four statewide and national conferences that Fellows will attend over the course of the two-year Fellowship program.
Travel and related expenses are covered by the San Francisco Foundation.
SFF’s core business hours are typically 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, with a 30-minute meal period. Staff are currently expected to work from the SFF office at least one day per week.
What opportunities do Fellows find after completing the Fellowship? Where are Alumni?
During the course of the program, Fellows explore their interests, hopes, visions, purpose and impact – which all influence their decisions about ‘what to do next’. Often, Fellows will actively search for and accept job opportunities in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and government sectors. Alternatively, some Fellows decide to take time to themselves after their Fellowship.
With over 30 years of history, the Multicultural Fellowship Program has a robust network of alumni across all sectors. Alumni can be found making impact as nonprofit leaders, elected and appointed officials, consultants and small business owners, teachers and organizers, philanthropic leaders, as well as their non-work-related identities. This network of committed and dynamic leaders is one of the most valued aspects of the Fellowship program.
Do you have any advice on choosing a pathway?
Applicants should apply for the pathways most aligned with their interests and experience based on the individual postings of the role and responsibilities of the pathway. Applicants are encouraged to be flexible when applying to a pathway. In some cases, applicants have been asked to consider different pathways that better align with cohort and team needs.
How does the first year of the fellowship differ from the second?
Over the course of the two-year fellowship, fellows engage in an iterative learning process. The fellowship begins with introductory discussions and skill-building sessions focused on philanthropy, grantmaking practice, and SFF’s unique role and mission as a community foundation. By the end of the first year, fellows assume responsibility for independent projects and work with their respective teams to shape grantmaking and evaluation initiatives. In the second year, fellows complete a capstone project that leverages the fellowship experience to address a strategic challenge faced by SFF or its grantee partners; continue to work on independent and team projects; help guide recruitment and selection of the next cohort of MCF fellows; and prepare for life after the fellowship by refining their long-term professional goals.
Are applicants required to have advanced degrees?
We do not require applicants to have higher education degrees. Undergraduate degrees are preferred.
How competitive is it to become part of the cohort?
SFF’s Multicultural Fellowship Program is highly competitive. For the 2023-25 cohort, nearly 200 people applied, but 50 to 60% of the applicants did not meet the baseline qualifications. This means that the remaining 40 to 50% of applicants (roughly 80 to 100 people) were competing for four positions.
I have a question that is not answered in this document, what should I do?
Please review the job description thoroughly for information and details about the program. A recruitment webinar will take place on Friday, February 21, at 12:00 pm PST, that will offer insight from current Fellows and alumni. All potential applicants are encouraged to attend. A recording of the webinar will be available. Additional questions can be directed to Fellowship[@]sff.org.
Download this FAQ
