The Mosaic Fellowship
The Mosaic Fellowship was established in partnership with The Indianapolis Foundation, an affiliate of Central Indiana Community Foundation, and Leadership Indianapolis to increase diversity on boards not just so that boards look differently, but so they work differently. By providing support to both individuals and organizations, Mosaic aims to shift power, elevate new voices and grow the perspectives included on not-for-profit boards throughout our community.
At its centennial gala on Aug. 27, 2016, The Indianapolis Foundation announced the launch of a new program designed to reinvigorate the community by diversifying its leadership. The Indianapolis Foundation Fellowship placed a diverse group of 10 young civic leaders on prominent local boards and provided them with funds to activate annually, for three years, during their terms. The program, announced in honor of the Indianapolis Foundation’s 100th anniversary, also provided ongoing enrichment and networking opportunities.
We recognize there is still a dearth of diverse board leadership in Indianapolis organizations causing boards to remain overwhelmingly White and male. Even organizations that have mastered diversity often fail at true inclusion and power-sharing with women, young people, and the BIPOC and LGBTQ communities. And, as a result, we continue to witness public organizational failures. The new Mosaic Fellowship is an evolution of the original fellowship and is intended to help our community address these critical issues.
There are many talented, capable, and qualified people who are eager to serve on not-for-profit boards but simply do not receive that invitation. For this reason, the Mosaic Fellowship is focused on individuals who have little or no previous board experience.
Four individuals will be selected to be Mosaic Fellows. Fellows will:
- be placed on a not-for-profit board that is actively working to address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the board level (a board term is generally three years, though this may vary by organization)
- participate in cohort trainings designed to support fellows in honing foundational board skills, building social capital, and using their gifts and power on an Indianapolis board
- be provided financial resources to support their board commitments
Who is eligible to be a Mosaic Fellow?
- Applicants must be 21 or over. (There is no age cap for applicants.)
- Applicants must live in Central Indiana (Marion County and the immediate surrounding counties)
Note: Fellows will be placed on boards of organizations in Indianapolis. - Individuals who are committed to working toward diversity, equity, and inclusion in leadership
- Individuals who have a strong interest in serving on a not-for-profit board but have little or no previous experience serving on a board
- Individuals who have been involved in the community, in either formal or informal roles
- Individuals who want to step into leadership roles but also want to learn and support others in learning
Timeline
AUG. 27, 2021 – Applications due
EARLY OCT. 2021 – Fellows notified
DEC. 2021 – Fellows announced
DEC. 2021 – DEC. 2024 – Duration of fellowship