Discover Our Impact

Regional Reports for 2024

A Message from our Executive Directors

As we approach the end of another transformative year, we want to express our deepest gratitude to our team, fellows, alumni, partner organizations, elected and appointed officials, financial supporters and the communities we are a part of and serve alongside. Thanks to the work of this coalition of incredible people and organizations, we were named one of the Top 10 Summer Fellowships for 2024 by ProFellow. 

We had big successes and amazing growth this year

Building up key allies: Our fellows provided 7,560 hours of capacity support to 40 partner organizations across 7 regions, addressing pressing issues and expanding the scope of what these organizations can accomplish. 

Improving accessibility and equity

2023 marked the third consecutive year of our Spring Fling and National Fellow Scholarship Fund, which provides transitional funds for fellows, ensuring our program remains financially feasible for all our applicants. We also grew the number of BIPOC fellows to 72%, in line with our commitment to fielding a cohort of leaders that reflect the communities in which they serve.

Staff development

This was the fourth consecutive year of 70% retention and growth of our regional director team, and 60% of our national and regional director team members were trained and developed in the 2023 McKinsey Executive or Management Leadership programs.

Advancing critical policies

Fellows played a crucial role in the development, passage, and implementation of numerous policies across many areas, including education, public health, equity and justice, and environmental protection. As we look to the future, we continue to lean into our founding principles. The Urban Leaders Fellowship (ULF) builds the capacity of elected officials, develops a pipeline of equity-minded leaders in the nonprofit sector, and creates a foundation for leadership grounded in anti-racist theory and practice. Our work will continue to focus on three key issues in concert. 

First, equity-conscious elected and appointed leaders can have tremendous impact at the state and local level if they are provided the support and people-power to research, develop, and pass policies. 

Second, organizations that support and implement equitable policies need a reliable, high-quality talent pipeline in order to be successful. 

And third, promising talent with fresh ideas and sharp skills will develop into future thought leaders in our country if they are provided with opportunities to directly impact policy and communities. 

Kristopher Frye & Tamira Samuel

  • Resource Constrained

    Local policymakers are full of bold ideas to actualize equity and opportunity in their communities, but they have few resources and limited capacity to execute their plans.

  • Community Impact

    The public policy sphere needs an influx of identity- and equity-conscious leaders: those who are self-reflective and have a deep understanding of the context, interconnectivity, and root causes of systemic issues as well as the levers of change needed to disrupt the system.

  • People Development

    Companies and nonprofits that want to engage in equity work and social justice often do not have the resources, quality talent, and time to thoroughly design and lead influential projects

ULF’s Historical Impact

Equity is one of ULF’s core values.

We screen participating elected officials based on their use of an equity lens, whether they center community voice in their work, and whether they have demonstrated a commitment to mentorship.

ULF connects aspiring leaders with other ambitious, mission-driven individuals, organizations, and elected or appointed officials to bring about real and lasting change in the community in which they work.

We grow the capacity of our partners and our alumni to lead these kinds of efforts in the future, once our fellows complete their work.

“As someone new to policy, I saw this opportunity as a game changer for my work experience and impact especially for someone like myself with a limited background in policy from my career and college experiences. The Urban Leaders Fellowship was the bridge I needed to join relevant policy conversations while also receiving support from my cohort who served as a network of collaborators.”

— Janelle Scharon, ULF Alumnus —