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2026–2028 EdRedesign Cradle-to-Career Fellowship at Harvard: Tuition-Free 18-Month Leadership Program – Apply by October 6, 2026

Ning Ma
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The EdRedesign Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education is accepting applications for the 2026–2028 EdRedesign Fellowship for Cradle-to-Career Partnership Leaders, a competitive, tuition-free, 18-month professional development opportunity created for new and aspiring leaders working to improve outcomes for children, young people, and families through place-based, cross-sector partnerships.

Applications for the new cohort opened on August 28, 2026, and the official application deadline is October 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.

The program is designed for leaders working at the intersection of education, community development, health, government, philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, social services, housing, economic mobility, and other sectors. Rather than focusing on a single institution or service, the Fellowship develops leaders who can bring organizations and stakeholders together around shared community-level goals.

Participants will receive an extensive combination of in-person learning, virtual leadership development, executive coaching, mentoring, peer networking, specialized training, and practical project implementation. Importantly, tuition and the costs of travel, accommodation, and meals associated with mandatory Fellowship activities are covered for Fellows.

About the EdRedesign Fellowship for Cradle-to-Career Partnership Leaders

The EdRedesign Fellowship was established in response to the complex challenges affecting children and families in communities across the United States, including disparities in education, health, well-being, income, and economic mobility.

EdRedesign’s approach recognizes that major community challenges cannot generally be addressed effectively by one organization or sector acting independently. Place-based partnerships therefore bring together stakeholders such as:

These partnerships work within specific geographic communities and seek to align resources, services, opportunities, and institutional efforts around common outcomes. The model also emphasizes incorporating the experiences and voices of residents, young people, and families into decision-making.

The Fellowship aims to strengthen the leadership capacity required to manage these complicated collaborations.

Why the Cradle-to-Career Approach Matters

A cradle-to-career strategy considers the entire developmental journey of children and young people rather than treating individual challenges in isolation.

This can include areas such as early childhood development, school readiness, primary and secondary education, postsecondary education, workforce preparation, employment, health, family support, community development, and long-term socioeconomic mobility.

The underlying principle is that improving outcomes for children often requires coordination among multiple systems.

For example, an education challenge may also be connected with housing stability, family income, transportation, healthcare, childcare, community safety, or access to employment. Effective place-based partnerships therefore seek to develop a coordinated ecosystem of support rather than a collection of disconnected programs.

The EdRedesign Fellowship helps leaders develop the capabilities needed to lead these kinds of systems-level initiatives.

Duration of the 2026–2028 Fellowship

The program runs for approximately 18 months.

Rather than functioning as a short conference or one-time training course, the Fellowship combines structured learning with ongoing professional practice.

Fellows remain involved in their existing organizations and communities while completing Fellowship activities. The structure is intended to allow participants to immediately apply new knowledge, leadership tools, and strategies to real challenges within their communities.

Fellows should expect to dedicate approximately 10 to 12 hours per month to Fellowship activities.

What Fellows Will Learn

The Fellowship aims to strengthen participants’ ability to lead complex community partnerships and systems-change initiatives.

Through the program, Fellows are expected to improve their ability to:

1. Lead Across Different Sectors

Participants will develop their capacity to work across organizations, sectors, programs, and cradle-to-career systems.

This is particularly important because leaders of community partnerships frequently have to coordinate stakeholders who have different institutional mandates, funding arrangements, operating structures, and priorities.

2. Use Data for Decision-Making

Fellows will strengthen their ability to make decisions based on evidence and measurable outcomes.

The Fellowship emphasizes the importance of combining quantitative and qualitative information with meaningful engagement from young people and families.

3. Center Youth and Family Voices

Effective place-based leadership requires understanding the experiences of the communities being served.

The program therefore emphasizes authentically incorporating youth and family perspectives into planning, implementation, and decision-making.

4. Use Personal and Professional Leadership Strengths

Participants will examine how their professional experience, expertise, personal strengths, and leadership style can contribute to community-level change.

5. Align Resources Around Common Goals

Fellows will strengthen their ability to identify, generate, and coordinate:

The objective is to align these resources around shared community outcomes rather than allowing organizations to operate independently.

6. Lead Without Formal Authority

One of the most important competencies emphasized by the program is the ability to lead organizations and partners even where the Fellow does not have direct managerial authority over them.

Place-based partnership leaders often rely on influence, trust, shared objectives, evidence, communication, and relationship management rather than traditional organizational authority.

Fellows will develop strategies for sustaining collaboration and navigating challenges and setbacks while keeping partners focused on collective goals.

2026–2028 Fellowship Program Components

The 18-month program combines several complementary learning formats.

Three In-Person Cohort Convenings

Fellows will participate in three in-person cohort convenings.

The program begins and concludes with convenings at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It will also include a site visit to a community demonstrating an exemplary cradle-to-career place-based approach.

Exact convening dates are expected to be announced before the Fellowship begins.

Monthly Virtual Learning Sessions

Between the in-person convenings, Fellows will participate in virtual learning sessions covering cradle-to-career strategies, cross-sector collaboration, leadership skills, and related topics.

These sessions generally last approximately three to four hours.

According to the program information, virtual learning sessions are expected approximately every four to six weeks, generally on Tuesdays from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time.

A virtual orientation is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 26, 2027, with additional dates to be provided before the Fellowship launches.

Peer Learning Groups

Fellows will also participate in smaller peer groups.

These groups are intended to provide an environment for:

Peer groups are expected to rotate two or three times during the Fellowship, giving participants an opportunity to build relationships with different members of their cohort.

StriveTogether Training Hub

Participants will complete specially selected modules through the StriveTogether Training Hub.

The modules are designed to develop foundational capabilities relevant to collaborative systems change, including:

The Training Hub component supplements the Fellowship’s broader leadership-development curriculum.

Community-Based Project

Every Fellow will design and advance a project that is meaningful to their own community.

This makes the Fellowship highly practice-oriented.

Rather than learning leadership concepts only theoretically, participants will have an opportunity to apply those concepts to an initiative directly connected with the community or partnership they lead.

The community project can therefore serve as a practical vehicle for translating Fellowship learning into measurable local change.

Executive Coaching

Participants will have access to executive coaching throughout their Fellowship journey.

Executive coaching can assist Fellows in strengthening leadership capabilities, navigating organizational challenges, making strategic decisions, and applying the Fellowship curriculum to their professional responsibilities.

Mentoring and Expert Support

Fellows will also have access to tailored project coaching and opportunities to engage with EdRedesign’s By All Means Senior Fellows, who bring extensive experience in relevant fields.

This provides participants with access to both structured learning and experienced practitioners who understand the realities of leading complex cross-sector initiatives.

Cost of the Fellowship

One of the most significant aspects of this opportunity is that participation in the mandatory Fellowship components is provided at no cost to the Fellow.

According to EdRedesign, the program covers:

Partner organizations may occasionally invite Fellows to additional events. Those events are optional and their costs are not covered by EdRedesign unless otherwise specified.

Therefore, applicants should distinguish between the required Fellowship program and separate optional opportunities that may arise through partner organizations.

Who Is the Fellowship Designed For?

The program primarily targets experienced professionals who either currently lead or are preparing to lead cross-sector, cradle-to-career place-based partnerships.

The principal target groups include:

New Executive Directors

Executive Directors who are relatively new to leading a place-based partnership’s backbone or intermediary organization are encouraged to apply.

Aspiring Executive Directors

Senior-level professionals who have substantial leadership and decision-making responsibilities and aspire to become an Executive Director or CEO may also qualify.

An applicant does not necessarily need to carry the formal title of Executive Director.

Senior leaders overseeing cradle-to-career place-based strategies may qualify when their responsibilities demonstrate significant organizational leadership and decision-making authority.

Leadership Qualities EdRedesign Is Seeking

The program describes several characteristics of competitive applicants.

Deep Connection to a Particular Place

Candidates should work within and demonstrate commitment to a clearly defined U.S. geography, which may include:

Competitive candidates are expected to possess meaningful knowledge of the communities they serve and trusted relationships with residents, colleagues, organizational leaders, and partners.

Demonstrated Impact

Candidates should be able to demonstrate that their leadership has contributed to meaningful outcomes.

EdRedesign specifically emphasizes measurable and data-informed results.

Applicants should therefore be prepared to explain not merely what activities they have conducted but what changes or results those activities produced.

Decision-Making Authority

Applicants should currently occupy leadership positions involving meaningful decision-making responsibility.

Mid-Career Professional Experience

Most Fellows are expected to have approximately 10 or more years of professional experience.

However, EdRedesign explicitly states that exceptionally qualified applicants with fewer than 10 years of experience may also be considered.

Strategic and Multi-Sector Leadership

Candidates should understand that challenges affecting economic and social mobility cannot generally be solved by one institution acting independently.

Competitive applicants are therefore expected to demonstrate an ability and willingness to build sustainable partnerships across sectors.

Potential to Expand Their Impact

The program particularly seeks individuals at a significant stage of professional development who already possess meaningful leadership experience but recognize areas in which they need additional knowledge, networks, and skills.

Integrity and Growth Mindset

EdRedesign also looks for leaders whom others want to work with.

This includes candidates who demonstrate:

Organizational Requirements

The Fellowship is specifically structured for leaders involved in cross-sector, cradle-to-career, place-based partnerships.

Such organizations typically coordinate multiple institutions and stakeholders rather than simply delivering one service independently.

For example, an eligible partnership might coordinate government agencies, schools, community organizations, nonprofits, health organizations, businesses, philanthropic institutions, and other stakeholders around shared outcomes for children and families.

Organizations that operate exclusively as direct-service providers or work only with one or two partners are less likely to satisfy the program’s criteria.

Importantly, an organization does not necessarily need to have fully developed its cradle-to-career model before its leader applies.

EdRedesign confirms that applicants may still be considered where their organization is pursuing a cradle-to-career place-based strategy but is continuing to develop the breadth and depth of its work.

Can Leaders From Established Organizations Apply?

Yes.

The Fellowship is not restricted to newly established organizations.

An applicant may be considered where their organization or partnership has existed for some time but the applicant:

EdRedesign explicitly encourages such leaders to consider applying.

Selection Criteria

Fellows will be selected through a competitive process.

EdRedesign indicates that reviewers will consider factors including:

  1. Leadership experience.
  2. Commitment to the applicant’s community.
  3. Readiness to grow through the Fellowship.
  4. Ability to collaborate effectively with others.
  5. Commitment to equity.
  6. Demonstrated impact involving children, youth, and families.
  7. Potential to strengthen the applicant’s local partnership.
  8. Potential to contribute to the broader cradle-to-career field.

Applicants should therefore use their application to provide concrete examples and evidence rather than relying on generalized statements about leadership or community engagement.

2026–2028 Application Requirements

Applicants must complete an online application through the official EdRedesign application portal.

The application has three major components.

1. Background Information

Applicants must answer short questions about themselves and the place-based partnership or organization with which they are involved.

Applicants should be prepared to clearly explain their:

2. Seven Essay Questions

Candidates must respond to seven application questions.

Each response may be submitted either:

This format provides applicants with flexibility in presenting their experience and motivation.

3. Resume or CV

Applicants must upload a resume or CV in PDF format as part of the application.

Application and Selection Timeline

The major dates for the 2026–2028 selection process are:

Application opening: August 28, 2026

Application deadline: October 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST

Interview notification: Candidates selected to progress are expected to be notified by October 29, 2026.

Interview format: Approximately 45 minutes, conducted virtually.

Final Fellow selection: Expected in mid-December 2026.

Onboarding: Begins in January 2027.

Employer Commitment Letter

Candidates do not appear to need to submit the organizational commitment letter with their initial application.

Instead, selected Fellows will be required during onboarding to obtain a signed commitment letter from organizational leadership.

The required support involves the Fellow’s:

The purpose is to confirm that the organization understands and supports the time the employee will need to dedicate to the Fellowship as part of their current professional role.

This requirement is particularly important because Fellows are expected to dedicate approximately 10–12 hours per month to Fellowship activities in addition to attending required convenings.

Organizations Behind the Fellowship

The Fellowship is led by The EdRedesign Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was developed in collaboration with several national organizations working in place-based and cradle-to-career systems change, including:

This collaboration ensures that the program is informed by practical experience from organizations actively working on community-level systems change.

Previous Fellowship Cohort

The Fellowship was first launched in 2024.

Its inaugural 2024–2026 cohort included leaders working across a broad range of community settings.

According to EdRedesign, the first cohort included representatives from 15 U.S. states, including leaders serving urban, rural, mixed urban/suburban/rural, neighborhood, regional, county, city, and town partnerships.

The diversity of partnership models demonstrates that the program is not limited to one type of community structure.

Why This Fellowship Is Significant for Community Leaders

Leading a place-based partnership involves a distinctive set of challenges.

Unlike a conventional organizational leader, a partnership leader may need to coordinate dozens of stakeholders without having formal authority over them.

These stakeholders may include public agencies, schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, foundations, families, residents, health systems, community organizations, and elected officials.

Successful leadership therefore requires more than conventional organizational management.

It requires the ability to:

The Fellowship is explicitly structured around developing these competencies.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the official 2026–2028 Cradle-to-Career Fellowship for Partnership Leaders application portal.

Applicants who have never used the application platform must first register for an account. Returning users can log into an existing account before beginning the application.

Apply for the 2026–2028 EdRedesign Fellowship

Applicants are strongly advised to begin well before the deadline because the application requires seven substantive responses in addition to background information and a PDF resume or CV.

Application Deadline

The deadline for the 2026–2028 EdRedesign Fellowship for Cradle-to-Career Partnership Leaders is October 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.

Applicants should submit their materials before the deadline rather than relying on a last-minute submission, particularly where video or audio responses are being uploaded.

Contact for Questions

Applicants with questions about the Fellowship or application process may contact:

Denisse Arias
Director of Cradle-to-Career Leadership and Learning
The EdRedesign Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Education

The application portal also identifies Jessica Bernstein as an additional contact for application-related questions.

Conclusion

The 2026–2028 EdRedesign Fellowship for Cradle-to-Career Partnership Leaders offers an unusually comprehensive professional-development opportunity for leaders working to improve outcomes for children, young people, and families through coordinated community action.

Its 18-month structure combines Harvard-based cohort convenings, virtual learning, peer groups, StriveTogether training, executive coaching, mentoring, and implementation of a real community project. With tuition and the travel, accommodation, and meals required for mandatory program activities covered, the Fellowship removes significant financial barriers to participation.

For experienced leaders working in U.S. place-based partnerships—and particularly professionals preparing for Executive Director or CEO-level leadership—the program provides an opportunity to strengthen cross-sector leadership capabilities while becoming part of a national network of practitioners working on cradle-to-career systems change.

Interested candidates should carefully review the eligibility requirements, prepare evidence of their leadership and measurable community impact, and complete their application by October 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.

For more global opportunities, click HERE.

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