Host-led Placements
Every year, Lead For America partners with incredible service-minded local nonprofits and government entities to offer pre-designed Fellowship opportunities. We call these "host-led" Fellowship placements. Over the years, we've had 100+ Fellows launch their public service journeys through a host-led placement. From helping bridge the digital divide in rural America to helping communities weather the COVID-19 pandemic, Lead For America Fellows have demonstrated local leadership and provided immense impact through host-led Fellowship placements.
Whether you love your state/community and want to serve it however your can, or you connect strongly with a specific placement, host-led Fellowships are a great way to join the Fellowship with the structure already in place. ​
Fellows in host-led placements enjoy the same experience as applicant-led Fellows. From attending the 12-day Summer Institute to launching a Community Venture, every Fellow benefits from the one-year leadership apprenticeship and is ready to launch a career in public service.
2022 Placement Sites
LFA is excited to offer 20+ host-led Fellowship placement opportunities across 10+ states. If you are from one of these states/communities, are excited about the project scope, and connect with Lead For America's values, click on a placement below and apply! If you are applying to a state with multiple host-led placements, you can identify multiple placements you are interested in. You do not need to be from a specific community below to apply, but applicants must have a strong tie to the surrounding region or state to be considered.
Applications for the following host-led placements are due June 5th, 2022.
Nebraska
Applications for the following host-led placements are due April 15th, 2022.
California
Georgia
Hawai'i
Illinois
Kansas
Minnesota
Appleton, MN - Community Development Fellow (Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission)
Nebraska
New York
North Carolina
Oregon
Tennessee
Host-led Experience
The United States has rarely been more divided than it is today, and is facing critical challenges in every community. From housing affordability, to poverty and broadband internet connection, Lead For America host-led Fellows have an opportunity to be a part of the solution of stitching our country back together.
At Lead For America, we believe that every community is worthy of investment. We believe that in order for any community to strengthen, it must have a bench of dedicated civic leaders who will do whatever it takes to move their home forward. And we know that incredible talent is born into every neighborhood. But too often, particularly in communities with the greatest challenges, the community’s greatest resource––its young people––are told success requires leaving and never coming back. Lead For America host-led Fellowships aim to address this challenge by connecting candidates with organizations looking for leaders to join their team to tackle the challenges at the local level.
Just like the Hometown Fellowship, host-led Fellows are full time, one-year AmeriCorps service-members (what is AmeriCorps?). Host-led Fellowship candidates apply to pre-existing Fellowships - like a standard job application - in which a host organization, location, and project scope are already determined. Host-led Fellows are members of their larger Fellowship cohort, and take part in trainings, launch their own Community Ventures, and enjoy the same benefits every Fellow receives. These Fellowships serve as a launching pad for a lifetime of leadership and service to country and community. Check out the host-led Fellow Roadmap below to learn more!
Start your journey to becoming a public service leader for your community and our country by checking out the application process!
Attend LFA's 12-day pre-service training in Washington D.C. and continue to receive training throughout the Fellowship!
Begin your placement tackling a critical challenge facing the community you call home.
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After conducting a listening tour, start your own project to address a critical challenge you have identified!
From building life-long friendships with peers and mentors, to gaining access to graduate school scholarships, as an LFA Alumni you are ready to continue your leadership and service beyond the Fellowship!
Common Questions
Do host-led Fellows have a different Fellowship experience than Hometown Fellows (applicant-led)?
No! Host-led Fellows enjoy the same benefits and Fellowship experiences as Hometown Fellows. Together, every Fellow attends the Summer Institute, mid-Fellowship training in Kansas, and graduation ceremony. Every Fellow conducts a listening tour, creates a Community Venture , and participates in a Fellow exchange with another Fellow. Additionally, host-led Fellows are AmeriCorps service members, and have access the Segal Education Award, healthcare reimbursements, graduate school partnerships, and the network of LFA community leaders.
What is the difference between the Hometown Fellowship (applicant-led) and host-led Fellowship placements?
In general, every Fellow enjoys the same benefits and experiences (see question above). The difference lies in the application process.
The applicant-led process is a “create-your-own'' Fellowship model where applicants are asked to be co-creators in identifying and recruiting a host organization. The host-led process is more structured. Host-led opportunities become available when an organization is interested in having a Fellow join their team to help tackle a specific project scope in a community. Once a host-led applicant becomes an Endorsed Finalist, they will then interview with this host organization instead of trying to find their own host.
When is the host-led application due?
The host-led application - regardless of state or location - deadline is April 15th, 2022.
Can I apply to more than one host-led site?
Yes. Candidates will be asked to list up to three (3) host-led sites they are interested in being considered for within a given state.
Do I have to have lived in a listed community to be able to apply?
No. For placements in the following states (Hawai'i, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and North Carolina) - you only need a strong tie to that state to apply to any of the placements in that state. Your hometown or current residency does not have to be that location to apply to it.
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For placements in the following locations (Stockton, CA; Poughkeepsie, NY; Cartersville, GA), you must be a resident of that city or from a immediate surrounding community.