Emerging Leaders Fund

The Claneil Foundation believes in the power of innovation in the non-profit world as a catalyst for social change. The Emerging Leaders Fund supports early stage social entrepreneurs as they launch and grow nonprofits in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states that have the potential for transformational impact. The Foundation recognizes that these individuals and their organizations face unique internal and external challenges: they devote time and energy to the everyday demands of building an organization while developing new thinking, trying untested approaches and cultivating broader networks.

To provide critical support for these leaders and their organizations, the Foundation awards a four-year unrestricted general operating grant totaling $332,000 ($83,000 annually) to each recipient’s organization and offers the leaders a thoughtful, close-knit support network of peers. In addition, each grantee partner has access to $11,000 in professional development/wellness funds to support its designated leader(s).

Recipients are selected based on their creative vision, leadership capacity, potential for impact, and commitment to innovation and learning in one or more of the following issue areas: education, hunger & nutrition/food system, health & human services, environment. This grant program is focused on early-stage nonprofit organizations located in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. Organizations have typically been in existence for 3 – 5 years, and have budgets of less than $1 million. Grantee partners are selected based on nominations from a diverse pool of nominators who represent the foundation, nonprofit and business sectors. Each year, we typically receive over 100 nominations and award 3 new grants.