We are temporarily pausing new Stoneleigh Fellowship submissions effective August 1, 2026. Learn more.
Stoneleigh Fellowship
A Pause in Stoneleigh Fellowship Submissions
At the Stoneleigh Foundation, we believe that strong philanthropy begins with listening—to our fellows and partners, to the communities they serve, and to the young people closest to the issues we care about. As we look ahead, we are taking some time to reflect on our grantmaking and to undertake a strategic process to consider where and how we can be most impactful in the years to come. To create the space for that work, we are temporarily pausing new Stoneleigh Fellowship submissions effective August 1, 2026.
We know that this pause may affect individuals who are seeking support, and we do not take that lightly. We are grateful for the work of the exceptional leaders who have trusted us with their ideas, experiences, and hopes for a stronger future, and we are committed to keeping our partners and community informed as this process moves forward. Thank you for your patience, your partnership, and, most of all, for the vital work you do every day. We are grateful to be part of this work alongside you.
What does the Stoneleigh Fellowship provide?
The Stoneleigh Fellowship provides accomplished leaders with multiyear funding to transform systems that serve youth. Addressing the challenges facing our community’s young people requires visionary leadership. It means bringing different systems together and advancing new ways of thinking about what is possible. That’s why we provide exceptional individuals with the time and space to undertake groundbreaking research, improve policies and practices, change the narrative, and fundamentally transform how youth are served.
Stoneleigh Fellows come from many disciplines and professional backgrounds and work to advance change in youth-serving systems, such as youth justice, child welfare, education, and health. Our Fellows have included:
- Philadelphia’s Police Commissioner who expanded the city’s nationally recognized Police School Diversion Program to reduce youth arrest rates and prevent the collateral consequences of justice system involvement
- An attorney who worked within the School District of Philadelphia to create a comprehensive school safety strategy
- A researcher leading a five-year study on the health of young, child welfare-involved mothers and their children to identify strategies to break intergenerational cycles of abuse and neglect
- An emergency room doctor who replicated his hospital-based violence intervention model locally and nationally
What distinguishes the Stoneleigh Fellowship?
Freedom to Pursue a Transformative Idea
Our founders believed that individuals need dedicated time and space to develop the kinds of ideas that can generate lasting systems change. We provide salary support that allows Fellows to step back from their day-to-day job duties and use the majority of their time to pursue this work.
Ability to Design and Execute New Solutions
Because we invest in people with a strong track record of working within or alongside systems, we give our Fellows the latitude to develop the best solution to the problem they’ve identified. Stoneleigh’s staff also work closely with Fellows to ensure their success by providing expert advice and connections to key influencers and funders.
We recognize that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. We support Fellows to explore ideas that haven’t been tried before or to perfect the implementation of evidence-informed solutions.
We also meet Fellows where they are professionally through flexible Fellowship terms and levels of support.
In It for the Long Haul
We understand that advancing change in large, complex systems doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why we provide Fellows multiple years of support to delve into these entrenched problems. In addition, Fellows become lifelong members of Stoneleigh’s alumni network—a committed group of social change leaders working to improve youth-serving systems.