The Mulago Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2026 Henry Arnhold Fellowship — a unique opportunity for ambitious, impact-driven leaders working on climate and conservation solutions that are ready to scale.
The Fellowship is designed for founders and senior leaders building scalable, high-impact organizations that protect nature or address climate change. Each year, Mulago selects 8–10 leaders to join a powerful cohort of doers, receive a $100K unrestricted grant, and gain access to intensive coaching, design tools, and strategic support to scale their ideas effectively.
What the Fellowship Offers
The Fellowship is built on three key pillars: Design & Strategy, Community & Connections, and Resources & Support. It is centered around helping leaders design scalable impact models, strengthen organizational strategy, and access the guidance and capital needed to move from good to great.
1. Design & Strategy
The Fellowship begins and ends with a week-long retreat focused on turning bold ideas into actionable, scalable strategies. Fellows work through Mulago’s proven frameworks for impact design, learning how to build replicable models and navigate the journey from R&D to system-wide adoption.
Fellows also receive year-long coaching to refine and iterate their strategies based on real-world implementation.
2. Community & Connections
Fellows join a tightly-knit cohort of peers—entrepreneurial leaders working across different regions and contexts but united by their commitment to large-scale change. The program includes curated 1:1 sessions, peer learning, and access to a growing network of past fellows, funders, and thought leaders.
3. Resources & Support
Each Fellow receives an unrestricted $100,000 grant upfront. More importantly, Fellows are considered for long-term funding opportunities with Mulago. During the program, they receive in-depth coaching in organizational strategy, impact communication, and scaling operations.
Who Should Apply?
The Fellowship is for innovative founders and senior leaders tackling big climate or conservation challenges with scalable solutions. The strongest candidates will meet the following criteria:
- A compelling solution with the potential for exponential impact—replicable, fundable, and designed to influence systems.
- An organization already operating, whether nonprofit or for-profit, even if early-stage.
- The applicant holds the most senior leadership role (usually Executive Director or CEO) and works full-time on the initiative.
- A clear focus on addressing urgent climate challenges (emissions reduction, energy efficiency, adaptation) or protecting ecosystems (forests, oceans, grasslands, rivers).
- Demonstrated commitment to scaling the impact of their idea beyond just scaling their organization.
Solutions currently supported by Fellows range from grassroots forest conservation in the Amazon Basin to sustainable fisheries in the Indian Ocean and carbon capture on African grasslands.
Application Process & Deadlines
The open application deadline is August 28, 2025. Leaders can apply directly through a brief application form, which is designed to minimize burden and maximize clarity. It should take no more than 1–2 hours to complete.
Alternatively, if you know someone whose work aligns with the Fellowship’s goals, you can submit a recommendation by August 7, 2025. Recommendations from practitioners and funders carry weight and can help contextualize applications for the review team.
Program Timeline
- Sourcing (July–August 2025): Mulago reviews applications and recommendations through an extensive network-based sourcing process.
- Screening (September 2025–January 2026): Finalists participate in up to three learning conversations with the Mulago team.
- Selection (Early 2026): Around 10 Fellows are selected based on alignment with Mulago’s mission and potential for scalable impact.
- The Fellowship (June 2026): The program includes two in-person retreats and ongoing coaching on impact design, strategy, and communication.
The Mulago Approach to Scale
Mulago defines scale not by organizational size, but by how far and wide an impact can reach. Through structured design frameworks, fellows learn to transition from idea to scalable model. Fellows work through three stages:
- R&D: Proving the model works.
- Self-replication: Demonstrating the model can grow.
- External replication: Creating exponential impact through partners or adoption by others.
The Fellowship equips leaders to navigate all three stages with clarity and strategy.
Join a Movement of Impact-Obsessed Leaders
The Henry Arnhold Fellowship is more than funding. It’s a launchpad for visionaries determined to tackle the climate crisis and protect the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems. If you’re building the kind of solution that can go big—and you’re ready for a journey that challenges and inspires—this opportunity was made for you.