York Federal Fellows

Our 2025 York Federal Fellows are: Amy Brillinger, Teddy Fisher, and Sully Pinos. Conrgratulations!

JOIN US for the Class of 2024 Graduation on Monday, January 13, 2025, at the York College Center for Community Engagement (Pamela Gunter-Smith Center). Address: 59 east market street, york time: 5:30-7:30PM

The York Federal Fellows Program offers outstanding nonprofit, educational and governmental executive leaders the opportunity to spend a year developing professionally and personally while expanding their leadership skills. With a grant of up to $5,000, executives can pursue their own development and connect with other executives during regular workshop sessions throughout the year.

Time Commitment: In addition to the calendar yearlong professional and personal development program, each York Federal Fellows class meets monthly with their cohort, and also meets periodically in a social setting with alumni.

Alumni: Fellows are invited and expected to continue to be engaged with and give back to the White Rose Leadership Institute after their Fellowship year (in the form of attending events, supporting Give Local York, serving on a committee or joining the board of directors).

The York Federal Fellows is the legacy of the York Financial Corporation and York Federal Savings and Loan. The York Federal Foundation gifted its assets to York County Community Foundation in York, PA in 2005 so that local nonprofits would continue to benefit from the York Federal Foundation.

The Fellowship

You design your own plan of professional AND personal development customized to fit your needs and personality. Seminars, retreats, coaching, travel or any form of development that helps you grow as a community leader AND a human will be considered. Up to 30% of your grant can (and should!) be used for personal development. This grant is meant to be used for YOU, not your organization.

Personal development activities pursued by past Fellows include trapeze lessons, whitewater rafting, a retreat for moms of kids with special needs, global travel, art therapy, birding, writing retreats, reiki lessons, triathlon training and more!

Fellows may apply for a grant of up to $5,000 to be completed in a 12-month period. Additionally, the Fellows will participate in group sessions with a selected consultant and York Federal Fellows founder Bob Pullo.

The Fellowship will:

• Strengthen the ability of experienced nonprofit executives to lead their organization.

• Strengthen the connections among York's nonprofit executives.

• Make York County nonprofits stronger.

• Meet community needs.

The deadline has passed for 2025 York Federal Fellows applications.

Application Process

Step One: Indicate initial interest in applying by completing this 5-question demographic Application of Interest Form, which will connect you with a member of the YFF Ambassador Committee who will guide you through the application process. YFF Ambassadors do not play an evaluative role in the Application Process; their sole role is to serve as a resource to the applicant.

APPLY ONLINE
Applications will open again in August, 2025, for the 2026 program and follow these steps:

Complete an Online Application and submit supporting documents. We recommend drafting your Fellowship Application in Word and then copying and pasting into our Online Application Form when ready for submission

1. DEADLINE:

   • If you would like feedback from the volunteer Peer Reader, you may submit by a set deadline, to be announced in August 2025.

   • Final Application Deadline is typically towards the end of September each year.

Selection Criteria

Applicants must be current executive directors, CEO's or in a position of strategic leadership in nonprofit organizations, educational institutions or government in York County, PA.

President, Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Program Officer, and executive level employees being groomed for C-Suite.

Class cohort size will be 3 Fellows per year.

The selection committee seeks applicants with strong and relevant professional and personal goals. Priority is given to applicants who have:

• Demonstrated strategic leadership within one’s field.

• Demonstrated a collaborative approach to leadership within the York Community.

• Alignment with the mission, vision and values of the White Rose Leadership Institute.

• A number of years of leadership in both current or prior nonprofit, educational or governmental institutions.

• Plans that meaningfully increase the applicant’s capacity as a community leader both professionally and personally.

• Plans which stretch boundaries or are otherwise unattainable without the fellowship.

• Plans that will add value to the York County nonprofit community.

Selection process

1. All applications can first be read by a single volunteer Peer Reader who evaluates applications for completeness and adherence to application question intent. If you’d like to have your application reviewed by the Peer Reader, the deadline to submit is earlier than the final deadline.

2. Applications and supporting documents are then passed on to the 10-person YFF Selection Committee for evaluation.

   1. Applications are reviewed by each committee member using a Selection Rubric.

   2. At the Selection Committee meeting, total applicant scores are shared. Discussion begins with the highest-scoring application and proceeds until all applications have been discussed.

   3. The top-scoring applicants are then selected, based on the number of seats available in a given Fellowship Year. 3 Fellowship seats are available.

3. Announcement of selected Fellows is made at the White Rose Leadership Institute Annual Meeting, which is held in November. Personal communications are also made to all applicants.

4. Applicants who are not selected are encouraged to seek feedback and to apply again in the future.

Application

We recommend drafting your Fellowship Application in Word and then copying and pasting into our Online Application Form when ready for submission.
Your York Federal Fellows Application will include:

• Personal & Organizational Biographical Statement

• Description of Fellowship Plan/Activities

• Explanation of Growth Areas

• Explanation of Fellowship Achieving Goals and Timing

• Anticipated Impact

• Description of Collaborative Experience

• Fellowship Budget

• Supporting Documents:

  • A copy of your organization’s IRS Determination letter

  • Organization's most recent independent audit or financial review

  • Organization's most recent 990

  • Board of Directors List

  • Proof of Organization’s Non-Discrimination Policy

  • Letter of endorsement of applicant’s Board President or a Board Officer and (if applicable) letter of endorsement from Executive Director or CEO

  • Optional: letter of recommendation from a YFF Alumnus/Alumna

If Selected

• In addition to the yearlong professional and personal development program, each York Federal Fellows class meets monthly with their cohort, and also meets periodically in a social setting with alumni.

• Significant changes to fellowship activities and/or budget must be submitted in writing and approved by the board. The WRLI Board reserves the right to revoke award if circumstances dictate.

• Post-Fellowship report, including receipts, will be required upon completion of Fellowship Year.

• Fellows are expected to add themselves to the YFF directory.

• Fellows are invited and expected to continue to be engaged with and give back to the White Rose Leadership Institute after their Fellowship year (in the form of attending events, possibly serving on a committee or joining the board of directors).