Become a New Philanthropic Leader

Join the New Philanthropic Leaders program today. 

To join the 2025 cohort, please download instructions for completing your application and then apply online. 

The application for the 2025 cohort is open. The deadline to apply is Jan. 10, 2025. Applicants will be notified on a rolling basis beginning in December and continuing through January 2025. 

We will be in touch soon with more information about the upcoming year. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Belonus at 412-394-2655 or belonusk [at] pghfdn.org (belonusk[at]pghfdn[dot]org).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is eligible for the NPL program?  

Young and mid-career professionals in the 25-40 age range, living in the greater Pittsburgh region. Please note, we typically do not accept nonprofit professionals who might be the recipients of grant funding from The Pittsburgh Foundation. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please don’t hesitate to contact Katie Belonus at belonusk [at] pghfdn.org (belonusk[at]pghfdn[dot]org). 

How much is the donation?   

You may donate $250, $500, $750 or $1000 based on your individual and personal circumstances. We ask you to share the amount of your donation with us when formally committing to the program. The level of monetary commitment does not dictate your level of participation and your donation information will remain confidential.  

How and when do I make my donation?   

You make may make your donation (s) at any time during the program at one time or in installments. All donations must be submitted to the foundation Dec. 15 of the program year. Donations may be made monthly, quarterly or all at once, and may be made by check, credit card or stock transfer.  

What does the program and time commitment look like?  

Please see the schedule. The program runs over an 8-month period. Sessions take place about once a month, from 6-8 p.m. at nonprofit locations across Pittsburgh. Snacks and refreshments are provided. Generally there is no “homework” before sessions, but for a few sessions there are light contextual materials. Two sessions will require pre-work (30 minutes - 1 hour) that will inform discussions and decisions made during those sessions.  

What happens if I have to miss a session?  

We ask you to make every effort to attend sessions because they are cumulative but recognize conflicts may come up. Our staff will work with you to get caught up via email or a brief half hour 1:1 meeting to discuss what you missed. If you know in advance that you will miss a session, we ask you to let us know. If a key decision is being made in that session, we will get your input ahead of time, so it can be incorporated.