The Association for Research on Civil Society in Africa (AROCSA) in partnership with the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) is pleased to announce this call for applications to the Innocent Chukwuma African NGO Leadership Transition Fellowship Program (ICLTFP), formerly known as the African NGO Leadership Transition Fellowship Program (LTFP). The Fellowship is funded by the Ford Foundation.
The decision to rename the program after Innocent Chukwuma, who until his death in April this year, was the regional director of the Ford Foundation West Africa office, arose from the combination of the significant role he played in setting up AROCSA and establishing the LTFP; AROCSA’s consideration of the best way to honour his legacy; and from suggestions from some of the members of the last cohort of the LTFP which took place for the first time on African soil in Ghana from 1st March to 30th May, 2021.
At AROCSA’s last quarterly board meeting which took place in September 2021, a unanimous decision was made to rename the program after Innocent Chukwuma. The decision was subsequently communicated to his family through his wife; Mrs. Josephine Chukwuma, who was deeply appreciative of the consideration, and happy to give her blessings to AROCSA’s request. Her personal statement on the role Innocent Chukwuma played in the birthing of AROCSA and the establishment of its key programs is appended to this Call. We pray that his soul continues to rest in perfect peace and that the Almighty continues to give his family the strength to bear his loss.
As part of efforts to further ground the program in the realities of the African experience, AROCSA is partnering with the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) at the Wits Business School in Johannesburg, South Africa to deliver the next couple of iterations of the program.
About the program
The Africa Leadership Transition Fellowship Program (LFTP) began in 2018 under the moniker of the Nonprofit Leadership Transition Fellowship Program (NLTF Program), with support from the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) and the Ford Foundation. It was started in recognition of the urgent need for an NGO leadership transition program to aid sector leaders – civil society and NGO leaders – who are considering transitioning out of their positions by creating a supportive infrastructure.
The program’s chief purpose is to help sector leaders prepare and position their NGOs to be sustainable, vibrant, and continue to thrive after their exit from the organization. The program enables both the leaders and organizations to successfully make the shift, and in so doing create spaces for a new generation of leaders in the social sector to not only emerge but also have platforms to apply their creative and youthful energies. Transitioning leaders would develop succession plans within their own organizations, contemplate their personal transition plans, and document their knowledge and experience.
Objectives of the program
The objectives of the ICLTFP are to:
1. Contribute to the process of establishing a supportive infrastructure for leadership transition within the NGO/CSO movement in Africa.
2. Promote the creation of leadership spaces for the next generation of leaders in African civil society to grow and strive.
3. Increase the documentation of leadership experiences/reflections and renewal processes within civil society in Africa.
Timeframe
This iteration of the program will run for three months between March and June, 2022.
Application Process
Applicants are required to apply for the Fellowship through the electronic application portal on the AROCSA website. Applications must include the following:
- I. Completed electronic application forms
- II. Copy of valid international passport (must be valid for six months from March 2022)
- III. Curriculum Vitae
- IV. Two letters of recommendation (including one from the NGO Board Chair indicating that the board is aware and approves of the applicant’s participation in the fellowship)
- V. 3-5 page (double space, 12pt font with one-inch margins) personal statement that includes, but not limited to, the reason for participating in the fellowship and anticipated fellowship objectives that the applicant seeks to achieve
*If selected, you will be required to complete and document a comprehensive assessment of your health status. To view the medical form and familiarize yourself with required medical examinations, please click here.
For any questions or enquiries, please email programs@arocsa.org with the subject ‘ICLTFP 2022’
To apply click: here
