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Trailblazer Fellowship Information

 

What is the Ann Bancroft Foundation (ABF) Trailblazer Fellowship

Established in 2022, The Ann Bancroft Foundation (ABF) Trailblazer Fellowship allows previous grantees (Trailblazers) who are currently in 9th to 12th grade to apply for a new grant to fund a dream and as a head start on their road to independence, college, and career.

 

What is included and what will Trailblazer Fellows gain?

The Ann Bancroft Foundation Trailblazer Fellowship experience prepares participants to dream bolder as they prepare for the next stage after high school, deepening significant gains in their ability to succeed. The experience allows Trailblazers to thrive through connection, confidence, creativity, individuality, risk-taking, and courage. Fellows will;

  • Receive up to $2500 to pursue a dream

  • Participate in a year-long cohort experience full of self-discovery, goal setting, and skill building activities, including networking opportunities and mentorship experience

    • Cohort – A small group of individuals who come together regularly to learn and grow together under the guidance of an experienced facilitator. This is an interactive experience focused on development and building relationships

  • Learn about individual strengths and how to apply them

  • Have the opportunity to deepen relationships with mentors, cohort fellows, and the Ann Bancroft Foundation community and other services to fuel dreaming and turn those dreams into realities.

  • Develop insights and skills to pursue additional opportunities and resources

  • As part of the Fellowship experience, Fellows will commit to a year-long cohort process with no more than four cohort meetings.

 

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Trailblazer Fellowship, you must be:

  • A current Trailblazer (previous grant recipient) of a grant from the Ann Bancroft Foundation

  • A resident of Minnesota

  • You cannot apply if a family member is a current staff or board member of the Ann Bancroft Foundation

  • Must be in high school (9th-12th grade) for the 2023-2024 school year

  • There are no citizenship requirements

  • You must have completed your original ABF grant activity at the time of your application

 

Application Process

The ABF Trailblazer Fellowship has three phases to applying and being selected as a fellow. The phases are; 

Phase One: All Trailblazers eligible based on the above criteria, can apply. The application focuses on short-answer questions about yourself. We want to hear about your bold dream, experience with the initial grant from ABF, what you are proud of yourself for, and advice you would give to your younger self. Applications for phase one will be open from October 11 - November 14, 2024.

Phase Two: After phase one, applicants will be notified via email and invited to complete phase two, consisting of more short answer questions and hearing from your mentor. The short-answer questions focus on the applicant’s sense of community. Applicants will be asked about the fellowship activity to pursue, your mentor and your relationship, an issue you care about, and who would share a meal with. The identified mentor will also have some short answer questions to complete about the applicant. Phase Two applications will be open from December 6 - December 18, 2024.

Phase Three: After completing phase two, applicants will be notified via email to complete a 15-minute interview with two ABF staff members. Applicants will be asked about what they hope to gain in the fellowship experience, a time when they took a difficult action, supporting a peer, working in group settings, and strengths and growth opportunities. After the interviews, the final Fellowship cohort will be selected.

See our tips on completing your application here.

 

Application

 

The Trailblazer Fellowship application asks questions about your dreams, goals, community, and experiences. Preview the application here.

To learn more about our 2023-2024 class of Trailblazer Fellows, read their bios here.

 

Apply Now

 

 

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The Ann Bancroft Foundation centers the experiences of K-12 girls, including those who identify as cis, trans, non-binary, and gender expansive