Our Mission
To empower catalytic communities of emerging leaders to advance fairer, healthier, more inclusive societies.
How the Atlantic Fellows Program Works
Through the global, interconnected Atlantic Fellows programs, Fellows collaborate to understand and address root causes of pressing problems. These include socio-economic and racial inequality; barriers to full participation in democracy; the social determinants of health and access to quality care.
Each of the seven Atlantic Fellows programs is distinct and grounded in its local context. All programs start with a core fellowship experience, bringing together a cohort of 20 to 30 emerging leaders. All cohorts become part of the Atlantic Fellows’ connected community of changemakers, and receive ongoing support from the Atlantic Institute throughout their careers with opportunities to meet, learn from one another and connect with the global community of Fellows.
Who Are the Atlantic Fellows?
United in their pursuit of equity, Atlantic Fellows come from all walks of life and a variety of professions.
They are a global community of leaders—advocates, artists, journalists, lawyers, business professionals, health practitioners, government officials, academics and researchers—who collaborate to advance equity, opportunity and human dignity.
Fellows are thinkers and doers with innovative ideas and the courage, conviction and capacity to bring lasting improvements to their communities and the world.
VIDEO: Introducing the Atlantic Fellows community.
Photo: Atlantic Institute
Atlantic Fellows are:
Experienced and exceptional in their field of work (minimum 5 years)
At an inflection point where the program can increase their potential for significant impact
Willing and able to navigate and learn from diverse perspectives and complexity on a local and global scale
Committed to work with and support others to achieve individual and collective impact
“When it comes down to it, it’s always about people.”
Chuck Feeney with a student at Hue University’s Learning Resource Center in Viet Nam. Photo: Le Nhan Phuong
It All Started When...
The Atlantic Philanthropies were founded by entrepreneur Chuck Feeney, who decided in 1982 to devote his wealth to the service of humanity. A champion of Giving While Living, Feeney has long maintained that people of wealth should use it to better the world during their lifetimes. The Atlantic Philanthropies made its last grant commitments in 2016.
As one of its final big bets, The Atlantic Philanthropies established the Atlantic Fellows in 2015 to culminate the foundation’s long history of investing in people and in their vision and ability to realize a better world.
Atlantic has committed nearly $700 million—its biggest investment ever—alongside other partner organizations and governments, to support the work of a global network of thousands of Atlantic Fellows over the next two decades, and beyond.
Banner photo: Fellows at the Forum on Displacement of Migrant and Refugee Populations in Jordan hosted by the Atlantic Institute. Photo: Issa Dahdal