Apply for the Obama Foundation’s Leaders Program

The Obama Foundation’s Leaders program is dedicated to motivating, empowering, and connecting groups of changemakers from different regions. Their goal is to accelerate positive and long-lasting change within their communities and throughout their respective regions. These emerging leaders, typically between the ages of 24 and 45, are committed to building societies and communities that are grounded in shared values, where everyone feels a sense of belonging, actively participates, and thrives.

The Obama Foundation Leaders come from diverse nations and territories, representing a wide range of sectors including public, private, and nonprofit. They tackle various social impact issues, ensuring that their work encompasses the full spectrum of societal challenges.

Benefits

• Through the Leaders program, participants gain practical skills for driving social change, receive leadership coaching, engage in discussions on critical issues, and receive support from small groups.
• As part of the program, Leaders define their own values-based foundation for sustained leadership, foster relationships with fellow participants to catalyze inclusive and enduring change, and prepare themselves to tackle systemic issues.
• Upon completing the program, Leaders will have a deeper understanding of how values-based leadership can drive meaningful change. They will be inspired to take further action, armed with fresh ideas and enhanced skills.
• Most importantly, Leaders will continue to broaden their perspectives on a continental and global scale by joining the Obama Leadership Network, a thriving global community of over 1,000 active changemakers.

If you’re interested in becoming a part of the 2024-2025 Leaders program, the application is now open! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make a difference. The application deadline is Friday, February 9, 2024, at 12:00 PM United States Central Time (UTC-6). Apply now and be a catalyst for change!

Leaders Programs by Region

• Africa
• Asia-Pacific
• Europe
• United States

Eligibility

Are you a changemaker between the ages of 24 and 45? Do you want to enhance your leadership skills and connect with other emerging leaders? If so, we invite you to apply!

Our program is open to individuals residing in eligible countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States regions. To be eligible, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• You are a citizen or permanent resident of an eligible country or territory.
• You have lived in an eligible country or territory for at least the last 5 years, regardless of your citizenship or permanent residence status.
• Your work should be focused on creating positive change for local communities, an eligible nation or territory, and/or the broader region. We value your commitment to continue making a difference in the region.
• Additionally, you should have at least 3 years of relevant experience in your issue area and be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Please note that you should not participate in any electoral campaign as a candidate for political office from the time you are accepted into the program through May 1, 2025.
• If selected, you must be able to fully participate in the six-month program. This includes attending 8 to 12 hours of required virtual programming each month, participating in leadership coaching sessions, and engaging in community group discussions throughout the program duration.
• Please keep in mind that the Obama Foundation is based in the United States.
• Therefore, you should not have any legal or regulatory restrictions that would limit your participation in virtual Foundation programming or potential travel to the U.S. for in-person programming (if any).

Application

• The application for our 2024-2025 Obama Leaders programs is now open!
• The application closes on Friday, February 9, 2024 at 12:00 PM United States Central Time (UTC-6).
• Apply Now  Opens in a new tab!