The Social Justice Partners Los Angeles (SJPLA) 2025-26 Systems Change Fellowship supports nonprofit initiatives based in Los Angeles County that are led by individuals with lived experience of the systemic issues they seek to address. Over a nine-month period, participants will engage in monthly convenings focusing on strategy refinement, liberatory team practices, resource sustainability, storytelling, and broader network building. The fellowship culminates with cohort members presenting at the Story of Us LA event in May 2026.
The fellowship offers a $10,000 unrestricted grant for each cohort member, plus potential additional funding raised through SJPLA’s network. Participants will also benefit from peer support, pro-bono coaching, professional storytelling training, exposure to funders and donors, and ongoing alumni support through SJPLA’s community. The program emphasizes cross-movement building and collaborative action to drive long-term systemic change in Los Angeles.
Eligible applicants must be nonprofits with a 501(c)(3) designation or fiscal sponsorship, have a strong preference for being LA-based, and focus on systems change work rather than direct services. Applicants must also have a representative who is an Executive Director, Program Director, or similar senior leader with at least six months of tenure and who has lived experience related to the systemic issue they are addressing. All selected participants must commit to attending all workshop dates, primarily in-person across Los Angeles, between September 2025 and May 2026.
The application process involves three stages: submitting an Eligibility Questionnaire by May 14, 2025, attending an Applicant Workshop on June 12 or June 16, and receiving fellowship offers by July 16, 2025. The fellowship is highly selective and prioritizes initiatives that work across policy advocacy, narrative and culture shift, and community power-building to address root causes of injustice. Questions about the program can be directed to mdominguez@sjpla.org.
