FOCUS Impact Fellows

Launched in 2016, FOCUS Impact Fellows is designed for experienced leaders who are ready to put their skills, networks, resources, and knowledge to work in our community. The issues vary from year to year, but each cohort makes a direct impact on St. Louis via an intense project-driven curriculum in collaboration with area experts and agencies.

In 2018, the Impact Fellows will spend their first five months diving deep into the regional health care safety net through a racial equity lens, with unparalleled access to regional experts, agencies and organizations. The second five months will see the cohort complete a self-selected project in collaboration with those regional experts, moving the needle on health care realities that affect our most vulnerable St. Louisans.

The 2017 cohort of Impact Fellows accomplished projects involving non-emergency medical transportation for expectant and recent mothers, public health agency equity assessment tools, and a health care navigator model housed within St. Louis’ 2-1-1 system. Community partners on these projects included: Barnes Jewish Hospital, Washington University OB/GYN clinic, Lyft, United Way’s 2-1-1, and the St. Louis County Department of Public Health. Special thanks to Missouri Foundation for Health for its support of the 2017 and 2018 cohorts.

If you are an experienced leader looking for meaningful and impactful civic engagement on issues critical to our region, you may be a great fit for FOCUS Impact Fellows. 

As Impact Fellows represents FOCUS’ most advanced training program, previous leadership training and/or experience is required. Previous completion of a FOCUS leadership program is highly recommended. 

Like all of our leadership programs, Impact Fellows welcomes applicants from all backgrounds, industries and sectors. Previous experience or in-depth knowledge of the selected topic is not required. 

The FOCUS Impact Fellows experience is immersive, hands-on and challenging. You’ll first take a deep dive into an issue facing our region. Then, you’ll work alongside your peers to design and implement a sustainable project to make a meaningful impact. 

FOCUS Impact Fellows is a 10-month program, with 12 full-day sessions held 1-2 times a month from August to May. You’ll also spend time outside of program days for individual and group work on the project(s).  

In addition to the knowledge gained, projects developed and networks built, you’ll gain considerable training and experience in change management, problem-solving, systems thinking, group dynamics and project management.