2026 Candidate Application

Thank you for your interest in Essential Skills and Strategies, Class of 2026!

Please complete the application below and have your supervisor complete the supervisor statement of support by Monday, December 8.

We will follow up with all applicants on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. In the meantime, please hold the following ESS dates on your calendar.

Virtual sessions will be 9:30 am - 12 pm ET. In-person sessions will be 9:30 am - 4:30 pm ET at Philanthropy New York's office (320 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017).

Thursday, February 5 (In-person)
Wednesday, February 11 (Virtual)
Friday, February 13 (Virtual)
Tuesday, February 24 (In-Person)
Wednesday, March 4 (Virtual)
Friday, March 6 (Virtual)
Tuesday, March 10 OR Wednesday, March 11 (In-Person)
Friday, March 13 (Virtual)
Thursday, March 19 (In-person)

Questions? Contact Carolyn Peters (cpeters@philanthropynewyork.org).

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* 1. Applicant Information:

Name: *

Organization: *

Title / Position at Organization: *

Email Address (work):

Phone Number (cell):

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* 2. How long have you been in your current position?

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* 3. What year did you enter the philanthropic field?

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* 4. Have you worked for a nonprofit or grantseeking organization before?

Yes

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* 5. Describe the scope of your current role and level of responsibility as it relates to grantmaking (i.e., relationship stewardship with grantee partners, making and communicating funding recommendations and decisions, assessing grant
portfolio for learning and decision making, etc).

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* 6. How do you see ESS helping you to improve your effectiveness in your position?

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* 7. ESS is designed as an intense learning experience for a small cohort (25 participants). The value of the program comes from the active engagement of participants.

Please provide a brief example of how you have contributed to productive group work/ peer learning environments in the past.

What will support you to be engaged in ESS sessions, both in-person and virtually?

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* 8. ESS is a significant time commitment: four all-day, in-person sessions, five half-day virtual sessions, and approximately 6 – 8 hours of prep work. Do you foresee any challenges in being able to make this commitment? Have you and your supervisor discussed the time commitment?

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* 9. How do you self-identify? Check all that apply

Asian American/Pacific Islander/Asian

Black/African American/African

Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx

Native American/American Indian/Indigenous

White/Caucasian/European

Multi-racial/Multi-ethnic

Cisgender

Transgender

Queer

Heterosexual

Person with disability(ies)

Decline to answer

Additional Identities (please specify)

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* 10. Program Fee: If accepted into the 2026 Class of ESS, we will invoice you for the program fee. Please indicate the appropriate fee based on your organization's total annual grantmaking budget.

Grantmaking up to $2 Million --> $750 fee

$2 Million to $5 Million --> $850 fee

$5 Million to $10 Million --> $1,000 fee

$10 Million to $20 Million --> $1,250 fee

$20 Million to $50 Million --> $1,500 fee

More than $50 Million --> $1,750 fee

Question Title

* 1. Applicant Information:

Question Title

* 2. How long have you been in your current position?

Question Title

* 3. What year did you enter the philanthropic field?

Question Title

* 4. Have you worked for a nonprofit or grantseeking organization before?

Question Title

* 5. Describe the scope of your current role and level of responsibility as it relates to grantmaking (i.e., relationship stewardship with grantee partners, making and communicating funding recommendations and decisions, assessing grantportfolio for learning and decision making, etc).

Question Title

* 6. How do you see ESS helping you to improve your effectiveness in your position?

Question Title

* 7. ESS is designed as an intense learning experience for a small cohort (25 participants). The value of the program comes from the active engagement of participants.

Question Title

* 8. ESS is a significant time commitment: four all-day, in-person sessions, five half-day virtual sessions, and approximately 6 – 8 hours of prep work. Do you foresee any challenges in being able to make this commitment? Have you and your supervisor discussed the time commitment?

Question Title

* 9. How do you self-identify? Check all that apply

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* 10. Program Fee: If accepted into the 2026 Class of ESS, we will invoice you for the program fee. Please indicate the appropriate fee based on your organization's total annual grantmaking budget.

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* 11. Additional Comments

* 5. Describe the scope of your current role and level of responsibility as it relates to grantmaking (i.e., relationship stewardship with grantee partners, making and communicating funding recommendations and decisions, assessing grant
portfolio for learning and decision making, etc).