Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship

The Community Foundation of Utah (CFU) is accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship until Friday, May 15, 2026 at 11:59pm MT.

The Morgan Stanley Community Development Graduate Fellowship is a paid opportunity that supports the development of emerging community leaders, while also building the capacity of nonprofit organizations.

This year, the Fellowship will pair eight graduate students with neighborhood-based community development organizations (Host Organizations) in Salt Lake or Tooele counties to gain hands-on experience working on a high-impact project in the fields of affordable housing, economic development, and/or community planning. Depending on the needs of the project and the organization, the Fellow may work in-person, remotely, or a hybrid of the two. Both Fellows and Host Organizations apply to be part of this esteemed Fellowship opportunity, which runs from August 2026 to June 2027.

Program Benefits for Fellows Include:

• High-quality training and mentorship with some of Utah’s best nonprofit organizations
• A $25,000 stipend for the ten-month part-time (20 hours per week) Fellowship
• The opportunity to build your professional network by engaging with leaders in local government, business, philanthropy, and community development fields
• Access to Fellowship & alumni events and programming
• Possibility to receive academic credit, in accordance with the policies of the Fellows’ respective academic program

Process

The selection process for Fellows has two phases.

• In phase one, CFU staff will review all applications and select a pool of finalists.
• In phase two, finalists may be invited to interview with Host Organizations. These interviews are an opportunity for finalists and Host Organization supervisors to assess alignment of skills and interests, and the project needs and opportunities. 

Please note that while finalists' preferences for specific Host Organizations and projects will be taken into account, they may be offered a position with another Host, or with none at all. This is a highly competitive Fellowship and we thank you for your interest in applying.

2026-27 Host Organizations include:

1. Fourth Street Clinic
2. Housing Connect
3. International Rescue Committee - SLC
4. NeighborWorks Salt Lake
5. Project Read
6. Salt Lake City Library Foundation
7. The Road Home
8. Valley Behavioral Health

Detailed job descriptions for the 2026/27 Host Organizations can be found here.

Interviews will take place May-July. Fellows and Hosts will be matched based on experience, interest, and availability. 

TO APPLY: Fill out the application form by following this link.