AIF’s Banyan Impact Fellowship – Service in India 2024-25

Through collaboration and capacity-building, Fellows and local communities exchange knowledge and skills to steer projects that advance social and economic development. Fellows learn about grassroots development and inclusive leadership. Since 2001, AIF has selected, trained, and supported 539 Fellows and 238 partner organizations to scale impact, catalyze change, and build the next generation of socially-minded change makers. AIF provides Fellows with a living stipend, health insurance, professional development, mentorship, and programmatic benefits to enable their service. Selection of Fellows includes a written application and an interview, followed by matching with potential partner organizations for projects.

Fellows work on projects closely linked to Sustainable Development Goals and create sustainable impact through service and fieldwork across diverse thematic areas such as education, public health, livelihoods, social inclusion, minority rights, Dalit and tribal rights, climate justice, LGBTQ+ rights, gender, arts, sports, CSR, and many others.

In addition to providing fellows with mentorship, networking opportunities and resources for leadership development through The Banyan Impact Fellowship Program, AIF also presents its fellows with an additional professional development platform: The Atlas Corps Virtual Leadership Institute (VLI). This addition built as a result of an association established with Atlas Corps in 2021 furthers AIF’s mission of strengthening the US-India goals by expanding the organization’s investment in the leadership development of tomorrow’s global leaders.

The VLI is an online leadership development program that focuses on the three themes of developing self, developing others, and leading movements, while also strengthening connections between the AIF Fellows and the global Atlas Corps Community. This five-month online program includes sessions with keynote speakers, interactive workshops, self-led activities, discussion groups, and community-building activities with U.S. organizations and leaders. Participants, also known as Scholars, will also work on individual leadership projects that benefit the communities or organizations where the Scholars work.

Who are the host organizations?

• AIF has a network of existing partners who have hosted AIF Fellows in the past, and welcomes new partners to apply each cycle. Potential partner organizations must have a registered office in India in order to host an AIF Fellow, and may not have religious or political affiliation. All Host Organizations – existing and new – go through a rigorous selection process that includes a written application, an interview, and an evaluation visit (for new partners). Only strong applications that demonstrate a robust fellowship project with clear deliverables and goals, a solid local support structure, as well as a sound sustainability plan post-fellowship, will be given the opportunity to interview prospective AIF Fellows in the Summer of 2024.
• AIF’s Selection Criteria for Host Organizations Include:
  • Organizations must have a registered office in India and follow a non-political, non-religious mandate. It is recommended, though not mandatory, that they maintain an active FCRA certification.
  • Organizations must be implementation organizations working directly with communities and beneficiaries.
  • Organizations must have non-discrimination, equal employment, anti-sexual harassment, and child safeguarding policies in place.
  • Organizations must demonstrate that they are at a crucial moment of scalability, and are currently looking to either expand or deepen their impact and reach in the intended community.
  • The proposed project must align with the mission and values of the organization, as well as the mission and values of the American India Foundation and the AIF Banyan Impact Fellowship.
  • Since 2018, half of the fellowship placements are in rural areas. They are looking to expand the rural outreach in the coming year, and welcome applications from all regions of the country.
  • Organizations must identify a member of the leadership of the organization who is willing and able to supervise the Fellow for the fellowship project. This individual must have demonstrated experience in the development field.
  • The organization should demonstrate that they have the required resources necessary to sustain and replicate the project post the completion of the Fellowship.

Who are the fellows?

• The Fellowship recruits consist of young professionals from India, between 21 and 35 years of age, with remarkably diverse professional and personal backgrounds, who bring a passion for community based development. AIF selects, trains, and places these individuals directly with partnering implementation organizations across India. Fellows serve through contributing their efforts and skills to developing ongoing initiatives, as well as strategizing new projects for the host organizations.
• AIF’s Selection Criteria for Fellows Include:
  • Applicants must be Indian Citizens.
  • Applicants must be young professionals between the age of 21-35 by the program start of October 1, 2024.
  • Applicants must have completed at least a Bachelor’s or other undergraduate degree before the program starts on October 1, 2024.
  • Applicants must be willing and able to serve on the ground in India for the full duration of the program.
  • Applicants must be willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine before the start of the program.
  • Applicants must bring both skills and experience, as well as an eagerness to learn with host communities on the ground.
  • Applicants must be willing to learn a local language if required for the project.
  • Applicants must be committed to enriching learning opportunities for the fellowship community and positively contribute to building U.S.-India bridges of understanding and partnership during their time of service and after.

For more information, visit American India Foundation.