The Fellowship Alumni Network Study (FANS) is a collaborative research initiative supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation that aims to learn about the positive social impact of fellowship program alumni at all levels of society.

This initiative provides a space for organizations to share and better understand the changes alumni make in their work, activities that contribute to those changes, and the role that networks play in the process. In doing so, FANS hopes to inform continued learning on how fellowship programs can support their alumni to drive positive social change. FANS seeks organizations that implement impact fellowships and have existing and active alumni networks to participate in the research study. Benefits from participating in FANS include the following:

• Data: Access to data from research that can be used to inform alumni programming.
• Network: Relationship building with members, which include fellowship implementers and donors. 
• Learning: Collaborative learning to strengthen fellowship alumni engagement activities.
• Community: Discounted tickets to next Impact Fellowships Summit or a future Summit.
• Collaboration: Consortium research partners will meet approximately once a month from January through October 2022 to coordinate efforts, align goals, and collaboratively conduct research. 
• Recognition: Consortium research partners will be recognized as research collaborators on all materials related to the initiative, including reports and other learning documents. They will be called on to present the research at conferences and contribute to thought leadership.

Participating organizations must meet the following criteria: 

• Must have implemented a fellowship with alumni for at least 3 years.
• Have cohorts of domestic U.S. or international alumni.
• Fellowship experience must have included in-person and/or virtual engagement(s).
• Fellowship programs must have a focus on creating positive social change.
• Fellowship must be currently active.

Watch our information session:  IREX staff shares details about the research questions that will guide project activities, opportunities to participate, and expectations and commitments of consortium research partners.

Join our research outreach list: We will be reaching out to a variety of organizations in the fellowship industry for interviews, surveys and focus group contributions between February and October 2022. Complete the short form to join our outreach list.

Become a consortium research partner: We will be accepting applications for consortium research partners from November 15th, 2021 to January 14th, 2022. Consortium research partners work closely with the IREX team to leverage their network of alumni to support the study. There are two engagement tracks interested organizations can consider:

• Network Partner: Estimated 15 to 20 hours of total commitment between January and October 2022.  Engagement will entail:
  • Sharing their ideas and feedback on Consortium online platform.
  • Attending at least 2 meetings from January through October 2022. 
  • Disseminating key data collection activities to program alumni.
• Co-design Partner:  Estimated 30 to 40 hours of total commitment between January and October 2022. Engagement will entail:
  • Sharing their ideas and feedback on Consortium online platform
  • Attending 6 meetings from January through October 2022. 
  • Disseminating key data collection activities to program alumni.
  • Contributing to data sense-making and analysis with the IREX team.
  • Collaborating on sharing findings throughout the fellowship industry.

• Research Consortium Application Period (November 4th – January 14th): A diverse consortium of fellowship funders and implementers will be identified to contribute as research partners to inform the design, implementation, and dissemination of the study. 
• Design Phase (January 2022 – March 2022): Consortium research partners will contribute in regular meetings to inform the design, implementation, and dissemination of the study.
• Data Collection Phase (March 2022 – August 2022): Data collection including focus group discussions, key informant interviews and surveys will be facilitated across a diverse network of fellowship funders, implementers, and alumni.
• Data Analysis & Conclusions Phase (September 2022 – October 2022): Report of findings, recommendations, and conclusions will be identified and published. Key insights aim to highlight lessons learned from the consortium research process and practical resources for fellowship organizations to consider.

At the conclusion of the study, IREX and consortium partners will promote study findings across their networks and professional spaces to encourage continued learning and discussion among fellowship funders and implementers.

• Atlas Corps
• Balal Public Library
• Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
• Cleveland Foundation
• Community Change
• Education Development Trust
• Foster America
• Fulbright Commission
• Generation
• Global Health Corps
• Kansas State University
• Library Aid Africa
• Mescripts Voices
• Princeton AlumniCorps
• Princeton in Africa
• Rotary International
• Salzburg Global Seminar
• The Public Policy & International Affairs Program - PPIA
• United Nations Association of the National Capital Area
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation

• Nina Oduro, noduro@irex.org | Project Director
• Rebecca Zylberman, rzylberman@irex.org | Partnerships Lead
• Phil Davidovich, pdavidovich@irex.org | Research lead