Sand Hill Philanthropy Fellowships: Women's Foundation California - Summer 2026
Through the Sand Hill Philanthropy Fellowships, a Cardinal Quarter opportunity, Stanford undergraduate students can spend the summer working in full time positions with Bay Area grantmaking foundations and philanthropic organizations that are prearranged by the Haas Center.
The Sand Hill Foundation Fellowship in Philanthropy was created in spring 2000 to honor the memory of Tom Ford, a member of the Haas Center’s National Advisory Board and a former Stanford University Trustee. Throughout his life, Ford strongly believed in sharing with the community and in the immense potential of young people. With the generous support of Susan Ford Dorsey's Sand Hill Foundation, the Sand Hill Foundation Fellowship is modeled after this philosophy. The goal of the program is to bring more young people into philanthropic work by providing students with intensive summer experiences.
Each Philanthropy Fellow receives a base stipend of $7000 to cover most of the essential costs associated with an unpaid service experience. Financial aid and supplemental funding are available to students who qualify.
One summer fellowship positions is available with Women's Foundation California.
Description of Organization:
Women’s Foundation California is a statewide, publicly supported foundation dedicated to achieving racial, economic, and gender justice by centering the experience and expertise of communities most impacted by systemic injustice. Our vision is to build a feminist future for California.
OUR VALUES
Alegría (Joy). Power. Belonging. Our values are the heart of our organization, guiding our work daily and driving our dreams for a feminist future. We are a diverse team with unique perspectives, united by our purpose, strategy, and culture. Committed to achieving racial, economic, and gender justice, these three principles define our every action.
OUR STRATEGIES
Women’s Foundation California amplifies the voices and experiences of community leaders, redistributes knowledge, power, and resources, and mobilizes communities and funders to advance justice for all. We support collaborative, multiracial solutions designed by feminist leaders and promote an inclusive, representative democracy.
OUR HARVEST
Women’s Foundation California resources racial, economic, and gender justice movements, building toward the feminist future in which the leadership of women and gender-expansive folks drive collective liberation, systems embrace love and justice, and communities are healthy, safe, and prosperous. These are the outcomes we strive for.
Description of Projects:
Under the guidance of and in collaboration with the grantmaking team, the fellow will have the opportunity to learn about and support the advancement of our trust-based grantmaking program and our commitment to resource racial, economic, environmental, and gender justice movements across California. The fellow will support a variety of tasks at all stages of the grantmaking lifecycle, including but not limited to: researching prospective partners, supporting partner check-ins and communication, data management, and gathering content that amplifies the stories and impact of the foundation and our partners. The fellow may also have the opportunity to support other areas of our work depending on their interests.
Desired Skills, Experiences, and Qualities:
Women’s Foundation California is seeking a fellow who:
- has knowledge of and is passionate about gender justice issues
- is adept with organizing multiple tasks and projects across teams
- has outstanding attention to detail and follow-through
- is a self-starter and solution-oriented
- has excellent verbal and written communication skills
- has strong interpersonal skills with the ability to cultivate relationships with colleagues and community partners
- has experience with calendaring, event planning, and/or data management
Work Arrangement and Start Date:
This will be a fully virtual position. The tentative start date is June 15, 2026.
Eligibility:
For complete eligibility requirements, please review our program policies in its entirety.
Applicants must be:
- enrolled at Stanford for the winter and spring quarters of this academic year (2025-26);
- be in good academic standing and not on suspension; and
- enrolled as a first-year, sophomore, or junior (from all academic disciplines), or a senior who will be returning for a co-term program during the following academic year
Graduating seniors are only eligible for Round 2 opportunities if funding is available after the February deadline, and the Round 2 deadline may be in early April. Students who have begun their coterm programs are not eligible to apply. Priority will be given to students who have completed fewer than two previous Cardinal Quarter opportunities.
Requirements:
Selected fellows are expected to begin their fellowship following the completion of spring quarter classes and no later than July 6, 2026. All fellows are required to work with their community partners 35-40 hours/week for nine consecutive weeks.
Please review the complete program policies for additional requirements. Other commitments include the following:
Spring Quarter
- Complete and online program orientation
- Complete the Engaging in Ethical and Effective Service in-person workshop or worksheet.
- Identify and meet with an on-campus mentor at least once.
- Design a personal learning plan and share the learning plan with the site supervisor and on-campus mentor.
- Complete all required pre-orientation forms.
Summer Quarter
- Submit a brief preliminary report
- Submit a final report, complete a program evaluation, and correspond with fellowship donor(s) as requested by fellowships program staff.
Fall Quarter
- Meet with on-campus mentor at least once
-
Participate in outreach activities to share the experience and help publicize the program
Selection Process:
For those who seek assistance, advising is available through the Haas Center to help students develop their applications. Please reach out to a Cardinal Quarter Peer Advisor or email cardinalquarter@stanford.edu for an advising appointment with program staff.
This fellowship is intended for individuals whose application, references, and interview demonstrate
- an integration of the fellowship experience with the applicant’s academic, personal and/or career goals
- prior demonstrated interest or involvement in the subject area, including related coursework
- a compelling match between applicant’s skills and interests and an organization’s work and needs
- strong potential for the fellowship experience to deepen a candidate’s understanding of an identified community issue or challenge
Complete applications are screened, finalists interviewed, and fellows selected by the host organizations with the intention to award fellowships within six weeks of the application deadline. Applicants are responsible for checking their Stanford email (including Spam folders) and responding promptly to interview invitations. Failure to respond to an interview invitation will result in withdrawal of the application.
Applicants must respond promptly (within 48 hours) via email to a fellowship offer, or the offer will be rescinded. Once an applicant accepts a fellowship offer, the student should promptly notify all other Stanford and non-Stanford programs to which they have applied that they have accepted another offer and to withdraw their candidacy.
