Values-Based Leadership in Action
What begins as deep personal transformation becomes global change. Through our Fellows’ leadership, AGLN catalyzes impact that addresses humanity’s greatest challenges.
Driving Positive Change
Our Fellows — spanning 62 countries and 30+ sectors — transform their Fellowship experiences into action that addresses humanity’s most pressing challenges.
Whether launching groundbreaking ventures, transforming established institutions from within, or catalyzing systems-level change, these leaders demonstrate what becomes possible when moral imagination meets practical action.
Impact Archetypes
Fellows create impact through multiple pathways, often moving between roles as their leadership journey evolves. They show up as:
Entrepreneurs
Fellows who launch new ventures, organizations, or social enterprises to address critical needs. They create innovative solutions from the ground up, establishing new models that challenge conventional approaches.
Intrapreneurs
Fellows who drive change from within existing institutions and organizations. They transform established systems through innovation, policy shifts, and cultural change, leveraging existing resources for maximum impact.
Change Agents
Fellows who work across sectors to transform entire systems. Through policy influence, community organizing, movement building, and narrative change, they address root causes and reshape the environments in which challenges exist.
Our Impact Model
A Lifelong Journey of Leadership Transformation
The AGLN’s approach to leadership development isn’t a linear path but a lifelong journey with multiple dimensions that build upon one another. Our model, validated by two decades of measurable outcomes, recognizes that meaningful impact emerges when leaders experience transformation across four interconnected domains:
Personal Transformation
At the heart of our work is the profound inner journey that changes how Fellows see themselves and their capacity to lead. Through seminar dialogues, personal reflection, and community engagement, Fellows develop heightened self-awareness, clearer alignment with personal values, and stronger purpose-driven leadership, fundamentally changing how they approach their leadership roles.
Fellowship Community
The AGLN creates a trusted space where unlikely allies form bonds that transcend differences. This community provides both support and accountability, with Fellows reporting that these relationships become instrumental confidants and advisors in their leadership evolution. These connections often last decades, becoming a crucial resource throughout their leadership journey.
Courageous Leadership
Fellowship experiences catalyze bold approaches to leadership that Fellows acknowledge they would not have attempted otherwise. This increased willingness to take meaningful risks translates directly to how they lead their organizations and communities.
Societal Impact
Fellows translate their personal transformation into tangible change through their ventures, organizations, and spheres of influence. Whether as entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, or systems-level change agents, they address society’s most pressing challenges with both moral imagination and practical action. Moreover, Fellows not only mobilize their own resources toward positive change but also influence broader policies and practices in their communities.
Key Insights Guiding Our Approach
Our work is informed by fundamental observations about effective leadership development:
- Leadership starts within: Deep personal reflection and introspection are essential foundations for authentic leadership.
- Community amplifies courage: With the support of trusted peers, Fellows take on challenges they would otherwise avoid.
- Impact ripples outward: Fellows’ influence extends beyond their direct work to shape systems, policies, and other leaders.
- Leadership evolves over time: Fellows’ impact journeys include pivots, expansions, and new directions as they respond to emerging needs.
This model has proven effective across cultures, sectors, and challenges—creating a multiplier effect as Fellows apply these principles throughout their lifelong leadership journey.
About the John P. McNulty Prize
The John P. McNulty Prize celebrates breakthrough leaders who have turned their talents and resources towards dismantling our toughest problems. Created in 2008 by Anne Welsh McNulty in honor of her late husband, the annual award is a call to action, recognizing three Winners demonstrating moral courage, a vision for change, and a track record of bold and lasting impact.
Each winner receives $150,000 and foundational support to amplify their efforts, and are selected by an international jury that includes former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, international statesman Olara Otunnu, international development expert Brizio Biondi-Morra, and Ford Foundation President Darren Walker.
Learn more at mcnultyfound.org/the-prize.
About the McNulty Catalyst Fund
The McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund recognizes ventures with significant momentum at critical junctures on their path to creating meaningful change.
Established in 2017, the Catalyst Fund provides unrestricted support to promising ventures led by AGLN Fellows. The Fund has received $1.2 million in contributions from David Blood, the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, the Nancy & George Walker Foundation, and many more, as well as a matching grant from the McNulty Foundation, all honoring the legacy of John P. McNulty.
Catalyst Fund awards are available to organizations led by AGLN Fellows whose leadership ventures or Action Pledges are at critical stages of growth and development with significant momentum and traction. All applicants to the annual McNulty Prize, as well as former McNulty Laureates at a pivotal juncture, are eligible for Catalyst Funds.
Learn more about the Catalyst Fund.
Annual Reports
These reports showcase how AGLN Fellows are driving transformational change across sectors and regions, offering insights into the multiplier effect of our global network.
Stay informed, inspired, and involved.
Need support or have a question? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a message and our team will be in touch shortly.
