ACTIVATING TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP WORLDWIDE

THE PROBLEM

Our world is in crisis — from climate collapse and violent conflict to billions living in poverty. Meeting these challenges requires bold, community-rooted leadership.

Yet across continents — from tribal nations in North America to informal settlements in Africa — local leaders face systemic barriers:

Those with the most potential to transform their communities receive the least investment — only a fraction of global resources reach local leaders.
Local leaders are locked out — denied access to training, mentorship, and the relationships needed to grow their impact.

Until we invest in those closest to the challenge — those with the trust, tenacity, and lived experience to lead — progress will stall, and communities will continue to suffer.

Mercy Musingo, Mountaintop Fellow

THE FELLOWSHIPS

Mountaintop's fellowships support the world's most promising local leaders to deepen and scale their impact in low-income communities.

Our Fellows receive:

World class leadership training at institutions like the Harvard Edmond & Lily Safra Center of Ethics and NYU Stern Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing.
1:1 mentorship and professional coaching.
Ongoing access to funding, visibility, and a global peer network.

Our fellowship tracks serve local leaders of all types, from emerging grassroots leaders to senior business executives — each united by a commitment to the communities they call home.

THE SOLUTION

Mountaintop International is a nonprofit that builds the inner capacity, or “human infrastructure,” of local leaders worldwide in order for their communities to flourish.

We work with individuals, mission-driven organizations, and public institutions to:

Build the capacity of values-driven local leaders to deepen and scale their impact and drive systems change.
Support a global ecosystem of individuals and organizations cultivating human infrastructure.
Provide a global platform that helps local leaders develop research, policies, and education initiatives that strengthen their communities' capacity to drive their own development.

In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose "Mountaintop" speech called for a locally led movement to stir our global consciousness, we are proud champions of a global revolution that puts people first so that every community can lead its own future.

Mountaintop Fellows At The 2025 Leadership Institute

2024 Mountaintop Fellows being recognized at the Massachusetts State House

2024 Mountaintop Fellows being formally recognized at the Massachusetts State Capitol

IMPACT TO DATE

We invest in leaders solving urgent problems in their communities. To date:

1 million+ people have benefited from initiatives led by Mountaintop Fellows.
20,000+ applicants from 179 countries, reflecting strong global demand and reach.
Fellows span the US and 17 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe as part of seven fellowships and executive education programs.
Fellows have been trained by leaders such as Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi.
100% of Fellows and alumni report a significant or transformative impact on their leadership trajectory.
Our two most recent fellowships both received a perfect Net Promoter Score of 100.

HEAR FROM OUR FELLOWS

TESTIMONIALS

"Mountaintop was an incredible experience - a space to learn from and with other inspiring leaders, and to get tips from experts on how to better run our organizations."

Dhruva Bhat, 2025 Mountaintop Executive Fellow and Founder and CEO of Lumiere Research (Chennai, India)