The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation in Boston has announced the launch of an initiative aimed at promoting a new approach to talent recruitment and development of diverse philanthropic leaders.

The Rising Leaders for Equity initiative will create a full-time, salaried, two-year position for early-career professionals who bring a diversity of identities, perspectives, and viewpoints to philanthropy. The initiative aims to demonstrate how the field can dismantle barriers and recruit talented individuals whose contributions are critical to shifting existing approaches to philanthropic work, while providing a holistic professional experience centered on mutual learning, growth, and innovation.

Participants will be included at all levels of engagement within the foundation — including relationship building, grantmaking, communications, and operations — and have access to learning and skills development opportunities through a rotation model across various aspects of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. Their learning will be grounded in technology ethics — one of the foundation's key areas of advocacy — and participants will be encouraged to pursue their curiosity and professional interests through networking, peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, and technical assistance.

"As a signature initiative of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Rising Leaders for Equity is centered on trust and transformation," said foundation president Vilas Dhar. "To build public trust in philanthropy, we have to fully align our values and actions, and that starts in-house. As we take this important step, we'd welcome the opportunity to come together with other philanthropies for authentic conversations, self-reflection, and learning new ways of working. Together, we can be agents of transformation at every level — individual, organization, community, and society — to build a more equitable and inclusive future for all."