What Albert Schweitzer Fellowship does

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship (ASF) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1940 to honor the humanitarian legacy of Dr. Albert Schweitzer. In its modern form since 1990-91, ASF operates a year-long, co-curricular fellowship for graduate and professional students from any academic discipline who design and implement community-based health projects addressing unmet needs at one of ten regional chapters: Alabama, Chicago, Columbus-Athens, Detroit, Houston-Galveston, New Hampshire/Vermont, New Orleans, North Carolina, San Francisco Bay Area, and Tulsa. The fellowship is anchored in academic partner institutions including Duke, Stanford, Tulane, Dartmouth, Baylor College of Medicine, UAB, Ohio State, Michigan State, University of Illinois Chicago, and the University of Tulsa, and applies the WHO's broad definition of health encompassing physical, mental, and social well-being.

ASF's underlying "technology" is its program model: an interdisciplinary cohort learning structure, wrap-around mentorship, leadership workshops and retreats, and project-management curriculum delivered through local chapters. More than 70% of Schweitzer projects continue in some form after the fellowship year ends, and graduating fellows join the Fellows for Life (FFL) alumni network of 4,500+ members, which sustains engagement through national conferences and a LinkedIn group.

ASF earns no revenue from program fees; the fellowship is provided at no cost to students. The organization is funded entirely by charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, institutions, and corporations, including online donations, mailed checks, donor-advised funds, IRA qualified charitable distributions, and legacy/planned gifts. Operational scale is modest: a 1-10 person national staff (including Executive Director Rachel Gold, a Data Intern, Program Associate, Operations and Impact Associate, and Graduate Intern) augmented by chapter coordinators across the 10 sites. The national headquarters relocated to the University of Tulsa's Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2025.

Name

Albert Schweitzer Fellowship

Legal name

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Inc.

Website

https://schweitzerfellowship.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Health Leadership Fellowship Program

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Alumni, Peer & Community Networking Programs (EDAMAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Peer Support, Mentoring & Student Leadership (SEL) (EDAKAMAO)

Keywords

• Community health leadership
• Graduate student fellowship
• Nonprofit health programs
• Leadership development training
• Public health fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

Tulsa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: ASF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization that depends entirely on contributions from individuals, foundations, institutions, and corporations. Accepts online donations, mailed checks, donor-advised funds, IRA qualified charitable distributions, and legacy/planned gifts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship runs a year-long, co-curricular leadership and community impact fellowship program for graduate and professional students from any academic discipline. Fellows partner with community agencies, clinics, or schools to identify unmet health needs and lead initiatives addressing them, operating across 10 U.S. chapter sites in partnership with academic institutions. Upon completion, fellows join the Fellows for Life (FFL) alumni network of more than 4,500 members for ongoing leadership development and networking.

Product overview

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship operates as a non-profit organization offering a single primary program: a year-long, co-curricular leadership and community health fellowship for graduate and professional students. The Schweitzer Fellowship Program is the core offering through which students design and implement community-based health projects at one of ten chapter sites nationwide. Upon completing the program, fellows join the Fellows for Life (FFL) Network, an alumni network that sustains engagement and provides ongoing leadership development opportunities. The organization does not offer a technology product platform, SaaS, or modular software offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 70% of Schweitzer projects continue in some form after the Fellowship year ends
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• University of TulsacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Tulsa's Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences hosts the national ASF headquarters following the relocation announced in 2025. The appointment of Rachel Gold as executive director was a key factor in choosing Tulsa.
• University of Alabama at BirminghammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor academic partner in Alabama chapter with multiple programs including Heersink School of Medicine, UAB School of Nursing, and various health sciences programs. Multiple Schweitzer fellows selected annually.
• Auburn UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Alabama chapter contributing nursing and other health professions students to the Schweitzer Fellowship program.
• Ohio State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary academic partner for Columbus-Athens chapter, hosting Schweitzer Fellowship program through College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and other health sciences programs.
• Ohio UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-academic partner for Columbus-Athens chapter expanding fellowship reach across Ohio.
• Michigan State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary academic partner for Detroit chapter. Affiliates include Wayne State University, Eastern Michigan University, and University of Michigan.
• Baylor College of MedicinemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead academic partner for Houston-Galveston chapter along with UTHealth Houston, Texas A&M University, and multiple other Texas institutions.
• Dartmouth CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary academic partner for New Hampshire/Vermont chapter through Geisel School of Medicine.
• Tulane UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor academic partner for New Orleans chapter along with Louisiana State University and Xavier University.
• Duke UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for North Carolina chapter along with UNC, Wake Forest, Campbell University, and others.
• Stanford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for San Francisco/Bay Area chapter along with UCSF, Touro University California, and Samuel Merritt University.
• Oklahoma State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Tulsa chapter contributing students to Schweitzer Fellowship projects in the Tulsa region.
• University of Illinois ChicagomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor academic partner for Chicago chapter with multiple health sciences programs participating in Schweitzer Fellowship.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Echoing Green: Echoing Green runs a highly regarded fellowship for emerging social-impact leaders, accepting applicants from any discipline. It is directly comparable to ASF in its leadership-development mission, multi-disciplinary applicant pool, and alumni-network-driven model, though Echoing Green operates globally and is more technology/startup focused.
• Global Health Corps: Global Health Corps places young professionals in year-long health-focused fellowships with NGOs and government agencies. It is a direct peer to ASF in mission, year-long structure, and health-equity focus, though GHC operates internationally and emphasizes placement over community project design.
• Coro Foundation (Coro Fellows Program): Coro runs a well-established leadership fellowship for graduate students focused on public affairs and civic leadership. It is directly comparable to ASF in its graduate-student target audience, interdisciplinary cohort model, and leadership-development mission.
• National Medical Fellowships: National Medical Fellowships provides scholarships and service-learning opportunities for underrepresented minority medical students. It is a direct peer to ASF in mission and target population, though NMF focuses on medical students specifically and provides direct financial scholarships rather than project-based fellowships.

Broad incumbents

• National Health Service Corps: NHSC provides scholarships and loan repayment to health professionals serving in underserved communities. It is comparable in its focus on developing health leaders to work in underserved settings, though NHSC is a federal program offering direct financial incentives rather than a fellowship.
• AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps is a federal national service program engaging Americans in year-long community service. It is comparable to ASF in its emphasis on service-year experiences and community impact, but operates at vastly larger scale and across all sectors rather than focusing on health leadership.
• Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation: The Macy Foundation is dedicated to improving health professions education and developing future health leaders. It is comparable as a funder operating in the same health-leadership-development space as ASF, though it primarily funds educational institutions rather than running a direct fellowship program.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Health Policy Research Scholars): RWJF funds multiple leadership development programs for emerging health leaders, including Health Policy Research Scholars for doctoral students from underrepresented backgrounds. It is a broad incumbent funder in the health-leadership development space where ASF operates.

Emerging players

• Health Career Connection: HCC provides paid health internships and fellowships to undergraduates and recent graduates from underrepresented backgrounds. It is an emerging player comparable to ASF's mission of building a diverse health workforce pipeline, though HCC focuses more on early-career undergraduates and paid internships.

Others

• Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health: ASPPH is a membership organization representing schools and programs of public health. It is thematically related as an ecosystem participant supporting health-professions education, though it does not run a direct fellowship program comparable to ASF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nationalasf
• Facebookfacebook.com/albertschweitzerfellowship

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Albert Schweitzer Fellowship