Fellowship, COHORT-BASED LEARNING & Community Design
Designing transformative learning ecosystems that strengthen leaders, communities, and fields.
You know a fellowship or learning community could transform your field.
But how do you design something that's strategically aligned, measurably impactful, and sustainable with your team's resources?
We help foundations, accelerators, VCs, and impact organizations turn strategy into reality—designing fellowships, cohort-based learning experiences, and community engagement strategies that create long-term, systemic impact.
Whether you call it a fellowship program, cohort-based learning, professional community, or learning network, we help you design the complete ecosystem.
THE CHALLENGE
You’re likely asking questions such as:
“How do we design a fellowship or learning community that actually strengthens our field—not just adds another program?”
“How do we show tangible impact to funders and stakeholders?”
“How do we build something sustainable given our team’s time and budget constraints?”
“How do we create real community—not a cohort that disappears when the program ends?”
“How do we activate our alumni network instead of letting it go quiet?”
These are not operational questions. They are strategic ones.
A well-designed fellowship or learning community becomes a lever for field-building, talent development, and ecosystem change. A poorly designed one drains resources without creating meaningful impact.
WHAT WE DO
We design the full learning ecosystem — not just curriculum, but the structures, relationships, and processes that sustain transformation.
Our work includes:
Fellowship Program & Learning Community Design
End-to-end design of structure, experience arc, rituals, and community rhythms.Cohort-Based Learning Experiences
Learning journeys that blend expert input, peer learning, and reflective practice.Community Engagement & Network Strategy
Approaches that keep members connected, active, and meaningfully involved.Selection & Recruitment Support
Criteria, processes, and experience design aligned with your values and strategy.Community Manager & Facilitator Training
Capacity building so your team can deliver with confidence and consistency.
WHY CAPACITY BUILDING MATTERS
Even the best-designed fellowship or learning community depends on the people running it.
Community managers, facilitators, and program leads shape the culture every day.
That’s why we integrate capacity building directly into the design process:
We help you think through:
Who needs to be involved in building, running, and sustaining this?
What capabilities do they need that they might not yet have?
How should we develop those capabilities—training, coaching, mentorship?
How do we create systems that don’t rely on a single person to hold everything?
This can include:
Facilitator training for staff or volunteers
Coaching for community managers responsible for member engagement
Leadership development for chapter or regional leaders
Train-the-trainer models to support internal scaling
1:1 coaching for staff transitioning into new roles
With more than a decade of experience designing and delivering training programs, capacity building is not an add-on—it is central to how we design for sustainability.
How We Work
Our process is designed to help your organization build a fellowship or learning community that is strategic, sustainable, and deeply human.
1. Discovery
Understanding your strategy, context, and the field you’re shaping.
2. Program Architecture
Designing the structural backbone of the program or community.
3. Build & Pilot
Creating materials, trying small tests, and refining through iteration.
4. Launch Support & Iteration
Supporting early delivery and helping you adapt in real time.
5. Community Sustainability
Designing rhythms and structures that keep the community alive.
WHO WE WORK WITH
We partner with organizations building the next generation of leaders, practitioners, and changemakers:
VCs & Accelerators — Building portfolio communities and cohort-based programs that go beyond capital
Foundations & Impact Investors — Designing fellowship programs and leadership learning experiences that scale impact
Impact Organizations & Networks — Creating member engagement strategies and learning communities that advance the field
Organizations supporting HR Professionals or educators — Designing communities of practice and cohort-based learning programs for clients
ABOUT TMATSU
TMatsu brings nearly a decade of experience designing and scaling fellowship programs and learning communities at Acumen—integrating curriculum across 8 regions, building global volunteer networks spanning 20+ cities, and designing gatherings for 700+ alumni.
Our work blends learning design, community strategy, and cross-cultural facilitation to help organizations build ecosystems where leaders and ideas can thrive.
FEATURED PROJECTS
-
Acumen Fellows Program: Scaling Leadership Development Across 8 Regions
Challenge: Integrate a fellowship program across regions; navigate COVID; redesign selection.
Approach: Created adaptable curriculum framework; developed franchise model; led virtual/hybrid shift.
Outcomes: Scaled globally while maintaining cohesion; sustainable regional ownership model. -
Global Volunteer Network: Designing for 20+ Cities
Challenge: Build community structure for volunteer chapter leaders.
Approach: Designed retreats, facilitation frameworks, community rhythms.
Outcomes: High engagement; replicable retreat model; volunteer leaders felt supported, not isolated. -
Global Fellows Gathering: Designing for 700 Alumni
Challenge: Create meaningful connection across 700 global participants.
Approach: Designed large- and small-group formats; balanced structure & emergence.
Outcomes: Strengthened cross-regional relationships and long-term collaboration. -
Coaching Skills Program for 25 Public Schools
Challenge: Equip 50 school leaders with coaching skills despite limited time for professional development.
Approach: Hybrid year-long program with three in-person two-day workshops, peer learning, and 1:1 coaching so leaders could experience coaching, not only learn techniques.
Outcomes: Leaders strengthened coaching mindsets and reflective communication, gaining a deeper felt sense of coaching distinct from teaching/advising.
COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES
Executive Coaching for Fellows & Alumni
Many fellowship programs benefit from integrating 1:1 coaching—during the program or afterward as alumni leadership development.
We offer coaching that can be built into your program or provided as a standalone service.
This includes:
Coaching for individual fellows
Alumni leadership development coaching
Coaching for facilitators and community managers
READY TO START?
Whether you're launching your first fellowship, scaling an existing program, or reimagining how your community engages—let's talk about what you're building.