Echoing Green Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurs 2018 – $80,000 + Leadership Development

Application Timeline: 

• Application Closes: 24th October, 2017
• Finalists will be announced and interviewed in New York City: April 2018
• Fellows announced: June 2018

Eligible Countries: all

Offered annually? Yes

About the Fellowship: The Global Fellowship is the twenty-seven-year-old program for smart leaders who are deeply connected to the needs and potential solutions that may work best for their communities. Any emerging social entrepreneur from any part of the world working to disrupt the status quo may apply.

The Black Male Achievement (BMA) Fellowship is the first fellowship in the world for social entrepreneurs dedicated to improving the life outcomes of black men and boys in the United States. The Fellowship was founded and is supported in partnership with the Open Society Foundations since 2012. BMA Fellows generate new ideas and best practices in the areas of education, family, and work, such as initiatives related to fatherhood, mentoring, college preparatory programs, community-building, career and economic opportunities, communications, and philanthropic leadership.

The Climate Fellowship, built in partnership with The ZOOM Foundation, is specifically targeted for next-generation social entrepreneurs committed to working on innovations in mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The threat of global climate change is one of the greatest humanitarian and economic challenges of our time. Our interest is in considering the full spectrum of responses to the climate crisis – from innovative technology in Silicon Valley to community organizing in the developing world.

Type: Social Entrepreneurship

Selection Criteria: Successful applicants not only present an innovative way of addressing social issues, but also explain why they as individuals have what it takes to succeed. Echoing Green is not a grant-making organization. We are a fellowship program because we believe in the importance of the individual social entrepreneur as well as his/her project.  As such, we look at both the applicant and the applicant’s idea.

Applicant Criteria

• Purpose / Passion
• Resilience
• Leadership
• Ability to Attract Resources

Organization Criteria

• Innovation
• Importance
• Potential for Big, Bold Impact
• A Good Business Model

Eligibility: In order to be eligible for an Echoing Green Fellowship, the applicant must be:

• Over 18 years old
• Fluent in English
• Able to commit a full 35 hour work week to their organization.

In order to be eligible for an Echoing Green Fellowship, the organization must be:

• The original idea of the applicant(s)
• In its start-up phase, usually within the first two years of operation
• Independent and autonomous

There are often some misconceptions about what types of organizations are eligible for the Echoing Green Fellowship. Here is some clarification about organizations that are eligible:

• An organization can be either a non-profit, a for-profit, or hybrid.
• An organization does not only have to be run by one individual. Partnerships can apply for a Fellowship
• Organizations still in the idea phase are eligible

The following types of organizations are not eligible to apply:

• Students, scholarships, or research projects (Students may apply for the Echoing Green Fellowship while they are full time students in a degree program. However, they must have completed their studies by July at the beginning of their fellowship period.)
• Lobbying or faith-based organizations
• Existing organizations which have grown past their start-up phase

Number of Fellowships: Several

Value of Fellowship:

• A dedicated Echoing Green portfolio manager to assist in the development of an Individualized Fellow Plan, access to technical expertise and pro bono partnerships to help grow their organization, and support from Echoing Green chaplains
• Leadership development, peer mentorship, and targeted networking opportunities
• A community of like-minded social entrepreneurs, public service leaders, and industry leaders including the Echoing Green network of over 700 Fellows working in sixty countries all over the world.
• A stipend of $80,000 for individuals (or $90,000 for two-person partnerships) paid in four equal installments over two years
• A health insurance stipend and yearly professional development stipend

Duration of Fellowship: two years plus ongoing support

How to Apply: Do not mail, fax, or email your application – Echoing Green will not accept it if it is not submitted through the application website. No exceptions! Remember, the application will be accessible online from September 27 – October 25, 2016 here: echoinggreen.org/apply

Visit fellowship webpage for details

Sponsors: Echoing Green Fellowship