Deadline: 9 January 2012
Open to: new leaders launching their organizations and building capacity of their social enterprise
Fellowship: $80,000 in funding to launch new organizations
Echoing Green’s world-renowned two-year Fellowship program provides more than $2 million in seed funding to a diverse group of the world’s most promising social entrepreneurs. From thousands of applicants, typically fewer than one percent are ultimately selected as Echoing Green Fellows. Through the two-year Echoing Green Fellowship program, they provide start-up capital and technical assistance to help new leaders launch their organizations and build capacity of their social enterprise.
Eligibility:
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for an Echoing Green Fellowship:
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
- Applicants must have sufficient English fluency to participate in interviews and Echoing Green events.
- Organization must be the original idea of the applicant.
- Organization must be in a start-up phase. To be considered a start-up, the organization may have been in operation for up to two years, and Echoing Green’s financial support should qualify it as significant early funder. Applicants who have only worked on their organization on a part-time basis or have yet to start the organization are generally considered eligible.
- Organization must be independent and autonomous
The following proposals are not eligible for consideration for an Echoing Green Fellowship:
- Expansion of an existing organization that is past its start-up phase
- Research projects
- Lobbying activities
- Faith-based initiatives (In this context, faith-based implies that you are associated with a religious institution or are promoting a specific faith; if your work has a spiritual basis but is not tied to any specific religion or faith, you may be eligible for consideration)
- Recipients of prior Echoing Green funding
Fellowship:
Through the two-year Echoing Green Fellowship program, they provide start-up capital and technical assistance to help new leaders launch their organizations and build capacity of their social enterprise.
They offer:
- A stipend of $80,000 for individuals (or $90,000 for 2-person partnerships) paid in four equal installments over two years
- A health insurance stipend
- A yearly professional development stipend
- Conferences led by organizational development experts
- Access to technical support and pro bono partnerships to help grow your organization
- A community of like-minded social entrepreneurs and public service leaders, including the Echoing Green network of nearly 500 alumni working all over the world
Application
The Echoing Green Fellowship selection process is highly competitive. Applicants progress through three application stages with eliminations after each phase. By the end of the process, Echoing Green will have narrowed the 2500+ applications to 12-20 fellowships. The 2012 Fellows will begin their fellowship July 2012 and continue until June 30, 2014.
2012 Application Cycle Dates:
- December 5, 2011 at 12:00 pm Noon EST: Phase 1 of application opens to all eligible applicants
- January 9, 2012 at 12:00 pm Noon EST: Phase 1 of application closes
- Early February 2012: Semifinalists announced and invited to complete expanded application. All applicants notified of results by email
- Late February 2012: Semifinal applications due
- April 2012: Finalists announced
- May 10-12, 2012: Finalist interviews in NYC
- June 2012: Fellows announced