Key details
- Host: Watson Institute, Ford Foundation
- Open to: USA, China, Mexico, South Africa, and Kenya
- Target: Entrepreneurs
- Deadline: 9th July 2021
Applications for the 2021 Ford Fund Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurs and Community Leaders are ongoing.
About the Ford Fund Fellowship
The Ford Fund Fellowship is a virtual program that provides 10 advanced social entrepreneurs with the skills, tools, and experience necessary to scale their companies and community activities. Each Ford Fund Fellow will develop advanced entrepreneurial and leadership skills, gain experience, and develop a global network of Mentors, Master Course Teachers, and peers as they set the groundwork for many more youth empowerment and community transformation.
The one-year Fellowship will be delivered entirely online. Between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM U.S. Mountain Time, synchronized events will take place. The two-week Accelerator requires an approximate time commitment of around 20-25 hours per week, which includes class time and outside-of-class work.
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The remaining portion of the Fellowship, except managing a Basecamp, will need around ten hours per month. Additionally, fellows should budget 160-200 hours over the course of 2-3 months to create and run a Basecamp in their community.
Eligibility Criteria
The Ford Fund Fellowship is designed for advanced, next-generation social entrepreneurs and community leaders who are developing initiatives that make a measurable impact. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record of innovation, entrepreneurship, and community leadership:
- We are looking for applicants from the following countries: United States, China, Mexico, South Africa, and Kenya.
- You must be able to commit to the intensive 2-week Accelerator (July 19th – July 30th) and the part-time, year-long Fellowship program (July 2021-July 2022).
Fellowship Structure
Building Community: community is one of the pillars of the Fellowship experience. A diverse cohort of young leaders and entrepreneurs form partnerships, collaborations, and further their growth and impact as leaders in their community.
Skill Development: including fundraising, team building, transformative communication, growth mindset, courage, resilience, creativity, and leadership. Fellows will be guided through the process of overcoming key challenges faced during the process of becoming transformative leaders and entrepreneurs.
Basecamp Training: each Fellow is trained and receives a stipend and logistical support to lead a three-day training (called Basecamp) in their home community to empower at least 30 additional entrepreneurial leaders per Fellow.
Benefit
Following the two-week Accelerator, each Fellow will begin a one-year Fellowship that includes the following:
- Leading a Basecamp in their respective community. A stipend will be given for logistical and administrative costs.
- Joining a monthly All Hands on Deck meeting that includes skill development workshops and opportunities to build community amongst the cohort.
- Receiving $1,000 (USD) in Seed Funding to launch/grow their ventures and initiatives.
Also read: Barbro Klein Fellowship Program at the Swedish collegium for Advanced Study 2022-2023
- Regularly attending Master Courses with the world’s leading entrepreneurs and practitioners. Past Master Course Teachers include recognized leaders of Nobel Peace Prize-winning movements, the youngest person to run for U.S. Congress, and the inventor of Google’s self-driving car.
- Joining a pod with other Fellows from their respective regions and checking in regularly with each other via one-on-one meetings.
Application Procedure
Interested candidates who meet the eligibility requirements of the Ford Fund Fellowship can click the button below to apply:
For more information visit the official website of Ford Fund Fellowship