The Ford Fund Fellowship is a virtual program designed to equip 25 advanced social entrepreneurs with the skills, resources, and experience to scale the ventures and community initiatives they are building. Each Ford Fund Fellow will learn advanced skills in entrepreneurship and leadership, garner experience, and build a global network of Mentors, Master Course Teachers, and peers, as they lay the foundation to empower many more youth and transform their communities.
$25,000 in seed funding will be distributed among the 25 Ford Fund Fellows based on progress and impact throughout the Fellowship.
Is This Program For You?
This virtual program is for advanced, next-generation social entrepreneurs and community leaders building ventures that create impactful and scalable innovations. Ideal applicants will demonstrate a proven track record of innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership in their community
Eligible Applicants should be residents from the following countries;
South Africa, United States, China, Mexico, and Argentina.
Program Structure:
The Fellowship begins with a virtual two-week intensive Accelerator that will focus on:
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.
After the two week Accelerator, each Fellow will join a 14-week-long Fellowship, which includes:
(1). Leading a Basecamp in their respective community. A stipend will be given for logistical and administrative costs.
(2). Joining a monthly All Hands on Deck meeting that includes skill development workshops and opportunities to build community amongst the cohort.
(3). $25,000 in seed funding will be distributed among the 25 Ford Fund Fellow based on progress and impact throughout the Fellowship.
(4). 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.
(5). Joining a pod with other Fellows from their respective regions and checking in regularly with each other via one-on-one meetings.
(6). At the end of the Fellowship, all of the Fellows will participate in a high-profile Demo Day (called The Summit) to share their progress and impact throughout the program.
