Entrepreneurial fellowships or grants are similar to fellowships, but are structured to provide "seed money" to new and recent graduates to launch new projects or new nonprofit organizations of their own. Applying for entrepreneurial fellowships is similar to the process of applying to foundations for grant money to fund a project. The difference lies in the technical support that is often provided to fellows, such as training, supervision, and other resources.
echoing green:
The Entrepreneurial Fellowship
A distinctive characteristic of echoing green fellowships involves the responsibilities and activities of fellows. Because echoing green provides start-up support for independent projects, fellows are expected to and often do spend significant time on raising additional funds. They also typically must engage in other activities related to founding a new organization, such as establishing tax-exempt status, writing bylaws, creating a board of directors, etc. For those individuals interested in starting their own organizations or projects, echoing green is an excellent source of funding and technical support, and a number of Georgetown law graduates have begun or continued their careers with these fellowships (see the list of Georgetown fellowship recipients). |
Overview
Founded in 1993, echoing green is a non-profit foundation that offers two-year fellowships for "social entrepreneurs." The fellowships carry a $60,000 total stipend, plus benefits and technical assistance. The fellowships are open to law graduates as well as undergraduates and graduates of other professional schools. A unique feature of echoing green fellowships is that two individuals can 'partner' and apply for two fellowships. In such cases, the total stipend is $90,000.
Projects funded
While all project fellowships seek to fund innovative and creative projects, echoing green takes what it calls a "venture capital" approach to philanthropy. It provides "seed money and technical support to individuals creating innovative public service organizations or projects that seek to catalyze positive social change." A project must be in the start-up stage of development, and it must be the original idea of the applicant. Both domestic and international projects are eligible.
Much more so than project fellowship programs, echoing green seeks to fund projects that are truly independent in nature — i.e., not connected to the work or mission of existing organizations. Applicants can seek support and resources from an existing organization, but projects must be autonomous. Also unlike other project fellowships, echoing green fellowships are not limited to law-related projects, and there are no restrictions on subject matter. All areas of public service qualify. However, research projects and lobbying activities are not eligible.
Selection criteria and evaluation
According to its application materials, echoing green seeks to fund "innovative risk takers who are building something [to] effect social change." The foundation looks for "leaders who can inspire others into action" and projects that are demonstrably connected to the communities and/or constituencies they propose to serve. Creativity, passion, commitment, and innovation are particular characteristics echoing green seeks in its applicants. Academic performance is generally not considered.
Echoing green has a two-tiered application process. In the first phase, generally occurring in the fall, interested persons submit a 'concept paper' that provides a synopsis of the proposed project or organization. The foundation then 'invites' selected applicants to submit 'full-length' applications. This second phase usually occurs around January or February. Interviews are then conducted with finalists, and decisions are made by May.
New Voices National Fellowship Program
This program awards a two-year grant to US based organizations working in the areas of international human rights, women's rights, racial justice, migrant and refugee rights, international peace and security, foreign policy, and international economic policy.
In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, New Voices has focused its efforts on organizations in the Gulf Coast area, for the past several years.
Initiative for Public Interest Law at Yale
This one-year grant was created to provide start-up money for projects that protect the legal rights of inadequately represented groups or interests. The Initiative funds innovative projects that may have difficulty obtaining money from other sources due to the newness of the project or of the approach, in hopes that the successful execution might be a model for other organizations seeking new and better ways to represent clients.
Berkeley Law Foundation
The Berkeley Law Foundation funds new lawyers and innovative public interest law projects that serve disadvantaged communities. This foundation funds creative public interest projects that will provide legal services to disadvantaged people.
