Deadline: 18-Aug-23
Applications are now open for the Western Union Foundation Fellowship, a venture and leadership accelerator program for entrepreneurs and community leaders from and working with highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced communities around the globe.
This virtual and global program is designed to equip these next-generation entrepreneurs and leaders with the skills and experience to increase access to economic opportunity, build valuable networks and resources, and transform their communities.
Program Elements
- The Western Union Foundation Fellowship provides award-winning training, committed mentorship, and a powerful community of peers to equip Fellows with the tools and knowledge they need to support their venture’s continued development and impact.
- Venture Acceleration and Leadership Training
- Community and Network Building
- Mentorship and Collaboration
- Basecamps
- Basecamps are 12 + hours of intensive workshops designed to help rising entrepreneurs from each of the Western Union Foundation Fellows’ communities to ideate solutions, design business models, and compellingly communicate their businesses and organizations to an external audience. As a key deliverable of the Western Union Foundation Fellowship, all Fellows will facilitate a Basecamp event during their time in the program.
- The Watson Institute team will facilitate training workshops, share the Watson Institute Basecamp curriculum and planning materials, and provide a stipend to help organize and facilitate this event. Fellows are empowered through their training to tailor the Basecamp structure and outcomes to their desired participant community.
Eligibility Criteria
- Ideal candidates for the Western Union Foundation Fellowship are entrepreneurs or community leaders from and working with highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced communities around the globe. Applicants from or are working in the following countries will be given priority: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States.
- Fellows can earn up to $6,000 in seed funding, which is subject to review based on their attendance, participation, and performance throughout the program. In addition, all Fellows are eligible to receive a stipend to support the implementation of their Basecamp.
- While a preference will be given to those who create impact in the listed countries, they will consider all strong applications from entrepreneurs working to support refugee, migrant, and displaced persons populations.
For more information, visit Western Union Foundation.