JOIN THE

Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Progam

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

August - October 2025

The top ideas for this cohort are:

Kangaroo Care for low-birth-weight babies
Livelihood-focused non-profit evaluator
Differentiated learning for foundational literacy and numeracy
Using mass communication to improve learning outcomes
Participatory Learning and Action groups for Maternal and Newborn Health
Advocacy for Salt Intake Reduction

February - March 2026

Our research team is actively exploring charity ideas for this round. Research reports on the recommended charity ideas for this cohort will be published by October 2025.

Ideas Summaries

APPLICATION PROCESS

Our application process is the result of years of experience. We continually improve and refine the process to make it the best existing tool for identifying potential for starting a high-impact charity, no matter the applicant's background, age, or skill set. Building on our work with some of the world’s most talented charity founders, the latest research on talent identification, M&E data on our charities’ outcomes, and feedback from applicants, the five stages of the process are fine-tuned to allow us to identify talent.

1. WRITTEN

APPLICATION

(~30 minutes)

3. RECORDED INTERVIEW
(~30 minutes)

5. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
(~60 minutes)

You will fill out an application form with some multiple choice questions and two short form questions; and upload your CV.

In this recorded screening interview, you will be asked general and situational questions about you and your approach that are relevant for founding a charity.

This is a deeper interview over Zoom with our experienced recruitment staff. Questions will focus on a wide range of topics including behaviors and preferences, dealing with evidence, and how you think about creating impact.

2. TEST TASK 1

(~3 hours)

Next, candidates will be given a robust framework and methodology to compare and contrast their top career options to explore their own priorities and tradeoffs.

4. TEST TASK 2

(~3 hours)

The second test task consists of one to three prompts that test factors that we have found to make all the difference when actually founding.

TIMELINE

Applications are open

Application process

Offer letters

2025

February 3

March 24

June 13

We will contact you about the outcome of your application, regardless of whether you progressed to the next stage.
Your time is valuable. We will only invite you to the next stage if you have a good chance of success. We are sadly unable to give individualized feedback to rejected candidates. However, we build our test tasks to be useful to you as a candidate as well as for us in vetting applicants.
The entire application process will take no more than 10 hours for you, from start to finish.
We have designed the process to help you learn more about what is important for founding a high-impact charity, and weigh it against other career options and pathways to impact.
Our application process is subject to continuous improvement. As such, this information may not perfectly represent the process you are asked to complete.

Commitment to diversity and equal opportunities
We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. We especially encourage applications from people of color, women, non-binary, and neurodivergent individuals who are excited about contributing to our mission. Our application process is blinded wherever possible to reduce biases. Charity Entrepreneurship is an equal opportunity organization. If you need assistance or accommodations due to a disability, or have any other related questions about applying, please contact us at ben@charityentrepreneurship.com

How to Prepare

No specific preparation is required to apply to the Incubation Program, but it can certainly help. Many applicants find it valuable to spend some time learning about high-impact nonprofit careers—not only to boost their chances of success but also to clarify if this path is right for them.

We recommend starting with our handbook, How to Launch a High-Impact Nonprofit, the most comprehensive resource for aspiring nonprofit entrepreneurs.

For more guidance, check out our Applicants Resources, which includes curated materials to help you better understand the field and prepare for the application process.

Investing time in preparation can make your application experience more rewarding and help you take your first steps toward founding a high-impact nonprofit.

Reapplying can be a tough decision, especially after putting in the effort and facing rejection. If you’re unsure, we generally encourage applying again, but it’s best to wait a full year (skipping one round) before reapplying.

Before reapplying, reflect on how you’ve strengthened your profile since your last application. Consider these questions:

Have you taken on leadership roles? Starting an initiative or organization, even small, is valuable.
Have you built skills or knowledge in impact-driven work? Explore readings, courses, or hands-on experiences in development, advocacy, or entrepreneurship.
Have you gained professional experience? Jobs, internships, or volunteering can offer insights into effective organizational practices.
Have you pursued further education? From degrees to free online courses, ongoing learning adds strength to your application.

If you haven’t made significant progress in these areas, we recommend focusing on growth and applying in a future round to maximize your chances of success.

Nonprofit entrepreneurship is a unique and impactful career path, and we’re looking for ambitious, altruistic individuals who are ready to tackle it. While this path isn’t for everyone, it could be the most fulfilling and high-impact choice for those who are a great fit.

We value candidates who:

Aspire to lead: You should have the potential to be an effective organizational leader, able to create structure and clarity in the face of uncertainty.
Think evidence-first: You’re willing to adapt your approach based on evidence and focus on impactful priorities, like global health or animal welfare.
Strive for excellence: You have a track record of pursuing and achieving outstanding results, aiming to build something exceptional rather than just good.
Dream big: You’re ambitious about creating large-scale impact and are dedicated to maximizing the good you can do in the world.
Stay flexible: You’re open to exploring diverse ideas and solutions and are comfortable working in varied contexts, including low- and middle-income countries.

Do you think this might be you? Explore your fit with a 5 minute quiz or complete our 30-minute initial application form and take the first step toward making an extraordinary impact.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

In short: everyone who is interested in this career path!

Nonprofit entrepreneurship is an unconventional career step that is not on most people’s radars. However, for those for whom it is a good fit, starting a charity could be the most impactful, fulfilling path they might ever take. Our application process has been validated over the past five years, proving highly predictive of the potential to start a high-impact charity. The initial application form can be completed in just 30 minutes.

You can now explore your personal fit in 5 minutes with our improved short quiz. Are you a good fit to start a charity? You will learn about what it takes and get a sense of how you compare to others who have taken the quiz.

TAKE THE QUIZ NOW

Our past incubatees all came in with a wide variety of backgrounds, ages, and skill sets, and more than 50% of them were initially unsure whether they should even apply. Meet our 2023 cohort for yourself and learn why they decided to apply and what they think about the program:

Curious to learn even more?
Hear our Co-founder Joey Savoie talk about the kinds of traits that might make starting a charity a good fit for you.

Our Handbook

LEARN MORE

Our handbook How to Launch a High-Impact Nonprofit is the single most helpful resource for aspiring nonprofit entrepreneurs:

Our 2025 list of resources for applicants:

GO TO RESOURCES

You can also read our blog post on how to prepare for a job in nonprofit entrepreneurship

Do you want to learn more about what happens after getting accepted into the Program?

HOW IT WORKS