HOW IT WORKS
Learn how we help you launch a high-impact nonprofit.
We give you two-month, cost-covered, intensive training designed by founders for founders. Our talented team of researchers and entrepreneurs will provide you with the best evidence-based intervention and help you find a perfect co-founder. Learn charity fundamentals, like theories of change, measurement and evaluation, cost-effectiveness analysis, fundraising, program design, and strategic planning, in realistic partner projects.
DURATION OF THE PROGRAM:
The Incubation Program lasts 8 weeks, followed by a 2 week seed-funding process.
GRADUATION
LAUNCH
8-week online program
2-week seed funding process
2 weeks in-person in CE's London office
During the 2-week seed-funding process, you make final improvements to your proposal, which is then submitted to our seed network who will make the final decision on your grant.
Full-time commitment is required during the program (i.e., 8+ hours per weekday).
HOW IT WORKS
STEP 1: PRE-PROGRAM PREPARATION
When you’re accepted to the program, we provide you with the background knowledge that will help you get up to speed before you join the 2-month training program:
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We’ll send you our handbook: 400 pages with fundamental principles of managing high-impact organizations, including: cost-effectiveness analysis, monitoring and evaluation, fundraising and operating, and strategic decision-making (and our book is recommended by Peter Singer).
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We’ll host weekly book club video calls starting ~ 6 weeks before the program begins to discuss the content with you and other participants.
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You’ll be given a choice of upskilling modules prior to the program on topics like communication skills, interpreting scientific studies, spreadsheets, and task management.
This way, you can learn critical theories at your own pace and meet your fellow budding founders even before the program starts.
STEP 2: TWO-MONTH INTENSIVE TRAINING
Our training is divided into two stages:
Part 1 (5 weeks): Matching with a co-founder and a charity idea.
Part 2 (3 weeks): Working with your co-founder to build your charity proposal.
PART 1: MATCHING WITH A CO-FOUNDER AND A CHARITY IDEA
During the first 5 weeks (including 2 weeks in person in the London office), you will work full-time on developing relevant skills in real-world partner projects:
What is the path from your charity’s actions to impact?
Craft a Theory of Change
How can you measure whether you’re having the desired impact?
Prepare a Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
Is your charity cost-effective?
Prepare a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA)
Where should you operate?
Draft a Geographic Assessment Framework
How do you begin implementation?
Outline a One-year Plan
How much funding do you need?
Draft a Budget
How do you best fundraise?
Prioritize potential funders
How do you work with your co-founder?
Come up with a Founders’ Agreement
Receive extensive group and individual feedback, ready-made templates and examples from past charities, and one-on-one discussions about your progress.
In this stage of the program, projects have three goals:
1.
Test co-founder compatibility with other participants
2.
Deeply engage with the charity ideas to inform your preferences on which you’d like to found
3.
Practice the decision-making tools and build skills that you’ll need as charity co-founders
In addition to the projects, the co-founder and charity idea selection process will be supported by:
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Group and 1:1 social calls with all potential co-founders
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Meeting with senior staff members for weekly 1:1 mentoring
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Having constant access to a highly-qualified research team to discuss the ideas with
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Speaking with previous founders that are happy to share experience and advice
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Getting final pairing advice from senior staff members to help you find the best fit
PART 2: WORKING WITH YOUR CO-FOUNDER TO BUILD YOUR CHARITY PROPOSAL
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During the remaining 3 weeks, you will be working with your co-founder on a real proposal for funding and getting ready to launch. CE’s team will provide you with previous examples, templates, content feedback, and graphic support. You will also begin working on branding for your charity (i.e. choosing a name, then a logo, then a website).
STEP 3: 2-WEEK SEED FUNDING PROCESS
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and plan for implementation
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It’s time for CE to step in and make sure you’ll succeed. We will provide you with thorough feedback on the final version of your project proposal to prepare it for the next step: submission to the seed network.
SEED NETWORK SUBMISSION
The final project proposals are submitted to the CE Seed Network of funders. How does it work?
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CE sends the final project proposals to a group of anonymous funders who together form what we call our CE Seed Network.
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The members have one week to analyze the proposals thoroughly and contact their authors (future charity co-founders) with any questions.
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Network members inform CE about their decision and provide the charities with seed grants of up to $200,000 ($120,000 on average in the last 3 programs).
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Approximately 80% of projects get seed funding
STEP 4: SUPPORT AFTER THE PROGRAM
If you are officially incubated by Charity Entrepreneurship you’ll get:
Operation and HR support to set up your organization quickly (for example, you’ll start with a US charitable fiscal sponsorship, allowing you to accept tax deductible donations)
Monthly mentorship meetings with the CE team
Access to a broad network of mentors and advisors
Coaching from external topic experts (e.g., on co-founder relations or M&E)
Weekly ‘getting started’ sessions for the first 4 weeks
Regular emails with further videos and resources that are relevant to you later in your charity journey (e.g., on hiring, or charity registration)
Monthly alumni calls to share and receive knowledge from CE’s other incubated charities
Support in WIX website design
Slack group of over 100 charity founders and effective charity employees
Weekly London socials and annual gatherings
Knowledge and template base from our network of incubated charities
SAFETY NET - STIPENDS
Launch
Incubation Program
stipend
Running
new charity
Post program stipend
DURING THE PROGRAM
We provide:
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Stipends to cover your living costs during the Incubation Program (e.g., rent, wifi, food, childcare). The stipends are around £2,000 per month, based on participants' needs and adjusted accordingly.
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Travel and board costs for the 2 weeks in-person in London.
AFTER THE PROGRAM
If for any reason you will not be able to start a charity we provide:
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Career mentorship (our track record for connecting non-founder participants to research grants, related jobs, and other pathways to impact is near 100%).
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Two-month stipends to provide a safety net during the period of looking for alternative opportunities.
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Continued access to the CE community via our Slack network