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“Launching an effective nonprofit can change millions of lives for the better. Charity Entrepreneurship’s training program will be extremely valuable for anyone considering this high-impact career path.”
- Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University, author of Animal Liberation and The Life You Can Save.
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FUNDRAISING, COST-EFFECTIVENESS, MANAGEMENT
Join our program to start one of the most effective charities in the world. 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 prioritization, impact analysis, cost-effectiveness, management, and fundraising in real-world partner projects.
Learn what it is like to take part in the program directly from participants:
HOW IT WORKS
STEP 1: APPLY TO THE PROGRAM
Upcoming programs you can apply to:
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February - March 2024 (exact dates tba)
Applications will be open:
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From July 10 to September 30, 2023
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Final results (acceptance letters): Early December, 2023
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Apply early:
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You will receive access to a resource list that will help you prepare for the application process.
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The earlier you apply, the earlier we will be able to process your application.
The Incubation Program lasts 8 weeks, followed by a 2 week seed-funding process.
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The 8 week program runs online, with 2 weeks in person in CE’s London office
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During the 2 week seed-funding process you make final improvements to your proposal that is submitted to CE seed network who will make final decision on your grant
Full-time commitment is required during the program (i.e., 8+ hours per weekday)
STEP 2: PRE-PROGRAM BOOK CLUB
If you’re accepted, we’ll provide you with some background reading and host weekly video calls beginning ~ 6 weeks before kickoff. That way, you can learn the theory at your own pace and start to meet your fellow budding founders.
STEP 3: TWO-MONTH INTENSIVE TRAINING
Our training is divided into two stages:
Part 1 (5 weeks): Matching with a co-founder and a charity idea.
You will work in pairs with other participants on projects that teach you important skills for starting a charity, and allow you to test out your compatibility with potential co-founders and charity ideas.
Part 2 (3 weeks): Working with your co-founder to build your charity proposal
You will craft and submit a real proposal for funding and get ready to launch. We don’t just teach you about starting a charity, we make sure you have the tools and confidence to actually do it.
STEP 4: CHARITY SELECTION
Our Board of Directors and network of funders evaluate the teams and their project proposals. They then award seed funding to launch successful projects, with grants up to $200,000. In recent years almost all projects have been funded.
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 and are 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.
HOW TO APPLY
Our application process comprises 5 stages. The further you get, the more time we’ll ask you to invest.
1. WRITTEN
APPLICATION
(~30-60 minutes)
You will fill out an application form with some multiple choice questions, two short form questions, and upload your CV.
3. RECORDED INTERVIEW
(~30 minutes)
In this automated screening interview, you will be asked general and situational questions about you and your approach that are relevant for founding a charity.
5. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
(~60 minutes)
This is a deeper interview over zoom. Questions will focus on dealing with a wide range of topics including behaviors and preferences, dealing with evidence, and how you think about 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, and are invited to explore and detail their own priorities and tradeoffs.
4. TEST TASK 2
(~3 hours)
The second test task consists of one to three prompts that test your capabilities for founding a charity from different angles.
You can complete the first application form including the psychometric assessment in 30-60 minutes. Our entire recruitment process typically takes fewer than 10 hours for the applicant and ~1 month for us to complete. Along the way, we will assess your fit for charity entrepreneurship and help you weigh your other options and pathways to impact.
You will be contacted about the outcome of your application regardless of whether you progressed to the second stage or not within a few weeks of the application deadline. Please be patient and check your spam folder.
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, and non-binary individuals who are excited about contributing to our mission. 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 ula@charityscience.com
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
This is a part of our "What it really takes to found a high-impact charity" keynote talk Joey Savoie gave at EA Global: London 2021! Watch the whole talk.
Fact 1:
~50% of our most successful founders from previous years didn’t even think they should apply. Don’t doubt your potential.
Fact 3:
The base traits that make a good charity entrepreneur include grit, intelligence, resourcefulness, a focus on outcomes, and commitment to making a real difference.
Fact 2:
Nobody comes onto the program qualified to start a charity. That’s what the course is for!
Fact 4:
For most people, the highest-impact time to start a charity is right now.
Take our quiz to see if you are a good fit and ask trusted peers and colleagues for their opinions.
We accept candidates of all ages from a wide range of backgrounds.
Experience is helpful but not necessary. We train people with over a decade of expertise alongside those with little to no work experience or formal education.
Still have doubts?
1.
BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM
400-page Handbook and over 100 video lectures prepared by experienced founders. Learn the fundamental principles of managing high-impact organizations, including:
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Cost-effectiveness
Analysis
Monitoring and Evaluation
Fundraising and Operations
Strategic
Decision-making
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Work 8 hours a day developing relevant skills in real-world partner projects
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Is your charity cost-effective? Prepare a Cost-effectiveness Analysis (CEA)
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Where do you operate? Draft a Geographic Assessment Framework
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How do you begin implementation? Outline a One-year Plan
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What is your impact? Prepare a Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
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How much funding do you need? Draft a Budget
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How do you best fundraise? Prioritize potential funders
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How do you work with your co-founder? Come up with a Founders’ Agreement to facilitate your collaboration
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And many more
Receive extensive group and individual feedback, ready-made templates (e.g., sample budgets, one-year plans), and one-on-one discussions about your progress.
3.
Learn from the best:
Hear from experts who have excelled in the nonprofit world as they share their perspectives on entrepreneurship, give advice, and provide valuable feedback. Previously, our guest speakers and mentors have included:
Peter Singer
The Life You Can Save
Hannah-Polly
Williams
International Rescue Committee
Nikita Patel
Fortify Health
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Roy Head
Development Media International
Rob Mather
AMF
Peter Wildeford
Rethink Priorities
Bruce Friedrich
Good Food
Institute
Adina Rom
Policy Analytics
David Coman-Hidy
THL
Hannah Wheatly
Acumen
Daniel Kastenholz
Centre on Long-Term Risk
Aaron Hamlin
The Centre for Election Science
4.
Participate in a streamlined co-founder and charity idea selection process by:
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Providing weekly feedback on your project partners and preferred ideas
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Meeting with senior staff members for 1:1 mentoring
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Enjoying individual social calls with all potential co-founders
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Having constant access to a highly-qualified research team
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Joining a network of 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.
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CARE PACKAGE AFTER THE PROGRAM
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and plan for implementation
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Operation support
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Get professional operations and HR support from the CE team that will help you to set up your organization quickly.
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Start with a US charitable fiscal sponsorship, allowing you to accept tax deductible donations.
Further learning:
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Weekly ‘getting started’ sessions for the first 4 weeks
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Regular emails with further videos and resources that are relevant to you later in your charity journey (e.g., on hiring, or charity registration)
Mentorship
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Monthly mentorship meetings with the CE team
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Access to a broad network of mentors and potential funders
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Coaching from external topic experts (e.g., on co-founder relations or M&E)
Community
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Join a Slack group of over 100 charity founders and effective charity employees
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Enjoy weekly London socials and annual gatherings
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Tap into the knowledge and template base of our network of incubated charities
MEET THE PARTICIPANTS