ABOUT THE INCUBATION PROGRAM
Our two-month, cost-covered online course will take you from a basic familiarity with starting charities to being fully prepared to create and operate an effective organization. Management, fundraising, impact analysis – everything you need to know, taught by mentors with experience establishing multiple EA charities – including a GiveWell top charity.
JOIN THE 2021 INCUBATION PROGRAM
The next two-month Incubation Program will run from 28 June to 27 August 2021. The program will run online, so you can participate fully remotely. Depending on the Covid situation, we may also organize part of the course offline for those who are able to travel to London.
Applications open on 15 December 2020. Sign up for the newsletter to be notified.
Our Incubation Program generally requires full-time commitment from 28 June to 27 August 2021 (stipends are provided to those in need). This year we’re also incorporating a preparation stage into the program so you can hit the ground running over the summer.
START AN EFFECTIVE CHARITY IN 2021
In 2021 we plan to found new charities based on our 2020 Top Recommended Ideas and our ongoing research (to be published early 2021):
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You can also apply with your own idea, but you must be able to make a good case that it is similarly high-impact to our recommended charities list.
WHY YOU SHOULD START A NEW CHARITY
$205,000 to charitiesAchieve an impact equivalent to about $205K/year in donations to effective charities |
HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDPursue a career that is highly encouraged by GiveWell and supported by the Open Philanthropy Project |
BETTER INTERVENTIONSMove resources toward more cost-effective, evidence-based interventions |
Capacity buildingIncrease your future impact by gaining entrepreneurial experience directly from CE's mentors |
Read more on why founding charities is high impact>>
HOW OUR INCUBATION PROGRAM WORKS
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1. THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED IDEAS
Each year our research team spends thousands of hours researching potential charity ideas, building on large bodies of research by external organizations. Only the best interventions make it onto our list of top charity ideas.
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2. INCUBATION PROGRAM
We choose participants with the greatest potential to start new, effective charities from our list. We provide them with two months of intensive training (including partner projects, evaluations, creating a funding proposal). The Incubation Program requires a full-time commitment; stipends will be provided to those in need.
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3. LAUNCH!
Co-founders create funding proposals that are evaluated by CE’s board of directors and a network of funders. Successful teams are awarded seed funding, with grants ranging from $20,000 to $100,000. (In 2020, half of participants received seed funding from CE. The remaining half raised funds outside CE, received job offers within the CE network, or pursued other high-impact careers.) CE also provides the teams with operational support in handling legal hurdles during the first year.
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4. POST-LAUNCH MENTORSHIPTaking part in the Incubation Program means tapping into a powerful worldwide network of mentors, funders, and skilled workers. CE also provides you with weekly one-on-one mentorship calls (up to 12 months after founding) and co-working space (if pandemic restrictions allow).
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WHAT WILL YOU LEARN
Master the fundamental principles of managing high-impact organizations, including:
COST-EFFECTIVENESS
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MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION
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FUNDRAISING |
Strategic
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Learn more relevant skills such as:
- Financial planning, charity registration, forming a board
- Hiring, firing, how to deal with conflict, basics of self-care
- Communications: giving feedback, pitching ideas, public speaking, and more.
FINISH THE PROGRAM WITH
CO-FOUNDERFind your co-founder match through partner projects and multiple evaluations. |
PLAN & BUDGETPrepare a budget and a strategic plan to kickstart your charity right after the program. |
BRANDINGCreate a website and funding proposal – all you need to promote your organization. |
All participants will be provided with a certificate of Incubation Program completion, as well as continued mentoring and career advice support.
OVERVIEW OF THE 2021 INCUBATION PROGRAM
First application round
15 December 2020 - 15 January 2021
15 December 2020 - 15 January 2021
Second application round
March 2021
March 2021
Pre-program
May 2021
Self-study of the Charity Entrepreneurship Handbook
Weekly 1-hour virtual meetup – discuss the content, ask questions, and get to know potential co-founders
Test on pre-program content in early June
May 2021
Self-study of the Charity Entrepreneurship Handbook
Weekly 1-hour virtual meetup – discuss the content, ask questions, and get to know potential co-founders
Test on pre-program content in early June
Program
28 June to 27 August 2021
(virtual participation, offline meetups if the situation allows)
28 June to 27 August 2021
(virtual participation, offline meetups if the situation allows)
First six weeks
What you’ll do: Work with other participants on partner projects that will be evaluated and scored by CE team members.
Goal: Choosing a co-founder, building the basic blocks of a charity (e.g. cost-effectiveness analyses, geographic assessment, theory of change, budget, fundraising plan, …).
Benefit: Build cross-applicable skills for a range of high-impact careers.
Goal: Choosing a co-founder, building the basic blocks of a charity (e.g. cost-effectiveness analyses, geographic assessment, theory of change, budget, fundraising plan, …).
Benefit: Build cross-applicable skills for a range of high-impact careers.
Last three weeks
What you’ll do: Work with your co-founder on a funding project proposal and visual identification for your charity.
Goal: Creating a project proposal to compete for Charity Entrepreneurship seed funding of $25,000-$100,000
Goal: Creating a project proposal to compete for Charity Entrepreneurship seed funding of $25,000-$100,000
Post-program
Weekly mentorship calls
Access to the CE network
Office space in London at discount rates
Social events
Weekly mentorship calls
Access to the CE network
Office space in London at discount rates
Social events
Application Process
If you are dedicated to doing good, willing to follow the data, and have a strong interest in having a significant impact on the world – apply to the program. The base traits that make a good charity entrepreneur include grit, intelligence, resourcefulness, the ability to self-motivate, and risk tolerance. We accept candidates of all ages, from a wide range of backgrounds.
The application process comprises five stages:
The application process comprises five stages:
WRITTEN APPLICATION (~30 minutes) |
TEST TASK 1 (~2-3 hours) |
INTERVIEW 1 (~30 minutes) |
TEST TASK 2 (~3-5 hours) |
INTERVIEW 2 (~1 hour) |
You will fill out an application form and submit a resume. We will only be able to contact you if you qualify for the second round - Test Task 1. |
You will be given two short test projects to be done in ~ two to three hours and delivered in five days. |
In Interview 1, you will be asked general and situational questions relevant for founding charities. |
You will submit a test project within five days, as well as references who can speak to your work ability. |
This is a longer and deeper interview. Questions focus on dealing with evidence, cause selection, and EA background. |
Successful applicants will be informed whether they have been selected in February 2021 (first application round) or April 2021 (second application round). We expect to accept between ten and twenty attendees in 2021. We are only able to contact applicants who are moving forward to the second stage of the recruitment process. If we have not contacted you within two to four weeks of the application deadline, unfortunately you have not been accepted to the program (but you are free to apply to the next round).
Applications to the CE 2021 Incubation Program open on 15 December 2021.
Sign up to our newsletter to be notified when applications open. You'll also get the latest news about the Incubation Program, our research progress, and other important information.
Sign up to our newsletter to be notified when applications open. You'll also get the latest news about the Incubation Program, our research progress, and other important information.
FAQ
If you have any unanswered questions about the Incubation Program, check out our extensive Frequently Asked Questions section.
If you cannot find the answers to your questions on our website, you can contact us ->
ce Guest Speakers have Included
Peter Singer
The Life You Can Save 
Hannah-Polly Williams
International Rescue Committee |
Nikita Patel
Fortify Health 
Roy Head
Development Media International |
Rob Mather
Against Malaria Foundation 
Peter Hurford
Rethink Priorities |
Bruce Friedrich
Good Food Institute 
Hannah Wheatly
Acumen |
Adina Rom
Policy Analytics 
Daniel Kestenholz
Centre on Long-Term Risk |
David Coman-Hidy
The Humane League 
Aaron Hamlin
The Center for Election Science |
HOW TO PREPARE
We encourage you to apply even if you are unsure whether you are a good fit. Since we only accept applicants who have a strong chance, with training, to start a high-impact charity, going through the application process will be the best indicator of possible fit. If you have any doubts, we will be happy to answer your questions during the first interview round.
For most people, the highest impact time to start a charity is right now. By starting a charity earlier, you help more people more quickly. The effective altruism community has funding available, our incubation program is currently running strong, and there’s a network of skilled alumni and mentors who are eager to help. Experience is helpful but not necessary. We train people with doctorates and people with over a decade of experience alongside those with little to no work experience or formal education.
For most people, the highest impact time to start a charity is right now. By starting a charity earlier, you help more people more quickly. The effective altruism community has funding available, our incubation program is currently running strong, and there’s a network of skilled alumni and mentors who are eager to help. Experience is helpful but not necessary. We train people with doctorates and people with over a decade of experience alongside those with little to no work experience or formal education.
We also recommend checking out resources like our past blog content, videos, and reading list.
MEET THe PARTICIPANTS
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