The Western Union Foundation Fellowship Program is a venture and leadership accelerator designed for entrepreneurs and community leaders from highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced populations worldwide. This fully-funded virtual and global program aims to equip next-generation entrepreneurs and leaders with the knowledge, networks, and resources needed to enhance economic opportunities and transform their communities.
In this post, we will provide details on the fellowship, its requirements, and the application process.
For more scholarship opportunities, check out these selected programs:
- University of Bradford Scholarships
- Nanyang Technological University Scholarships
- DAAD MIDE Scholarship 2024
Western Union Foundation Fellowship Summary
- Host: Western Union | Watson Institute
- Category: Training | Fellowships
- Eligible Countries: All Countries
- Reward: Full Sponsorship | $36,000 (seed funding)
- Deadline: June 1, 2024
- Scholarship Alerts: To receive Scholarship Alerts on WhatsApp, Click HERE
Western Union Foundation Fellowship Details
The 2024 Western Union Foundation Fellowship provides a comprehensive roadmap to guide the growth and scalability of your venture. The Western Union Foundation, supported by The Western Union Company and its partners, is committed to investing in changing lives for the better.
Fellowship Requirements
To apply for the Western Union Foundation Fellowship, you must:
- Who You Are: An entrepreneur or community leader from and working with highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced communities.
- What You Do: Lead an early-stage social impact venture or community initiative with a proven track record of impact, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Your venture should have a working prototype or MVP product/service with active customers or beneficiaries.
- Where You Create Impact: Priority will be given to applicants from or working in the following countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States.
- What You Are Looking For: Seek expert-led entrepreneurial training, access to funding opportunities, and a vast network of mentorship to accelerate your leadership skills and venture impact.
- What You Will Accomplish: Gain a roadmap for growing and scaling your work, facilitate an impact workshop in your community, and receive a stipend and support from the Watson Institute team.
Fellowship Duration and Reward
- Dates: August 8, 2024, to November 19, 2024 (16 weeks of programming)
- Format: Weekly virtual workshops and localized events (6-8 hours per week)
- Immersive & Orientation: 2-week virtual immersive starting October 2, 2023 (20-25 hours per week)
- Workshops & Training: Modules include Foundations, Data & Metrics, Go-To-Market, Funding, Team Management, and Pitch.
- Impact Series: Engage with world leaders, entrepreneurs, and practitioners for mentorship and guidance.
- Basecamp: 2+ day workshops in Fellows’ communities to ideate solutions and design business models.
- Summit: Culminating event where Fellows pitch to local leaders and funders (February 13, 2024).
- Seed Funding: $36,000 in seed funding distributed among select Fellows based on progress and impact.
How To Apply for the Western Union Foundation Fellowship 2024 (Step-by-Step)
To apply for the Western Union Foundation Fellowship, follow these steps:
- Visit the Application Page: Click here to visit the Western Union Foundation application page.
- Complete the Online Application: This application takes approximately 45 minutes to fill out. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2024.
- Review Process: The Admissions Committee reviews all applications, seeking entrepreneurs who demonstrate strong leadership qualities and ventures that are innovative and scalable.
- Interview: Qualified applicants will receive invitations for a 20-minute one-on-one Zoom interview.
- Notification: Notifications of acceptance will be sent out during the week of July 1, 2024.
Deadline: June 1, 2024
