The 2023 Western Union Foundation Fellowship is a program designed to support entrepreneurs and community leaders who work with highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced communities worldwide. This venture and leadership accelerator program offers virtual and global opportunities for participants to enhance their skills, gain valuable experience, and make a positive impact on their communities.

The 2023  Western Union Foundation Fellowship provides participants with award-winning training, dedicated mentorship, and a supportive community of peers. These resources equip Fellows with the tools and knowledge they need to develop their ventures and create lasting change.

The program offers a range of practical workshops that focus on entrepreneurship and leadership development, including topics such as Team Management for Impactful Organizations, Data & Metrics, Marketing & Personal Branding, and Impact Focused Sales. Through these workshops, Fellows gain the necessary expertise to drive their ventures forward and achieve meaningful results.

Visit: Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) || Fully Funded

One of the key benefits of the Western Union Foundation Fellowship is the opportunity to form partnerships and collaborations with fellow entrepreneurs, small business owners, and nonprofit founders. The program fosters community building through engagement with Watson Institute alumni, self-organized Fellow meet-ups, and Basecamp training and events. These activities provide a platform for networking, learning, and further growth both during and after the program.

Mentorship is a crucial aspect of the Western Union Foundation Fellowship. Fellows have access to multiple mentorship opportunities from esteemed business leaders, venture capitalists, and enterprise executives. Mentorship engagements include the Preceptor Advisory Board, Impact Speaker Series, and Mentor Bonanza. This guidance and support from experienced professionals help Fellows navigate challenges and make informed decisions.

Check: Japanese Government Scholarships Programs || Fully Funded

As part of the program, Fellows organize a Basecamp event in their respective communities. These events, lasting 12+ hours, feature intensive workshops aimed at helping rising entrepreneurs develop solutions, design business models, and effectively communicate their ventures to external audiences. The Basecamp events are a key deliverable of the Western Union Foundation Fellowship and contribute to the overall impact of the program.

Throughout the fellowship, Fellows benefit from weekly virtual workshops and, when possible, localized gatherings and events. The time commitment for these activities is approximately 6-8 hours per week. Additionally, there is a 2-week virtual Immersive that requires a time commitment of 20-25 hours per week. Furthermore, the program includes 2+ day workshops tailored to each Fellow’s community, allowing them to ideate solutions and refine their business models. The fellowship culminates in a community event where Fellows have the opportunity to pitch their ventures to local leaders, funders, and entrepreneurs.

In recognition of the financial challenges faced by early-stage ventures, the Western Union Foundation Fellowship provides seed funding of $45,000. This funding is distributed among selected Fellows based on their progress and impact, supporting their continued growth and sustainability.

Also Visit: Mexican Government Scholarships for International Students

To be eligible for the Western Union Foundation Fellowship, applicants must be entrepreneurs or community leaders from highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced communities worldwide. They should be leading early-stage social impact ventures or community initiatives that have demonstrated a track record of impact, entrepreneurship, and leadership. The fellowship is ideal for those seeking expert-led entrepreneurial training, access to funding opportunities, and a wide network of mentorship to accelerate their leadership skills and venture impact.

It is important to note that the Western Union Foundation defines early-stage ventures as those with a working prototype or minimum viable product (MVP), active customers or beneficiaries, and demonstrated impact and revenue. While the fellowship is open to applicants from all regions, priority will be given to those from or working in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Western Union Foundation Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and community leaders to receive comprehensive support, gain valuable skills, and make a lasting impact on their communities. By participating in this program, individuals can unlock their potential and contribute to creating a more inclusive and prosperous world.

Benefits of 2023 Western Union Foundation Fellowship

• Weekly virtual workshops with localized gatherings and events when possible. (6-8 hours per week time commitment)
• 2-week virtual Immersive. (20–25 hours per week time commitment)
• 2+ day workshops designed for Fellows’ communities to ideate solutions, design business models, and compellingly communicate their businesses and organizations to an external audience.
• Culminating community event where Fellows pitch to local leaders, funders, and entrepreneurs.
• Seed funding of $45,000. (Distributed among selected Fellows based on progress and impact)

Eligibility for 2023 Western Union Foundation Fellowship

• Must be an entrepreneur or community leader from and working with highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced communities around the globe.
• Must be leading an early-stage social impact venture or community initiative with a proven track record of impact, entrepreneurship, and leadership in their community.
• Must be looking for expert-led entrepreneurial training, access to funding opportunities, and a vast network of mentorship to accelerate own leadership skills and venture impact.

Join us on Telegram for more opportunities!