Echoing Green Fellows think critically, are willing to take risks, and initiate change to take on the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. Our search for the next class of Fellows has begun, and we’re eager to meet candidates from all over the world. Our Fellowship evaluators will review applicants against two sets of criteria to understand the role the applicant will play to propel society forward with solutions that make our communities and world better.

Fellowship applicants answer questions that map directly to the organization criteria below, which help reviewers understand their idea and how it will lead to systemic change.

Echoing Green Fellowship Organization Criteria

Innovation

Explain to us how your approach is different from methods that have been tried in the past. We are looking for ideas that have never been tried before or are adapting a model in a new way. An innovative idea is novel, it challenges the assumptions made by previous organizations working in the field, it builds upon or makes improvements to an existing model, or it creates unique solutions that have never been tried before. Innovative ideas bring about dramatic change, not just incremental change.

Importance

Explain to us the problem you want to solve and why it matters. On a global, regional, or local scale, why is this issue important? To be interested in a solution, we must first understand why the issue the project will tackle is imperative. Basically, what’s the problem our applicants want to solve, and why does it matter?

Potential for Big, Bold Impact

Show us how your project will directly impact many lives or change a big system. We’re looking for dramatic change, not incremental change. Or, how will your solution set an important example that can change big systems by being replicated by others?

A Good Business Model

Be clear and concise in relating the details of how your organization will run. Great ideas fall flat without a solid plan. Applicants’ start-up plan—budget, timeline, staffing—should be well thought-out. However, we know that at the earliest stage, applicants may not have solved everything. What’s important is that they are considering these questions thoughtfully and realistically.

Ready to join our community of leaders? Learn more about our upcoming application cycle, and sign up for updates here.