Social Innovation Fellowship Application 2015
Application Introduction:
Each year, the Social Innovation Fellowship selects 15-20 students who are launching or building social
impact ventures that relate to a range of issues, communities, and approaches. While one of the goals of
the program is to support great ideas and help them come to reality, our program is also focused on
educating students around social innovation, and helping them develop skills and competencies as
leaders and social entrepreneurs.
The core learning outcomes that the fellowship aims to promote are: empathy, creative thinking, critical
thinking, and entrepreneurial grit. Fellows come in with competencies in these areas; our goal is that
through the programming, discussions, and immersive summer experience working on the venture,
fellows will develop even further in all of these areas.
Who is eligible for the SI Fellowship?
Students who apply for the SI Fellowship must have a specific social impact venture they are starting or
building. These ventures range from small-scale student organizations to global organizations. Students
may also work on an “intrapreneurial” project, which is an entrepreneurial project within an existing
organization or company. Read the profiles of our current fellows for some examples.
Any Brown undergraduate may apply for the SI Fellowship, except for those graduating in May 2015. In
addition, RISD students may apply for the 1 to 2 seats that will be available to them.
Our Expectations
In addition to completing a 10-week full-time immersion project during the summer of 2015, Fellows are
expected to participate actively in the Fellowship community. This entails:
 Attending an off-site weekend retreat at the beginning of the spring 2015 semester
 Attending weekly meetings on Wednesday evenings, which take the form of either a Small Group
Meeting or Workshop (2-3 hrs/week)
 Documenting progress of their project on the SII website through a series of blog posts
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Mentoring applicants for the following year’s class of Fellows, as well as mentoring admitted
Fellows throughout their year in the program (1 hr/month)
How to Apply:
Option to submit a draft application
We ask applicants for the Social Innovation Fellowship to submit robust and detailed
applications. Applicants who submit draft applications will be assigned 2-3 fellowship and Brown alumni
advisors to help them hone their project and their proposals.
To be matched with advisors, applicants must submit a draft with sections 1-3 completed. Sections 4-6
are optional for the draft. Please email a PDF of your draft application and any supplemental materials to
lizzie_pollock@brown.edu by Friday, Nov. 10, 2014.
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Submitting a draft application is not required but is highly recommended. Applicants are also encouraged
to meet with Fellowship Directors Lizzie Pollock and Alan Harlam prior to submitting an application.
Submitting a final application
All sections are required for a final application. Please email a PDF of your final application and any
supplemental materials to lizzie_pollock@brown.edu by Monday, Dec. 22, 2014.
Application Timeline
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Info Session: October 16, 2014, at 6:30pm in the Met Dining Center, Room A, 55 Angell St.
Proposal Writing Workshop: October 21, 2014, at 7:30pm @ Swearer Center (25 George St.)
Proposal Writing Workshop: November 5, 2014, at 7:30pm @ Swearer Center (25 George St.)
Draft Proposal due: November 10, 2014
Final Proposal due: December 22, 2014
Applicants notified: January 2015
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Section 1: Applicant Information
Please provide the following information:
Project name:
A list of all fellowship applicants affiliated with this project. Please include each student's class year,
university, concentration, and email address.
Fellowship Applicant Name
(First and Last)
University
(Brown/RISD)
Class
Year
Concentration
Email Address
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Section 2: Project Proposal (10 pages maximum)
Your project proposal must respond to all of the topics/questions below.
Project Abstract (Approximately 100 words)
Please provide a summary of your project, suitable for use in publications about the fellowship and on the
Social Innovation Initiative website.
Project Narrative
The Problem
What is the problem you will address, from the perspective of your customer/constituents/users? What
impact does this problem have on societal outcomes?
The Idea
What is your idea and how does it address the problem?
What information do you have from research or practice in this field, or an unrelated analogous field, to
substantiate your proposal? Note: The Research Report (see Section 5) will be your opportunity to
provide a detailed overview of your research. Please summarize your research in this section of your
proposal.
The term “innovative” can be defined as “new things that work.” What is new about your idea, and why do
you think it will work?
What is your financial model (current and/or potential)? Will you use a fee-for-service or contributed
income model or a hybrid? What is your reasoning behind this financial model?
The Plan
If you are accepted as a fellow, you will receive funding to work full-time on your project over the summer.
What will this immersive opportunity allow you to do? What results would you like to achieve over the
summer? Please share specific goals, milestones, and deliverables.
Evaluation
What specific performance metrics will you measure to understand your effectiveness? Please share
categories of metrics; specific goals/targets are not required.
Risk Assessment
What challenges or obstacles do you foresee facing? How do you plan to overcome/address these
challenges or obstacles?
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Budget
What will it cost to implement your plan for the summer? If your plan requires funding beyond fellowship
funding, where will it come from and how do you plan to raise those additional funds?
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Section 3: Logic Model
Applicants must create a logic model for their venture. Please click here for an overview of logic models
After reviewing the overview of logic models, please complete the logic model on the next page and
submit it with your application.
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Social Innovation Fellowship Application 2015
Social Innovation Fellowship Application logic model
Project Name (related notes optional):
Inputs
Activities
Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
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Social Innovation Fellowship Application 2015
Section 4: Innovation Landscape
Applicants must complete an innovation landscape worksheet for their venture.
Innovation Landscape Worksheet
Section 1: Competitors
Organization name (List 3-5
competitors)
How is your organization
similar to this competitor, and
what elements of the
competitor's profile/work have
you drawn from in considering
your approach?
How is your organization
different and better, and what
innovative thinking are you
bringing relative to the
competitor?
What could the organization
contribute to your venture and
what approaches or resources
can you draw from?
What will you be adding, and
how do you see your
collaboration/partnership
producing innovative and
effective work?
Section 2: Collaborative Partners
Organization name (List 3-5
organizations that are doing
pieces of your idea that you
want to learn from and
consider a partner, or create a
collaboration)
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Section 5: Personal Statements (1-2 pages each)
If you are part of a team, each applicant should complete a personal statement.
Personal Statement 1:
Fellowship Applicant Name:
Please respond to the following questions in your personal statement:
1. Why do you care about the issue your venture is focused on, and what has driven you to address
it?
2. Social Innovation fellows come from diverse backgrounds and have a range of strengths. The
Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College has researched the qualities of
entrepreneurs, and developed a list of traits that characterize an entrepreneurial mindset; click
here for a list of these qualities. Choose one quality from the list that you consider an area
where you want to grow and develop during your time as a fellow, and share why this is a
quality you would like to work on.
3. We would like to hear about your experience with addressing and learning from failure - at the
Social Innovation fellowship, we embrace failure both as part of the venture development process
and as an opportunity to learn and improve. Discuss a past example of a failure, sharing the
factors behind the failure, what happened, and how you responded to it.
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Personal Statement 2:
Fellowship Applicant Name:
Please respond to the following questions in your personal statement:
1. Why do you care about the issue your venture is focused on, and what has driven you to address
it?
2. Social Innovation fellows come from diverse backgrounds and have a range of strengths. The
Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College has researched the qualities of
entrepreneurs, and developed a list of traits that characterize an entrepreneurial mindset; click
here for a list of these qualities. Choose one quality from the list that you consider an area
where you want to grow and develop during your time as a fellow, and share why this is a
quality you would like to work on.
3. We would like to hear about your experience with addressing and learning from failure - at the
Social Innovation fellowship, we embrace failure both as part of the venture development process
and as an opportunity to learn and improve. Discuss a past example of a failure, sharing the
factors behind the failure, what happened, and how you responded to it.
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Personal Statement 3:
Fellowship Applicant Name:
Please respond to the following questions in your personal statement:
1. Why do you care about the issue your venture is focused on, and what has driven you to address
it?
2. Social Innovation fellows come from diverse backgrounds and have a range of strengths. The
Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College has researched the qualities of
entrepreneurs, and developed a list of traits that characterize an entrepreneurial mindset; click
here for a list of these qualities. Choose one quality from the list that you consider an area
where you want to grow and develop during your time as a fellow, and share why this is a
quality you would like to work on.
3. We would like to hear about your experience with addressing and learning from failure - at the
Social Innovation fellowship, we embrace failure both as part of the venture development process
and as an opportunity to learn and improve. Discuss a past example of a failure, sharing the
factors behind the failure, what happened, and how you responded to it.
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Section 6: Research Report (5 pages maximum)
We have asked you to substantiate your venture in your proposal. The Research Report is a space to
elaborate on any key points, findings, and theories outlined in the proposal and to discuss the
perspectives and information that have informed your approach.
The Research Report should include:
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Findings from primary research that the applicant has conducted, including interviews, focus
groups, observations, and other direct interactions with the community in which the venture will
take place and/or other stakeholder groups.
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Discussions and/or summaries of secondary research the applicant has conducted, such as
articles, books, academic research, etc. that support the validity of the logic model and approach.
Research Report:
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Section 6: Supplemental Materials (Optional)
If students feel that a written narrative does not sufficiently describe an aspect of the venture, they may
utilize other media, such as photos, a Powerpoint slideshow, and video (3 minutes maximum). Any
supplemental materials should be easily shareable electronically so that selection committee members
may view them individually.
Please submit any supplemental materials along with a PDF version of your application to
lizzie_pollock@brown.edu by Monday, Dec. 22, 2014.
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Project Recommendations
Each venture is required to submit two letters of recommendation.
Individual:
Each applicant should receive a letter of support from a Brown/RISD faculty or staff member who can
assess the student’s unique qualities, interests, and skills in fulfilling his or her responsibilities to the
project and to the Social Innovation Fellowship. If two or three students are applying together, each must
submit a separate letter of support.
This letter should be completed by a Brown/RISD staff or faculty member who can assess the student’s
unique qualities, interests and skills in fulfilling his or her responsibilities to the project and to the Social
Innovation Fellowship.
Instructions to send your individual recommender:
Social Innovation Fellowship Letter of Support – Individual Recommendation
Thank you for completing a letter of support for my application to the Social Innovation
Fellowship!
The Social Innovation Fellowship provides an opportunity for individual students or groups to
translate ideas into action. If I am selected to be a Fellow, I will develop a project proposal that
models the creation of an entrepreneurial initiative. I will receive funding to support an immersive
summer project, join a community of social innovators, and leverage workshops and other
resources to support my work. For more information about the fellowship, please visit the
Swearer Center website.
Please submit a letter of support for the student to lizzie_pollock@brown.edu by Monday, Dec.
22, 2014, that comments on:
1. My readiness to do the work required as a participant in the fellowship
2. My personal qualities that would indicate success in the fellowship
Project:
An additional letter should be provided by an expert who is familiar with the proposed project or initiative
and who can attest to its feasibility and viability. Often this letter will come from an organization or
collaborating partner who has worked with the student (or team) to develop and refine the ideas and
approach embodied in the proposal. Only one project letter is required per application.
This letter should be completed by an expert who is familiar with the proposed project or initiative, and
who can attest to its feasibility and viability. Often, this letter will come from an organization or
collaborating partner who has worked with the student (or team) to develop and refine the ideas and
approach embodied in the proposal.
Instructions to send your project recommender:
Social Innovation Fellowship Letter of Support – Project Recommendation
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Social Innovation Fellowship Application 2015 Continued
Thank you for completing a letter of support for my application to the Social Innovation
Fellowship!
The Social Innovation Fellowship provides an opportunity for individual students or groups to
translate ideas into action. If I am selected to be a Fellow, I will develop a project proposal that
models the creation of an entrepreneurial initiative. . I will receive funding to support an immersive
summer project, join a community of social innovators, and leverage workshops and other
resources to support my work. For more information about the fellowship, please visit the
Swearer Center website.
Please submit a letter of support for the student to lizzie_pollock@brown.edu by Monday, Dec.
22, 2014, that responds to the following questions:
1. To what extent do you believe I have substantial knowledge about and strong
relationships within the ecosystem around my proposed venture, and why?
2. To what extent do you believe my idea has the potential to address the social problem
that I have identified?
3. How feasible do you believe my plan is in order to validate critical assumptions of my
idea or venture?
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