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MOUNTAINTOP RIVET FELLOWSHIP
RIVET channels the collective economic power of young people to fund their work as social innovators, and believes that it is absolutely essential to lower the barriers for equitable participation in the impact economy, especially for youth entrepreneurs and innovators. To amplify its work, RIVET is teaming up with Mountaintop International to build the world’s first microfinancing model to provide essential “first funds” to young innovators who have brilliant social impact ideas but who, due to their background, have no access to financial capital.
The Mountaintop RIVET Fellowship provides 20 Fellows ages 18-26 living in the NYC metropolitan area and Connecticut with $500 grants to implement a 90-day project or grow an existing project, along with world class virtual training on leadership and social entrepreneurship, a global virtual community of leading youth changemakers, and access to mentorship from leading social innovators from around the world. Through the fellowship, RIVET and Mountaintop aim to rapidly accelerate the trajectories of emerging, locally-rooted social innovators who will go on to transform the future of their communities.
Benefits
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$500 Grants. Fellows receive $400 to implement their project, and an additional $100 after submitting a final impact report.
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Virtual Training. Fellows receive facilitated virtual training on creating systems change. Through monthly sessions, Fellows will strengthen their theory of change and learn to create impact at scale.
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Mentorship and Support. Fellows access small group mentorship sessions with expert social impact leaders from around the world.
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Global Community. Fellows join both RIVET’s and Mountaintop’s vibrant online communities of thousands of other emerging leaders from every continent.
Timeline
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Application Open: October 7 - November 15, 2024
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Selection Notifications: November 29, 2024
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Fellowship Period (90 Days): December 2024 - March 2025
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Impact Reports Due: March 31, 2025
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
Mountaintop and RIVET are seeking individuals who we believe have the highest potential to be transformational systems-changing leaders in their communities long term.
Eligibility
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Age 18 or older by March 2025, and age 26 or younger at time of application.
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Live in NYC metropolitan area or Connecticut for the duration of the fellowship, or have spent a majority of your life in NYC or Connecticut and still have strong personal ties there.
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Complete an orientation session, commit 2-3 hours/week for online training over 90 days, and submit a 60 second video and impact report after the fellowship.
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Have the time to implement a 90-day project with social impact outcomes in any one of the fellowship’s impact areas: poverty alleviation, health and wellness, diversity and inclusion, environmental sustainability, and education.
Innovative and Compelling Project
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Projects with a clear theory of change, a specific strategy and intended outcome, and with significant social impact if successful.
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Prior experience working on projects similar to the proposal is encouraged but not required.
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The project may be for a new initiative or deepening an existing initiative.
Leadership Experience, Proximity, and Value Add
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Leadership Experience. Demonstrated track record of impactful leadership. We look for candidates who have gone beyond holding a title, engaging on social media, or having conversations to taking action that has changed people's lives in profound ways.
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Proximity. Living in New York City or Connecticut and engaging with the community there. We welcome candidates who are not originally from these communities.
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Value Add. Ability to demonstrate why this fellowship will have a catalytic effect on their trajectory as a leader.
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Candidates with Less Opportunity. Candidates who may have had less opportunity for experiences like the fellowship due to circumstances outside their control are given a second look. We especially encourage candidates from low-income, first-generation, and immigrant backgrounds.