Echoing Green Fellowship

Who qualifies

• Applicant must be an original founder or a leading member of the proposed organization's original founding team (cannot have joined after founding)
• Applicant must be the primary decision-maker for the organization
• Must be 18 years or older by the time the fellowship begins
• Must be able to communicate proficiently in English
• Organization must be early stage — operating with full-time staff for fewer than five years, or still needing resources to grow and sustain operations
• All organizational structures eligible (nonprofit, for-profit, hybrid) provided the focus is social impact
• For-profit/hybrid ventures over ~$5M valuation or ~$2M+ revenue with positive net profit receive funding as a repayable 'Recoverable Grant'
• Applicants of all nationalities, working in any country, may apply (no US residency requirement)

Is the Echoing Green Fellowship legit?

Yes. Echoing Green, a New York nonprofit, has run the fellowship for more than 35 years. Fellows get $100,000 in seed funding over 18 months; for-profit ventures receive it as a recoverable grant.

• Who runs it: Echoing Green, for more than 35 years
• What fellows get: $100,000 over 18 months
• For-profit ventures: Funding is a recoverable grant
• How competitive: 18 fellows chosen from 4,100+ applicants in 2026

Sources: echoinggreen.org · page 2. Last checked at the funder on October 18, 2026.

Past Echoing Green Fellowship winners

Some of the 2025 fellows:

• Andre Peart, Untapped Solutions · 2025 Fellows (announced 08/12/25)
• Ashlee Wisdom, Health in her HUE · 2025 Fellows (announced 08/12/25)
• Avriel Epps, AI4Abolition · 2025 Fellows (announced 08/12/25)
• Brittney Sessoms, Charlotte & Pickens, Memphis · 2025 Fellows (announced 08/12/25)
• Doreen Toutikian, OMGyno · 2025 Fellows (announced 08/12/25)
• Elaine Sim, Migratesafe Employment Agency · 2025 Fellows (announced 08/12/25)

Names as published by Echoing Green (source). GrantCompass is not affiliated with Echoing Green.

What it covers

What the Echoing Green Fellowship application asks

Echoing Green's offline worksheet for the 2026 Fellowship listed these written questions, 1,000 characters each. It says it does not contain every question in the application, and applicants also upload a resume and a 60-second video answering “Why do you do what you do”.

1. Describe the problem your work seeks to address, the root causes of this problem, and why it still exists. (1,000 characters)
2. Describe the approach you will take to address this problem and the specific activities involved. (1,000 characters)
3. Tell us about the community and the people you seek to serve with this work. (1,000 characters)
4. How will the lives of the people in the community improve because of this work? (1,000 characters)
5. Think about the systems that affect the issue you are addressing. What kinds of power are influencing the system? Describe how your work plans to or is already addressing the root causes of the issue to create a more equitable system. (1,000 characters)
6. Imagine a future where people of all identities (race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, caste, tribe, etc.) have equal opportunity to thrive. How did your vision help lead to this future? What changed in your community as a result? (1,000 characters)
7. Explain how your work introduces a new approach or improves on existing ones - either in your geographic area or in your field. What makes it innovative? (1,000 characters)
8. What existing work or organizations have influenced your thinking? What do you aim to build on or do differently, and why is your approach needed? (1,000 characters)
9. Describe why you are passionate about this work and community. (1,000 characters)
10. Describe how you shift power to the community and how you engage the community into the design and strategic decision making of your work. (1,000 characters)
11. Share an example that showcases your leadership ability to build and manage an organization toward strategic goals. (1,000 characters)
12. What organizations do you currently or hope to partner with to deepen your impact? How do you engage others in support of your vision? (1,000 characters)

On AI, the worksheet welcomes thoughtful use, but adds: “Applications that appear to be primarily or fully generated by AI without meaningful human input may be deemed less competitive or ineligible.” The next application cycle has not been announced. Use the Watch box below to get one email when it opens. Source: Echoing Green's 2026 Fellowship offline application worksheet (echoinggreen.org).

How to apply

1. 1

   Confirm founder eligibility

   Verify you are an original founder / original founding-team leader and the primary decision-maker of an early-stage social-impact venture (full-time staff for under five years). Echoing Green funds the person and the venture.

   ~2 hrs

2. 2

   Prepare your application during the open window

   Applications are only accepted during the fall window. Articulate the social/environmental problem, your innovative solution, evidence of early progress, your leadership story, and your theory of change. Review the published Selection Criteria first.

   ~18 hrs

3. 3

   Submit through the official portal

   Submit via echoinggreen.org/fellowship/apply before that cycle's deadline. Questions go to fellowship@echoinggreen.org.

   ~1 hrs

4. 4

   Semifinalist and finalist rounds

   Strong applicants advance through interviews and finalist review; selected Fellows are notified the following June/July and enter the 18-month program.

   ~10 hrs

Deadline & timing

Echoing Green runs one annual cohort. For the 2026 cohort, applications opened September 17 and closed October 8, 2025; Fellows are notified in June/July 2026. The next cycle had not been announced when we checked on November 1, 2026. Sign up on the Echoing Green site to be notified when applications reopen.

Programs that stack well

• Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation — Impact Funding
• Halcyon Incubator Fellowship

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