• You lead an enterprise that provides a green-focused good or service that has demonstrated the capacity to solve problems of poverty and has created work opportunities for young rural women and youth below the age of 35.
  • Work opportunities can include full-time employment, part-time or seasonal working opportunities, and/or creating income-generating opportunities for micro/nanopreneurs within the value chain.
  • You have a minimum of 5 full-time employees.
• You have demonstrable traction over the last 12-months.
• You have a minimum of 5 years of professional experience and are able to demonstrate your commitment to solving issues of poverty.
• You are based and operating in East Africa (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda).
• You can provide evidence that your leadership supports efforts to make the enterprise more environmentally sustainable and inclusive.
• You have a reliable internet connection and will be fully available to participate throughout the entirety of the program.

Q: What are the academic qualifications for the program?
There are no specific academic prerequisites.


Q: Are there minimum or maximum age requirements?
You must be over the age of 18 to apply for the Fellowship. 


Q: Is English proficiency a requirement?
Yes. All sessions and training are conducted in English. To give and receive the most from the experience, proficiency in the language is a requirement.


Q: Is this Fellowship limited to specific regions or countries?

Yes. At this time, for the Green RISE East Africa Fellowship we are targeting individuals whose work has a direct impact in the regions below:

• East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia)

Q: Can someone who has participated in one Acumen Fellows program apply and participate in another? (for example, can a Global Fellow join the Green RISE Africa program?)
No. Each cohort of Green RISE Africa Fellows must be composed of individuals who have not previously taken part in an Acumen Fellows program. This is specific to Acumen’s programs; candidates who have participated in other fellowships or leadership programs, or who have taken Acumen Academy courses, are welcome to apply.


Q: Can I apply if I have graduated from an Acumen Academy Accelerator? 
If you have graduated from one of the following Leadership Accelerators, you won’t be eligible for the Fellowship as the content and experience are quite similar for both these programs. These Leadership Accelerators are: Leadership Essentials for Innovative Builders; Inclusive Economy Leadership SEA Program; Resilient Small-Scale Fisheries Leadership Accelerator; Leadership Program for Climate Resilience Innovators Pakistan; Leadership Essentials for Social Innovators India; or Social Impact Leadership Accelerator-Vietnam.


Q: Can I apply if I have taken Acumen Academy courses?
Absolutely! Taking Acumen Academy courses prior to the Fellowship is strongly encouraged. 


Q: Can two people from the same organization apply for the Acumen Fellowship?
The Green RISE Africa Fellowship is a significant investment in an individual’s leadership journey. As the Fellowship is competitive and only ~20 spots per year in each region are available, we aim to amplify our impact through the Fellows by asking them to take learnings from the Fellowship back to their teams and communities.

This means that in a given year, while multiple people from the same organization may apply, should you all meet our basic eligibility criteria, we will only be able to select one of you to advance in the selection process. We suggest keeping this in mind as you make the decision regarding whether one or more of you will apply in the same year.

This also means that, within a 3 year period, we will not be able to accept more than one person as a Fellow from the same organization. If somebody from your organization has been an Acumen Fellow in the last 3 years, we will not be able to accept your application this year (except if you are part of  a large organization (i.e. UN, WHO), then we'd consider if your role and team are significantly different and removed from the other Fellow.)

Q: Do I have to be working at a social enterprise in the green economy to be considered for the Fellowship?

Yes.

Fellows we select will fall into these categories:

• Entrepreneurs who have founded or are leading for-profit ventures delivering sustainable, climate-conscious goods and services that improve access and resilience for underserved communities, while creating dignified employment opportunities for youth and young women in rural and peri-urban areas.
• Ecosystem enablers who are playing an integral role (i.e. CEO, MD, COO) in the growth of advancement of resilient green business from within, but not as the Founder or CEO.

Q: Do I need to be currently involved in a social impact organization/initiative?
Yes. The Fellow Candidates we look for are individuals who are currently leading initiatives or working full-time in organizations aimed at creating social impact and advancing sustainable green solutions, and eradicating poverty particularly in ways that strengthen community resilience and promote inclusive, green job growth.

We know that the path of social impact is long, and often it is a great challenge to just begin. If you have taken the courageous step of starting your journey whether you have an idea you are hoping to work on, especially one rooted in climate action, sustainability, or the green economy, or you want to further develop an early-stage concept we offer many other learning opportunities through Acumen Academy, our online school for social change, that may interest you.


Q: Can you please share more about your selection criteria?
The Green RISE Africa Fellowship is for builders who are committed to solving the problems of poverty and want to build a world based on dignity. Beyond the basic eligibility requirements (stated on the website), we are looking for the following when selecting Fellow Candidates:

Commitment towards solving problems of poverty and climate challenges

The builders we seek are individuals who are deeply embedded in the community they serve and are already leading or building organizations or initiatives to solve the problems of poverty through environmentally sustainable approaches that create work opportunities for youth and young women. They have decided that the world needs to change and have already taken steps to drive the change they wish to see. They are in a position of influence in the work that they are doing, have demonstrated impact, and have a clear vision about the impact they want to create in their communities. We invite you to ask yourself: “Can I demonstrate my commitment towards solving problems of poverty while creating opportunities for youth in a sustainable way and show the impact of my work? What’s my vision to take this work forward?"

Leadership and Growth Potential

We are looking for individuals who have purpose alignment with the work that they are doing. They demonstrate self awareness, ability to learn from their mistakes, and persist on the path they are pursuing. These individuals are able to demonstrate their leadership capacity through past examples, sharing their life experiences. We invite you to ask yourself: “Does this program match my current leadership development needs? Can I learn and grow in service of my purpose?”

Values Alignment and Readiness

The Fellowship is an educational leadership program, and requires an individual to ask difficult questions and learn in a cohort setting. We are looking for individuals who are willing and able to take on this leadership and be part of a cohort that brings together different identities, beliefs, and experiences.

We believe in accompanying our Fellows as they continue to work on creating impact around the world. We expect applicants to demonstrate that they will be able to share their skills, knowledge, and experience with the Foundry, and similarly be able to benefit from the Foundry offerings. We invite you to ask yourself: “Am I aligned with Acumen’s values? Is this the right time to undertake this journey? Does this seem like the right next step to follow to get to the next level?”
 

Q: Do I need to currently be involved in work focused on climate?
Yes. Our program is designed for individuals who are currently leading or are an integral part of building an organization or initiative that addresses poverty while advancing practical, climate conscious solutions. This includes work that expands opportunities for women and youth, strengthens livelihoods, and contributes to building a more inclusive and sustainable green economy. We can only accept individuals who are already on this path on a full time basis.


Q: How many Fellows are selected each year in each region? 
On average, we select ~ 20 Fellows per year in each region. 


Q: I meet the preliminary requirements and basic eligibility, but I am in the middle of a job switch right now. How would that affect my application?
Our program is designed for individuals who are currently leading or are an integral part of building an organization/initiative whose overarching mission is to build the green economy within their community/country/region. We look for individuals who are currently committed to the work full-time and are able to bring back what they learn in the first year of the program to their work for direct application. 

If you believe that you have significant prior experience in social change work and remain committed to continuing your journey in tackling poverty and climate-related challenges, we encourage you to apply. If not, please consider applying next year. You can always start investing in your capacity to create effective change with other offerings by Acumen Academy made available to anyone passionate about creating change in the world. 

Q: What should I keep in mind while applying?

Keep the following tips in mind as you approach your application. 

• Be concise. Please be mindful of stated word limits as the application will not allow you to exceed them. It is strongly recommended that you compose your responses in a word processor with a character count feature.
• Save your draft often. From the beginning, make a habit of clicking the SAVE DRAFT button at the bottom of the page to avoid losing your work. You can always return to your application form when you save it as a draft, however you will not be able to make changes after you complete the submission.
• Save an offline copy. We strongly recommend you read through the entire application form first. Enter and save your background information, then spend time offline composing your responses to the essay questions. When you are ready to submit, copy and paste your responses into the online form. Acumen is not responsible for any lost text, so save early and save often.
• Apply early. Start well in advance to avoid any last-minute technical difficulties or connectivity problems. We do not accept applications after the deadline. 

Q: I might not be in East Africa next year. Should I still apply?
Our Fellowship requires you to fully participate in the sessions that will happen throughout the year. Some Immersives will require in-person participation and we will only be able to fund your travel to and from a city within the country. International travel will not be provided. If you believe that you will be able to attend all sessions, we would encourage you to apply. 

If you plan to be away from your country/region next year to move on from the initiative you have been working on, then we encourage you to apply in the future when you are back in the region/the country. 


Q: What are the technology requirements for accessing and completing the application? 
To apply to the Green RISE Africa Fellowship, applicants will need a stable internet connection as the application is meant to be completed on an online platform. Additionally, we highly recommend applying through a laptop as the mobile experience is not recommended. All application documents and components must be submitted through the online portal. We highly recommend using Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser. 

If you experience issues submitting any element of your application, please try submitting your application from a different browser, computer, or a different location with stronger internet connectivity. 

Late submissions due to internet/technology issues will not be accepted so we encourage you to submit your application well in advance before the deadline. If you continue experiencing issues, please contact the Acumen Academy team via eastafricafellows@acumen.org.


Q: What if I have trouble completing or submitting my application? 
To submit your application, you’ll need to check that the deadline hasn’t yet passed. Then, you'll need to complete all required tasks within your application. Finally, you’ll need to confirm that you’re responding to all the mandatory questions and that the files you’ve uploaded are meeting the requirements.

Following this, you should be able to submit your application without encountering any issues. See SMApply “Completing an Application FAQ” and if you keep facing issues contact the Acumen Academy team via the regional team email address eastafricafellows@acumen.org or fellows@acumenacademy.org sharing your email address and screenshot of the issue you’re facing.


Q: Will I get notified after my application has been submitted?
Yes. Our system automatically sends a confirmation email once your initial application has been submitted. If you do not receive one immediately after submitting your application, please check your email settings to make sure that our emails are not caught in your spam filter. We will send emails through the following domains: smapplycsm@momentive.ai, @acumenacademy.org, and @acumen.org.


Q: Can I edit my application after it’s been submitted?
No, this is not possible. However, it is possible to save your application before submitting, and  return to it later for editing. Make sure you double check all elements of your application before it is submitted. We cannot accept edits or changes after the fact, either through the platform or by email.


Q: Are recommendation letters required?
No. However, during the later stages of the selection process, we will ask you to provide the contact information of two professional references that we can reach out to, if you make it to the final stage of the selection process. Your references should be people with whom you have worked closely. They should not be family, friends, or spouses.

Q: Does the Fellowship provide funding, or additional benefits? 
While the Fellowship is fully-funded for Fellow Candidates, we don’t provide any funding or additional benefits as part of the program. However, after the Fellowship, Fellows will have the opportunity to access funding for projects through Angels Green RISE Africa to increase impact and apply to follow-on Accelerator programs to further strengthen their business models.


Q: Which costs does the program cover? 
Once you are selected as a Green RISE Africa Fellow Candidate, Acumen covers all program-related expenses during the Fellowship. This includes all costs associated with the immersives including lodging, food, and transportation.


Q: What is the attendance policy? What if I need to miss a session?
The program has a 100% attendance requirement, and all selected Fellow Candidates must attend all program sessions, cohort calls, and 1:1s and complete assignments or face possible removal from the program. We make exceptions for emergencies on a case-by-case basis. 


Q: What’s meant by an in-person immersive?
Immersives are typically held over 5 days. These include interactive discussions, individual reflection, peer coaching, and informal relationship building. There is typically pre-work (of 8 hours) for each immersive that is to be completed 2 weeks beforehand in order to prepare for and make the most of the immersive learning experience. Fellows are expected to be fully present for the sessions (typically 8 hours a day) and ensure there are no competing commitments during this time.  

Each program will communicate the details on these during the selection process. The locations are selected based on the accessibility for the cohort as a whole. Fellows are expected to stay at the residential location for the entire duration, even if they are located in the same city where the immersive is being held. 


Q: What is meant by a Learning Lab?
A Learning Lab is a 4-hour-long virtual facilitated learning session. The learning lab will build upon the self-paced assignments (average 1 hour/week) and will provide you with an opportunity to dive deeper into content blocks with your cohort.  


Q: What are the Moral Leadership Principles?

As part of your Fellowship journey, you will be grounded in The 12 Principles of Moral Leadership, developed from over 20 years of working with leaders who are improving how the poor, the vulnerable, and the earth are treated.

The Principles, inspired by Acumen Founder Jaqueline Novogratz, are as follows:

• Cultivate Moral Imagination
• Listen to Voices Unheard
• Hold Opposing Values in Tension
• Tell Stories That Matter
• Explore Identities
• Redefine Success
• Use Markets for Good
• Partner with Humility and Audacity
• Avoid the Conformity Trap
• Accompany Each Other
• Embrace the Beautiful Struggle
• Practice Courage
  
  

Q: Is internet connectivity a requirement to participate in the program? 

Yes. The primary method of communication regarding logistics and other important information is email. Assignments between sessions will be provided via an online learning platform. Therefore, all Fellow Candidates must have regular and reliable internet access that allows the downloading and uploading of documents as well as audio and video files.


Q: Where will the different immersives  for the program be held?

The immersives are typically held in or around major cities across the program region. In the past, they have been held in:

• East Africa Program: Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, and Dar es Salaam
• West Africa Program: Accra, Sierra Leone and Lagos

Individuals will be notified on the exact dates and logistics of the immersives upon being selected as a Fellow.

Q. Beyond the Fellowship are there any opportunities to consider?
In addition to the Fellowship program, Green RISE Africa will also feature an Accelerator program for early stage green enterprises across East and West Africa. The Green RISE Accelerator is a 10-month program that features a combination of virtual and in-person cohort-based learning and 1:1 business development programming, as well as funding for impact projects focused on inclusive job creation.

In Year 1, the program will target green entrepreneurs based in Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Applications for the Accelerator program will open on May 1, 2026. If you'd like to stay up to date on the Green RISE Africa Accelerator, please submit your interest here.

Q: What post-Fellowship support is made available? 
Once you complete the program, you are invited into a community that we call the Foundry and Green Rise Connect. Green Rise connect will provide a space for networking and learning with  opportunities that may include access to funding (by application), mentorship and coaching, and pro-bono services like consulting. You will be added to the Foundry newsletters and gain access to the Foundry Circle platform where these opportunities are listed.

Q: Do I automatically qualify for project funding or an investment if I participate in the Fellows Program? 
No. While Acumen's Foundry is eligible to apply for our Angels Green RISE Africa Program, there is a separate application process. The Acumen Fellowship is completely independent of our investment activities. If you are interested in learning more about Acumen’s investment criteria, click here.

Q: Is post-Fellowship job placement provided?
No. If you still have questions after reading the Frequently Asked Questions, please email eastafricafellows@acumen.org.