What is the Acumen Fellowship?

The purpose of the Acumen Fellowship is to develop a community of leaders who challenge the status quo, work across lines of difference, and inspire their communities to believe in a brighter future.

The Fellowship is the start of a journey towards mastering the skills, attributes, and values of moral leadership: a combination of empathy, immersion, understanding, and action. What binds our Fellows is shared values, a common commitment to a world beyond poverty and injustice, a pledge to accompany one another, to help and celebrate one another, and to hold each other to account.

Who are Acumen Fellows?

The Fellowship is designed for individuals who are currently leading or are an integral part of building an initiative whose mission is to eradicate poverty or injustice. We bring in leaders who have identified their leadership gaps and have the audacious and courageous belief of shifting the needle. Our Fellows are of all ages, come from diverse cultural, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds and work across multiple sectors.

Acumen Fellows understand that poverty extends beyond income levels, and that the opposite of poverty is not income: it is dignity. Dignity is freedom. It is having control over decisions that affect our lives.

Acumen Fellowship Eligibility Criteria

To ensure that we select the most suitable individuals for our program, we have established the following eligibility criteria:

Profession: Applicants must have a minimum of five years of full-time work experience. This experience should be in a professional capacity, preferably in roles that demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Focus on Poverty: Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to addressing poverty with at least three years of full-time work towards social-development. We define poverty as working towards the dignity and well-being of marginalized communities.

Leadership Roles: Individuals who have served or currently hold senior leadership roles within their organizations are encouraged to apply. This includes founders, co-founders, executives, and other decision-making positions. Leadership roles can be within for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations and within the public sector.

Age: Although age is not a strict requirement, we highly encourage applicants within the age range of 25-46 to apply. However, it is essential to note that all applicants must be at least 18 years old or above in order to be eligible.

Preference: The Acumen Fellows Program unites a multitude of diverse leaders, fostering an environment where individuals who self-identify as first-generation learners, people with disabilities, individuals across the gender spectrum, systematically excluded individuals, or leaders from rural areas are strongly encouraged to join. Our aim is to build a powerful collective that embraces the strength of diversity.

Do I have to be working in a social enterprise to be considered for the Fellowship?

No. 

Although many of our Fellows do work in social enterprises, Fellows can be working in any sector (including for-profit, non-profit, government, etc.).

How will participants be selected?

There will be 2 stages to the entire application process. The final stage will be a Selection Conference held for 2 days where the applicants will go through group discussions, panel interviews and a few other activities based on which the Acumen team will select the final 20/40 (depending on the number of cohorts) who will be a part of the fellowship journey.

What are the academic qualifications for the Fellowship?

There are no specific academic prerequisites.

Can two people from the same organization apply for the Acumen Fellowship?

The Acumen Fellowship is a significant investment in an individual’s leadership journey. As the Fellowship is competitive and can only offer ~20 spots per cohort, 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.

Is English proficiency a requirement?

Yes. All seminars and training are conducted in English. Conversational proficiency in English is a requirement to ensure Fellows are able to give and get the most from this experience.

Do I have to be a citizen of India to apply?

Yes. We consider applications from citizens of India. We will, on an exceptional basis, consider applicants who demonstrate a concrete connection to the region (i.e. long-term employment, residency, the focus of the social change project).

Is someone eligible to apply for the India Fellowship if they have taken part in an Acumen Fellowship in a different region?

No. Each cohort of Acumen Fellows must be comprised of individuals who have not previously taken part in an Acumen Fellowship. Candidates who have participated in other fellowships or leadership programs, or who have taken Acumen Academy courses, are welcome to apply.

Can I apply if I have taken Acumen Academy courses?

Absolutely! Taking Acumen Academy courses prior to the fellowship is strongly encouraged.

Specific questions about the program?

Contact us at indiafellows@acumen.org.

How is the Fellowship structured?

The fellowship is a mix of offline and online seminars and workshops, involving a time commitment of approximately 30 days in 7 months.

The 2024 program structure and timelines will be communicated during the Selection Conference (mid February). The Spring cohort will commence in March 2024 and the Fall cohort will commence in June 2024.

What is the total time commitment required for the Fellowship?

The total time commitment is about 30 days over the course of the year. Whenever possible, we have scheduled seminars from Tuesday until Sunday.

Between seminars, you will be expected to spend additional time on program-related assignments, email correspondence and collaborative projects for approximately 3 hours per week.

Where will the different seminars and meetings for the program be held?

The seminars are typically held in or around major cities across India. In the past, they have been held in Bengaluru, Delhi, Guwahati, Kochi, Mumbai, Madurai, Pune, and Raipur.

For 2023, individuals will be notified the exact dates of the seminars upon being selected as a Fellow before or during the Selection Conference.

Which costs does the fellowship cover?

Acumen covers all fellowship-related expenses during the fellowship year. This includes all costs associated with the in-person seminars including lodging, & food. 

Does the Fellowship provide scholarships, funding or additional benefits?

No. As this is a part-time fellowship, we do not provide scholarships, stipends, funding or insurance.

Do I automatically qualify for grant funding or an investment if I participate in the Fellowship?

No. Acumen’s leadership development initiatives are completely independent of our investment activities. If you are interested in learning more about Acumen’s investment criteria, click here.

What happens during and between the seminars?

During the Fellowship, Fellows are equipped with the knowledge, support systems and skills to challenge the status quo, work across lines of difference and mobilize their communities.

Our curriculum draws on powerful leadership frameworks, tools, and approaches, including Adaptive Leadership, Authentic Voice, Good Society Readings, Immunity to Change, and Polarities Management.

Fellows build trust and test new leadership skills within their cohort. This cohort-based model creates deep bonds of trust and fellowship, which persist long beyond the first year and which Fellows utilize to create greater impact.

What is the attendance policy? What if I need to miss a seminar?

The fellowship has a 100% attendance requirement, and all selected Fellows must attend all meetings (seminars and workshops) and complete assignments between seminars or face possible removal. We make exceptions for emergencies on a case-by-case basis.

Is internet connectivity a requirement to participate in the fellowship?

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

How does Acumen Academy design for an inclusive experience?

Acumen Academy is deeply committed to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion - we encourage applications from all social leaders, as long as they have the motivation to make it happen.

Please reach out to us at fellows@acumenacademy.org if you have specific needs or requirements related to the application or program. We will listen to the various needs and explore options to accommodate as much as possible.

What are the application deadlines? And what happens after I submit my application?

The application deadline for Stage 1 is Nov 20th. Upon application submission, our selection team will carefully review submissions and participation at each stage of the process, and select candidates who will advance to the final stage. At each stage of the application process, all candidates will receive communication via email from our team about the progress of their application.

How many Fellows are selected each year in each region?

In 2024, the India Fellows Program will run two cohorts (Spring and Fall) and select ~40 Fellows total in the final stage (Selection Conference).

What are the technology requirements for accessing and completing the application?

For all the 2 stages of the application process, applicants will need a stable internet connection. All application documents and components must be submitted through an online portal. We highly recommend using Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser. Late submissions (both Stage 1 and Stage 2) due to internet or technology issues will not be accepted. Please plan to submit your application well in advance before the deadline.

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. If you continue experiencing issues, please contact the Acumen team via fellows@acumenacademy.org

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: @mail.smapply.net, @acumen, and @acumenacademy.org

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 contact if you make it to the third and 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.

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 it, to return to 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.

Is post-Fellowship job placement provided?

No.

What do Fellows do after completing the program? What type of professional and personal development support does the Acumen Fellows Program offer?

Acumen is invested not only in each Fellows’ growth over the course of the year-long program, but also in their development as lifelong agents of fighting poverty or injustice. After completing the first year, Fellows will receive continued mentorship and coaching. Acumen also has a very active and growing community of social sector organizations, thought leaders, and Fellows across the globe. We engage all Acumen Fellows through events, newsletters and subsequent recruitment and selection processes. In addition, after the program, the Fellows become part of a community of moral leaders who are fighting poverty or injustice in their region and across the world.