The Application Process
The Education Entrepreneur Fellowship uses a rolling application and review process with no set deadlines. Applicants are free to submit their applications at the time that best suits their individual readiness. There are two main steps to the application process: the Statement of Intent, and the Full Application. All applicants must submit a Statement of Intent to be considered for the Fellowship. Based on review of the Statements of Intent, select candidates will be invited to submit a Full Application.
APPLY NOW! Click here to begin a new application or to log back in to an application you have already started.
Step 1 - Statement of Intent: All Applicants
This initial step provides an introduction to your proposed venture. It will be used to determine which candidates will be invited to submit a Full Application. The online application form requires the following:
- Contact Information
- Gender
- Date of Birth
- Country of Citizenship
- Professional History
- Academic History
- Initiatives Launched - If you have played a leading role in launching any significant organizations, initiatives, programs or projects (including during school), you will be asked to include that information in your Statement of Intent.
- Essay Questions:
- Describe your initiative in 50 words or less.
- Please clearly explain your initiative and how you will use the Fellowship to develop (or further develop) and launch it. Please include how Indianapolis will be a part of the initial growth plans of your initiative. (2,000 words or less)
- If you have previously applied for the Education Entrepreneur Fellowship for this or any similar initiative, what has changed since you last applied?
- Define the specific problem in public education your initiative is trying to solve.
- How does your initiative meet the identified need better than it has been addressed by existing initiatives, both in Indianapolis and elsewhere?
Step 2 - Full Application: Invited Applicants Only
Only select candidates will be invited to submit a Full Application. The online form will require the following:
- Letters of Recommendation – Candidates invited to submit a Full Application are asked to have three letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf. Recommenders should submit their letters directly to The Mind Trust via email, fax or mail.
- Hard copies should be mailed to: The Mind Trust, Attn: Fellow Recommendations, 407 North Fulton Street, Suite 102, Indianapolis, IN 46202.
- Electronic copies may be emailed to: fellowship@themindtrust.org.
- Faxed letters should be sent to: Attn: Fellow Recommendations at (317) 822-8149
- Please note: All letters of recommendation must be received by The Mind Trust within one week of the applicant’s submission of the Full Application.
- Description of applicant’s history of community involvement
- Description of applicant’s awards, honors and/or published work
- Essay Questions:
1. Describe your initiative in 50 words or less. (Please feel free to restate and/or revise your Statement of Intent essay.)
2. Clearly explain your initiative and how you will use the Fellowship to develop (or further develop) and launch it (2,000 words or less). Please include how Indianapolis will be a part of the initial growth plans of your initiative. (Feel free to restate and/or revise your Statement of Intent essay.)
3. How did you come up with your idea? (500 words or less)
In lieu of answering Questions 4-10, you may attach a 5-year business plan that includes the following information about your proposed venture: vision and mission; theory of change; organizational structure (including governance structure and staffing model); description of the population(s) and market(s) served (PLEASE NOTE: The Mind Trust recognizes that many initiatives launched through the Fellowship will expand regionally or nationally. However, Fellows must include Indianapolis as part of their initial growth plans); program and/or service design and delivery; description of critical partnerships; desired goals and outcomes, and how you will measure success against these goals; and financial model, including operating budget, capital needs, and anticipated funding sources.
4. What is your venture's vision and mission? How will your initiative address an urgent and compelling need? Focus your answer on your initiative.
5. Please describe your venture's organizational structure (including governance structure and staffing model) for Years One through Five.
6. What population(s) will your venture serve? What are their current needs? How are these needs evolving, and how will your venture respond? What goals, if any, do you have for expanding outside of Indianapolis?
7. What other significant initiatives, if any, are similar to the initiative you are proposing to launch? This could include initiatives working to address a similar need, working with a similar target population, or using a similar structural model. How does your approach differ from theirs? What could you learn from their approaches? (750 words or less)
8. What are the impact outcomes (e.g., academic achievement gains, systemic improvement, policy changes) your venture seeks to accomplish? What are the target completion dates for each goal? How will you measure success in addressing the urgent problem you plan to tackle?
9. What organizations or individuals in Indianapolis and elsewhere are critical to your success? How will you establish a relationship with these organizations/individuals?
10. What is your projected operating budget for Years One through Five? What are your capital needs, if any? What steps will be taken to secure the necessary financial support to launch, sustain and scale your venture?
11. Why are you the right person to launch the proposed initiative? (750 words or less)
12. Which of the initiatives launched, listed in your Statement of Intent, best demonstrates your entrepreneurial skills? (750 words or less)
The Mind Trust will review all Full Applications. Select candidates will be contacted regarding interviews.
Frequently Asked Questions: All Applicants
All applicants are encouraged to review our comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section before beginning the application process. The FAQ section has been organized by subject matter for your convenience:
- Description of Fellowship
- Eligibility
- Application