Frequently Asked Questions
We can tell you everything about us
What are the criteria for joining the Lightup Impact Community?
You need to be an early-stage grassroots organization in East Africa with a focus on gender, health, education, and development. Specifically, we look for NGOs, CBOs, CSOs, and NPOs that have been founded within the past three years and that earn an annual income of <20.000 USD.
Is it an online or physical community?
The community is mostly online. We have a WhatsApp and Facebook group but we are currently testing a new platform, Discord. That’s where you will be on-boarded if you join now.
Do you look for women-led organizations only?
No, we also welcome male founders to apply. However, in our call for partnerships, we do take into consideration if you have women in your leadership staff or the % of women that are part of the organization's staff. Gender equality is a core SDG for Lightup Impact and we also try to advance it through our programs.
Do I pay to join the community?
No, the community is free of charge for the members.
Is Lightup Impact a donor?
No, we are not donors and we do not give grants. We provide support in form of network, training, partnerships, and possible seed money to get you started. We focus on helping you build traction and experience that you can use for your future fundraising. Any organization that fits the criteria can be part of our community but to engage further through our programs, the organizations go through a selection process. You can find more information about that in our partnership section.
What do I gain for myself and my organization by joining the Lightup Impact community?
Opportunity to network and build relationships with other grassroots organizations in gender & health in east Africa and the Lightup Impact team. Opportunity to access shared knowledge and best practices.
Opportunity to join our monthly community meetups.
Opportunity to access our other programs (e.g Lightup Impact Badge or partnership calls). These are for members only. For more information visit our programs page on our website.
What are the expectations you have from me as a member?
As a member, you enter a community of practice with specific goals (see the top of the page). No one will be asked to leave the community unless you are not respecting community rules and the other members. We will just encourage you to be an active member and contribute to the shared knowledge and learning that the community is based on (e.g. answer community questions, give your view and opinion on specific posts, bring your perspective, share your work, help others, ask for help). We will also ask at least 2-3 times per year for specific feedback about your experience in the community.
What if I find the content not stimulating and/or not useful?
You are so right! That’s why we aim to send a feedback form to all new members who have joined every three months. The community is a joint and collaborative project between founders and Lightup Impact team: you are also encouraged to post and share knowledge and we collaborate in organizing the content and format of our events.
What do you post about in this community?
We share events and opportunities (funding, jobs ) but the focus is on joint learning through interactive content.
What can I post about in this community?
Please post anything you think will be helpful for others in the community (e.g. updates on your activities on-going on the ground, events, funding calls, and others). Ask questions if you need advice, and post learnings from training you have attended. The community is also a place to chat and check in with other founders, so feel free to interact and get to know people there.
Ok, you convinced me that I fit the criteria and want to be part of Lightup Impact. How do I join the community?
Just fill in this form, and our team member Jeniffer will follow up with you and onboard you accordingly. Welcome to the Lightup Impact Community!!
