Lightup Impact envisions a world where grassroots organizations are empowered and sustainable. To that end, we will be launching a Skills Development and Innovation for Impact pilot program for two grassroots organizations from our East African community.
More about the program
The program is a one-year partnership with us and comprises two phases:
Phase 1: Assessing the needs of the two selected organizations and identifying the bottlenecks to their growth.
Phase 2: Using innovation methods to ideate and co-develop solutions tailored to their needs.
Throughout the program, participants will take part in a mix of in-person and online workshops to train their skills and strengthen the capacity of their organizations.
Using innovation and design thinking methods, participants will work closely with the Lightup Impact team, experienced facilitators, and county governments to gain knowledge on key topics for organizational growth. Topics will be tailored to the needs of the organization and could include the following:
- Strategy and governance
- Communication and leadership
- Fundraising
- Entrepreneurship
- Sustainability
This close collaboration will give us the unique opportunity to get to know each other and for you to share valuable insights about your organization. We believe this is the best way to assist you in mobilizing resources and boosting the visibility of your organization.
What to expect
- Monthly engagement in the form of in-person or online workshops
- Weekly coaching during the solution prototype testing and implementation phases
- Peer-to-peer learning, exchange, and support sessions between the two organizations in the program
- Mentoring from more experienced grassroots founders in the Lightup Impact Community (optional)
- Transfer of learnings to the Lightup Impact Community during monthly meetups
- Visibility on our and partners’ platforms in the form of, for example, blog articles and photo and video documentation of community work
- Ad-hoc interaction with experienced facilitators, consultants, partners, county governments, and other founders
- A graduation ceremony and upgrade to Impact Badge Premium membership
- Upon successful graduation, possibility of renewing the one year partnership to get support on grant writing and resource mobilization
Selection criteria
Our team will prioritize organizations that have received no or limited previous skills and capacity development training. Furthermore, we are particularly interested in assessing the following:
- Commitment of the founders and their teams to the growth of their organization
- Engagement with the Lightup Impact Community and to what extent Ligtup Impact’s vision and values are embraced
- Openness to working with innovation methods to co-create and test solutions with the Lightup Impact team
- Eagerness to learn, fail and relearn; curiosity; and devotion to collaborating with the Lightup Impact team, facilitators, and partners – spending at least 3 hours per week
Who can apply and how?
The application is open to Lightup Impact Community members only.
Both Lightup Impact Badge members and non-members are eligible to apply. However, the application process is slightly more comprehensive for non-members, as candidates will have to apply for the Impact Badge first before earning eligibility for this call. Please note that only candidates who qualify for the Impact Badge will be considered for the Skills Development and Innovation for Impact Program.
For more information about our Impact Badge, please visit our website.
Application timeline
This call will be open for two weeks from 29 June-14 July. Candidates will be notified about the outcome of their application by 23 July. Online and in-person interviews will take place during the second half of July. The program will kick off at the end of July/beginning of August.
What to expect after applying
- Successful applicants will be invited for an online interview and will be visited in person by the Lightup Impact team.
- Non-Impact-Badge members who qualify for the Impact Badge but not for the program will earn the Impact Badge and certificate.
- All applicants will be notified by email.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Best of luck!
The Lightup Impact team
