Ecosystem Futures Fellowship FAQ

General Information

What is the Ecosystem Futures Fellowship?

The Ecosystem Futures Fellowship is a one-year experience that supports higher education leaders in advancing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) ecosystem growth centered on environmental and social sustainability and inclusive innovation.

Who can apply for the fellowship?

The fellowship is open to teams of two, with at least one being a faculty member. The second member must be an employee—faculty, staff, or administrator—at a U.S. higher education institution. Applications are particularly encouraged from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), community colleges, and individuals from traditionally underrepresented groups.

Eligibility Criteria

What are the eligibility criteria for the fellowship?

• At least one team member must hold a faculty position at a U.S.-based accredited college or university.
• All team members must be based in the U.S. and affiliated with a U.S.-based academic institution.
• VentureWell membership is required for institutions affiliated with applying teams. Membership is currently free.

Can multiple teams from the same institution apply?

Yes, multiple teams can apply, but only the first two submissions from the same institution will be reviewed. Not sure if anyone from your institution has started or completed an application? Please email grants@venturewell.org.

What types of projects are eligible?

Projects should focus on STEM I&E ecosystem expansion, addressing significant social, health, or environmental challenges. Your STEM I&E ecosystem growth goals might align well with the fellowship if they are similar to one of the following:

• Building out a degree pathway that incorporates I&E into STEM disciplines
• Creating or revising courses that focus on STEM I&E through a social and environmental sustainability lens—these should be courses that make connections to I&E beyond the course in order to provide more robust I&E opportunities to a diverse population of students (community-engaged learning, internships, industry partnerships, etc.)
• Connecting existing courses to campus and off-campus extracurricular and co-curricular activities
• Designing new extracurricular and co-curricular I&E activities that connect to community partners
• Working with government, industry, or other community collaborators to expand STEM I&E activities on and off campus for students and other campus collaborators
• Working with administration on campus to change policies or systems that hinder STEM I&E activities on campus (promotion and tenure requirements, tech transfer opportunities, IP policies, etc.)
• Breaking down silos on campus in order to grow connections between disciplines and learning opportunities beyond the classroom
• Strengthening research translation and innovation development opportunities that work to solve the world’s most difficult problems

Application Process

How do I apply for the fellowship?

1. Make sure your institution is a VentureWell member. (Check your membership through our member list. If you are not yet a member, apply for membership at least three days before the fellowship deadline—October 30, 2024—to ensure it is approved in time for you to submit a timely proposal.)
2. Make a copy of the Ecosystem Futures Fellowship Proposal Sandbox, and work on answering the questions with your fellowship partner. This step ensures that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of your proposed idea and that you have collaborated with your partner to provide the best possible information to reviewers.
3. Create an account or sign in to the VentureWell Community Portal, locate the Ecosystem Futures Fellowship opportunity, and fill out the short application, copying and pasting the answers from your proposal sandbox. Note that you will be required to provide the email address of someone in a leadership role at your institution who can verify their support of your proposal. They will receive an automated email asking them to submit their initials as an indication of support. Your application cannot be submitted until this verification of support is provided. Please notify this person well in advance, to expedite the process.
4. Submit your complete application no later than October 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

What is the application deadline?

The application deadline is October 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Funding and Support

How much funding is available?

The fellowship provides $35,000 in funding for teams of two. This includes a $10,000 award and a $7,500 travel stipend per team member. Travel stipends will be distributed in three installments several weeks before each on-campus immersive experience. All funds are awarded to team members, not institutions.

What support is provided besides funding?

• Mentorship from experienced industry experts.
• Access to a resource library and a collaborative network of STEM educators and students.
• Participation in on-campus immersive experiences, communities of practice, and VentureWell’s annual conferences.

Program Requirements

What are the key dates and events fellows must participate in?

• Application Opens: August 28, 2024
• Application Deadline: October 30, 2024
• Fellows Notified: January 2025
• Fellowship Kick-Off Meeting: March 2025 (date TBD)
• Communities of Practice: April 2025-February 2026
• On-Campus Immersive Experiences #1: June 9-10, 2025, New Orleans, Louisiana
• On-Campus Immersive Experience #2: Fall 2025 (site and date TBD)
• VentureWell 2026 Conference and On-Campus Immersive Experiences #3: Spring 2026 (site and date TBD)

What is required for the STEM I&E ecosystem growth plan?

Fellows will create a STEM I&E ecosystem growth plan that addresses campus assets, gaps, and barriers; integrates sustainability; and promotes inclusive innovation. The plan development will involve collaborator dialogues, ecosystem assessments, and multi-collaborator approaches. The VentureWell team will support growth plan development throughout the fellowship year. Fellows will present their plans to an audience in spring 2026 and will submit it as part of their final report.

Additional Information

What are the review criteria for the fellowship proposals?

The criteria your proposal will be rated on, with weights, are as follows:

1. STEM I&E Ecosystem Development Plan (25%)
a. Proposed plan and activities fit within the scope of the fellowship program.
b. Plan outlines what is new about the approach and why applicants believe this new approach will be successful.
c. The proposal will expand opportunities for students to participate in classroom activities and co- and extracurricular programs that allow them to explore their interests in I&E initiatives.

2. Environmental and Social Sustainability (25%)
a. Plan centers environmental and social sustainability as they are defined on Page 1 of the proposal sandbox.
b. Environmental and social sustainability are considered in the collaborator impact statement.

3. Inclusive Innovation (25%)
a. Plan centers inclusive innovation as it is defined on Page 1 of the proposal sandbox.
b. Inclusive innovation practices are considered in the collaborator impact statement.
c. Improvements to equitable access within STEM I&E are explicitly noted.

4. Ecosystem Analysis (12.5%)
a. Past attempts at ecosystem growth and limitations are described.
b. Potential challenges are identified.

5. Resource Identification (12.5%)
a. Collaboration with university leadership is described as a method of scaling I&E impact and enhancing student pathways.
b. Narrative outlines potential costs, time, people, infrastructure, and other resource needs associated with accomplishing the team’s goals.

What happens after I am selected?

Fellows will receive an award letter in January 2025. The letter must be signed and returned to VentureWell before awards are distributed. Each team will receive a total of $35,000 in funding. This includes a $10,000 award per team member and a $7,500 travel stipend per team member. The travel stipend will be issued in three installments of $2,500 each, to be provided before each on-campus immersive experience.

Who can I contact for more information?

• General Inquiries: You can reach out to Jaime Wood-Riley, senior program officer, at jwoodriley@venturewell.org, or Ernie Davis, senior program officer, at edavis@venturewell.org. Additionally, from August 28 to October 30, you have the opportunity to schedule a quick session with Jaime or with Ernie to ask any questions about the application process, eligibility, or guidelines.
• Community Portal Support: Email support@venturewell.org.
• Award Management: Contact Janna Walters-Gidseg, grants administration officer, at grants@venturewell.org.