Every year, OC offers Fellowships to exceptional leaders who represent diverse communities from around the globe. Fellows are social entrepreneurs and innovative nonprofit leaders building sustainable solutions to poverty around the world.
The purpose of the Fellowship is to open doors, minds and networks for emerging social entrepreneurs and nonprofit executives; enrich OC with new, emerging leaders; and infuse OC in-person and online discussions with a diversity of perspectives.
At the Opportunity Collaboration, I honestly learned more in the past few days than in a semester in business school. - Cynthia Koenig, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Wello, USA.
Eligibility Criteria
Like all OC Delegates, Fellows are catalytic leaders who, by their actions and accomplishments, evidence pragmatic vision, passionate tenacity, multi-sectoral thinking, adaptive leadership skills, non-ideological activism and a strong ethical grounding.
Successful OC Fellow applicants typically have not yet received similar global Fellowships or awards.
Individuals must:
- Be high-impact, innovative, entrepreneurial for-profit and nonprofit executives with a demonstrated commitment to social justice and poverty alleviation
- Not have attended a previous OC in-person summit
- Be available to attend OC Sunrise & OC2025 on November 2-6, 2025 in Albufeira, Portugal
- Be able to engage in OC’s offerings that are primarily in English
Organizations must:
- Be actively working to alleviate poverty with at least one year of organizational operations
- Not have anyone in their organization that has attended a previous OC in-person summit
- Demonstrate financial need for Fellowship with a budget below $1 million USD
- A web presence (either an active website, Instagram page, Facebook, etc.)
From my learnings at Opportunity Collaboration I felt confident that it was time to start sharing my story, so I’m now sharing it across a variety of mediums. Thank you so much once again for the OC opportunity, it really was a personal and professional game changer. - Adam Braun, Founder & Executive Director, Pencils of Promise, Cambodia.
OC Fellowship Terms & Conditions
Fellows selected from non-OECD countries (developing economies) receive a $2,890 award (fully covering their OC Sunrise, OC2025, & OC365 registration), and pay a refundable $295 administration fee, which is refundable after the non-OECD Fellow attends OC Global.
Fellows from OECD countries (developed economies) receive a $1,895 award (partially covering their OC Sunrise, OC2025, & OC365 registration) and pay a $995 registration fee.
The OC Fellowship provides:
- All-inclusive room-sharing accommodations for 5 nights and 4 days, including meals, internet fees, onsite recreation and resort fees
- Full access to leadership programs and capacity building opportunities
- Opportunity to facilitate sessions for OC365 & OC2025
- Access to working discussion groups
- Organizational showcasing opportunities
- Networking concierge services
- Transportation to and from Faro International Airport (FAO)
- Most importantly, 4 days connecting with hundreds of the world’s most passionate impact leaders.
OC Fellows are encouraged to come prepared to share their successful practices, illuminate partnership opportunities, and/or reveal an innovative idea!
OC Fellows are responsible for:
- Financing their own roundtrip airfare. (OC is actively seeking partnerships with international airlines to support the airfare of Fellows. If you know of partners who may be interested, please email: topher@ocimpact.com.)
- Obtaining all necessary travel documents, including a travel visa and any pre-travel authorizations, if required. The OC provides Fellows with a formal invitation letter to use with immigration authorities.
The Opportunity Collaboration was absolutely stunning! I was awestruck by the great insights on leading a superior management team and how to have good relations with donors, tackled in a brief, concise way. For the first time in my life, I flew in a plane, visited a foreign nation and attended a high-profile conference. It was a life-changing experience. Long live Opportunity Collaboration! – Wiclif Otieno, Director, Kito International
Preparing Your Application
For the OC Fellowship Application, you’ll be asked a series of questions about your eligibility, your personal experience, your organization, and why you are interested to join Opportunity Collaboration in 2025.
Some useful tips:
- Hundreds of incredible leaders apply each year, so use the qualitative response sections to highlight why you are uniquely poised to receive this Fellowship with more than 1-line responses.
- If your only goal is to raise funds at OC, this may not be the convening for you. While there are opportunities to meet incredible leaders who can help propel your business forward, please keep in mind OC’s Community Commitments.
- Be sure your website, social media, LinkedIn profiles, and/or personal sites are updated.
Application Process & Deadlines
Applications have closed for 2025. Please stay tuned for 2026 awards via our website, newsletter, and social media.
For those that have already applied for 2025, here is the timeline:
- December 18, 2024 – February 12, 2025 Accepting Applications
- February 12, 2025 – March 31, 2025 Selection Process
- By April 25, 2025 Invitations Sent to Accepted Applicants
Accepted applicants will need to register within 2-3 weeks of receiving their invitation letter.
Questions about your application or applying? Email fellowship@ocimpact.com.