Changemaker Fellowship

Build skills to accelerate your impact

Master AI-driven strategy and get one-on-one support to streamline and automate your workflows, empower teams, and amplify social impact.
Changemaker Fellowship

Master AI-driven strategy

Move beyond theory to build a practical roadmap for integrating AI into your professional toolkit, and ensure your organization remains agile and responsive to evolving global mandates.
Changemaker Fellowship

Build resilient, AI‑ready systems

Modernize your operations and reclaim critical time and capacity by simplifying and automating workflows so your team can focus on the high-value work that truly matters to your community.
Changemaker Fellowship

Amplify your impact

Harness the scale of AI and data-driven insights to improve service delivery, expand your reach, engage donors, and drive measurable results across regions and thematic areas.
Changemaker Fellowship

Become a digital catalyst

Empower your teams with the AI fluency required to foster a culture of responsible innovation, ensuring your organization leads by example in the digital-first era.
Explore the organizations leading the way in our first cohort.

About the Changemaker Fellowship

In collaboration with Microsoft Elevate and EY, the Changemaker Fellowship is a global 10-week program designed for nonprofit, UN system, and intergovernmental organization staff ready to move from AI interest to strategic and responsible, real-world adoption. You will tackle a core challenge inside your organization, whether it's securing internal systems, creating more reliable funding streams, or reducing manual processes.

The fellowship experience combines:

Practical AI learning

Moving beyond theory to responsible, real-world use case design.

Strategic change management

Building the internal alignment and stakeholder engagement needed to drive adoption.

Implementation roadmapping

Developing a concrete, ready-to-use AI Adoption Plan tailored to your mission, your teams, and your systems.

Expert & peer support

Accessing hands-on guidance from vetted partners, strategic mentorship, and a global network of mission-driven leaders.
At the end of the 10 weeks, you will have moved from concept to a practical roadmap, equipped with the skills and confidence to lead your organization’s AI readiness.

Why this matters

Today’s economic instability and shifting donor behaviors are pushing nonprofit and purpose-driven organizations to reimagine funding models, rethink efficiency and delivery mechanisms, and prioritize initiatives with the most meaningful impact. At the same time, your teams have started to use AI tools independently, and the responsibility is now on you to quickly adopt responsible and ethical AI practices to secure your digital estate.
To support you through these shifts, the program leverages Microsoft Elevate’s partner ecosystem and secure technology to ensure your organization has the capacity to lead responsibly and continue delivering critical services without added burden.

Timeline and fellow journey

A 10-week journey from challenge to action

01

Weeks 1-2: Onboarding & problem framing

Establish your readiness baseline and define the main challenge you want to tackle as you begin foundational, self-paced AI learning.

02

Weeks 3-4: Use case development

Refine your AI use case, test your assumptions, and identify the key stakeholders needed to secure internal alignment and move your AI adoption forward.

03

Weeks 5-6: Design & roadmapping

Build your implementation plan, addressing governance, risks, change management, timelines, and ownership.

04

Weeks 7-8: Draft adoption plan

Develop your AI Adoption plan with dedicated support from mentors and vetted implementation partners.

05

Weeks 9-10: Final plan & capstone event

Finalize your implementation-ready plan, get peer feedback, and leave with a clear next-step roadmap for your organization.

06

Beyond week 10: Impact & community

Become part of a global community of practice, accessing ongoing resources to ensure your AI Adoption Plan evolves alongside your organization’s mission.

Eligibility criteria

The Fellowship is designed for teams addressing core operational or mission-critical challenges where AI can measurably enhance efficiency, service quality and program delivery, data-driven decision-making, fundraising, or knowledge management.

The program is best suited for professionals positioned to drive strategic change within their organization, supported by their manager or senior leadership to ensure the long-term success of their plan.

Typically, 1–3 participants from the same organization are selected to collaborate on a shared use case to help strengthen internal alignment and institutional capacity.

The fellowship is open to applicants worldwide and is currently delivered in English only.

We invite applications from the following organizations
  • Registered nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
  • Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
  • UN system and UN-affiliated bodies
  • Units within larger organizations, including country offices, regional hubs, headquarters teams, and defined functional units

Selection

Applications are reviewed through a multi-stage process designed to be fair, rigorous, and globally representative. This process ensures each cohort includes not only high-potential fellows but also the right mix of perspectives and use cases required for peer learning, global credibility, and sustainable sector-wide impact.
The final cohort is selected by a Judging Panel of five senior leaders and practitioners from Microsoft Elevate, EY, Caribou, and trusted ecosystem partners, bringing expertise across:
  • Nonprofit and UN system operations
  • Responsible AI adoption
  • Organizational transformation
  • Digital development
  • Global public-interest technology

Judges assess shortlisted applications against criteria, including:

Mission relevance & impact: A clearly defined, evidence-based challenge where solving it improves service delivery and effectiveness.
Implementation readiness: Credible leadership support and the necessary data infrastructure to move from planning to action within three to six months.
Change leadership: Fellows with the internal influence and senior sponsorship necessary to drive organizational adoption beyond the planning phase.
Use case safeguards: A realistic project scope that demonstrates a clear understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations within a 10-week timeframe.
Additionality & access: The extent the program provides an essential AI pathway otherwise inaccessible to the organization.

Cohort diversity: Diversity across geography, sector, and size to create a representative and well-rounded peer group.

Judging panel

Global leaders identifying the most promising AI Changemakers driving social impact.

Naria K. Santa Lucia

General Manager
Microsoft Elevate

Anne Sawyer

EY Global Corporate Responsibility, Global Leader Social Impact Tech alliances
EY Ripples

Talea von Lupin

Portfolio Manager
UN Secretary-General's Innovation Lab

Charlotte Smart

Senior International Technology Policy and Engagement Lead UK Foreign,
Commonwealth Development Office

Uyi Stewart

Vice President, Inclusive Innovation & Analytics
Mastercard Center of Inclusive Growth

Frequently asked questions

We are currently finalising the selection process and will notify all applicants of the outcome.

Applicants selected for Cohort 1 will have been informed by 19 June 2026.

Applicants not selected for Cohort 1 may still be considered for subsequent cohorts. We will notify all remaining applicants by 20 July 2026 whether you have been selected for a later cohort or whether you will need to reapply during the next open application round, anticipated in April 2027.

Thank you for your patience and interest in the Changemaker Fellowship.

The program will support approximately 25 fellows per cohort.

Organizations should plan for each selected Fellow to dedicate approximately 3–5 hours per week over the 10-week fellowship to participate fully and progress their implementation work.

This includes:

  • Live workshops
  • Asynchronous learning
  • Peer exchange
  • Mentor or implementation partner sessions
  • Work on the AI Adoption Plan
  • Open office hours

There will also be optional alumni and community engagement opportunities after the cohort ends.

Organizations are expected to enable full participation, including covering any associated costs such as connectivity or device access.

The first open call closes on May 22 at 23:59 Pacific Standard Time (PST). Thereafter you can register your interest to be contacted when the next open call opens later in the year.

women with a tablet

Build your AI future, responsibly

A global cohort for UN system staff ready to build their capacity and lead AI adoption across agencies, regional offices, and country teams in support of the UN 2.0 agenda.
Read more

Naria K. Santa Lucia

General Manager
Microsoft Elevate

As general manager for Microsoft Elevate, Naria leads Microsoft’s global capacity building solutions team, shaping education and workforce systems as they transition to the AI economy. Focused on expanding access to digital and AI skills, her team partners with governments, industry, educational institutions, and civil society worldwide so learners, educators, nonprofits, and workforce leaders can succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Naria served as executive director of the Washington State
Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS), a unique public-private partnership helping to build the next generation of scientists, engineers, technology specialists, mathematicians, and health care professionals in Washington state through scholarships and support services for low- and middle-income college students. Under Naria’s leadership, WSOS raised over $200M in public- private support for scholarships and supports and to support 20,000+ students – the majority of whom are women, students of color and/or first in their families to go to college.

Naria has also served as executive director of the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy, a juvenile and education law and social work organization in Illinois and the director of LAW Fund and the Endowment for Equal Justice at the Legal Foundation of Washington. Naria currently serves on (and was formerly the Co-Chair of) the World Bank’s Solutions for Youth Employment steering committee within the Jobs Group. She also serves on the Board of Seattle Arts and Lectures, where she is the Chair of the Development, as well as the Board of Taproot Foundation, a national organization with the mission of driving social change by leading, mobilizing, and engaging professionals in pro bono service. She was recently appointed to the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. Naria is a graduate of the Law School and the College at the University of Chicago.

Anne Sawyer

EY Global Corporate Responsibility, Global Leader Social Impact Tech alliances
EY Ripples

Anne leads social impact collaborations with EY Global tech alliances. These collaborations span EY Ripples focus areas. She oversees teams devoted to accelerating environmental sustainability and supporting the next generation workforce.

Her lifelong commitment to improving education began in the central office of the largest school district in the US. Anne has worked in education across the private sector, local government and non-profit sector.

Talea von Lupin

Portfolio Manager
UN Secretary-General's Innovation Lab

Talea von Lupin is the Portfolio Manager of the UN Secretary-General’s Innovation Lab, UN Global Pulse, where she sets the strategic direction and management of a global team of data analysts, social science experts, and digital power-builders. As part of the Strategic Planning team in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, Talea serves as the Strategy Lead for the ‘UN 2.0’ transformation agenda, driving the vision of a modernized United Nations system by integrating more advanced skills in data, digital, innovation, foresight, and behavioural science.

Prior to joining the UN, Talea was a strategy consultant at Bain & Company, specializing in technology and private equity. Talea holds a Masters degree from London School of Economics and a Bachelor’s from Zeppelin University in Germany and UC Berkeley.

Charlotte Smart

Senior International Technology Policy and Engagement Lead UK Foreign,
Commonwealth Development Office

Charlotte Smart is a senior diplomat and technology policy specialist with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where she leads international technology, policy, strategy and engagement. In previous roles, she was Head of UK Science and Innovation diplomacy with China, led UK aid and peacebuilding programmes in Sri Lanka, and designed and delivered a UK programme to deliver digital access in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil and Indonesia. She holds a MSc in Social Science of the Internet from Oxford University.

Uyi Stewart

Vice President, Inclusive Innovation & Analytics
Mastercard Center of Inclusive Growth

Uyi is Vice President, Inclusive Innovation & Analytics for the Center of Inclusive Growth. In this role, Uyi is responsible for developing and executing a portfolio of initiatives and partnerships to ensure recent technologies, including AI and data innovation, enable inclusive growth.

Uyi brings over 25 years of experience in inclusive innovation, AI, and digital transformation projects in commercial and non-profit sectors in the USA, India, Europe, LAC and Africa. Earlier in his career, Uyi was Director of Strategy, Data, and Analytics for Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he centralized the use of data and AI to combat disease, poverty, and inequality. He was also IBM’s first Chief Scientist & co-founder of the first commercial AI Lab in Africa, focused on using AI for social & business impact. He has deployed over 500 data and AI solutions that have been utilized by more than 1 million users globally. He holds 17 patents and has authored 70 publications on AI-driven systems, natural language processing (NLP), and speech recognition.

Most recently, Uyi served as Chief Data and Technology Officer of data.org, where the Center is a founding funder and partner. At data.org, Uyi led the programmatic strategy to successfully deliver multi-year global programs in digital public goods and capacity building, including developing the ecosystem for interdisciplinary data science and AI curriculum that has now trained ~100,000 learners.

As a passionate global champion for inclusive innovation, Uyi has received numerous accolades for his work in inclusive innovation, including the 2014 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution and he was recently featured in Devex Global Voices 2024 as an AI Thought Leader, championing linguistic diversity in AI as a pathway to digital empowerment and inclusive growth.

Uyi holds a PhD in Generative Linguistics Theory from McGill University, Montreal, Canada, an MPhil in Linguistics from Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, and a BA (Summa Cum Laude) in Linguistics, and Valedictorian, University of Benin, Nigeria.