About the Changemaker Fellowship
In collaboration with Microsoft Elevate and EY, the Changemaker Fellowship is a global 10-week program designed for nonprofit, UN, 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:
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 agencies and UN-affiliated bodies
- Units within larger organizations, including country offices, regional hubs, headquarters teams, and defined functional units
Selection & judging panel
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 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.
Frequently asked questions
When does the fellowship begin?
The Fellowship runs in 8 cohorts over 2 years. The first cohort will be onboarded on June 24th 2026 with an official program kick-off on 29 June 2026.
A dedicated UN cohort is expected within the first two cohorts.
When you apply, you’ll be asked to share your earliest preferred start window, and selected applicants may be placed into the cohort that best matches their timing, use case, and overall cohort balance.
If you are not placed into your preferred start month due to the volume and quality of applications received, applicants will be considered for the next available cohort.
Applicants only need to apply once per open call to be considered for multiple upcoming cohorts.
How many participants will be selected?
The program will support approximately 25 fellows per cohort.
What is the time and organization commitment?
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.
When does the application window close?
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.
