PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Cohort Experience: One of Baltimore Corps' primary values is to support homegrown talent; we put the needs of Baltimore ahead of any single individual or organization. Our shared learning experience allows for identifying unique collaborative opportunities, enhanced learning, and a more diverse and inclusive network. We seek to create a cohort of aspiring social entrepreneurs willing to share in this journey together. During the program year, awardees are required to gather as a cohort and participate in activities and opportunities meant to advance personal and professional skills, leadership, and knowledge.
Leadership Development and Coaching: We aim to surround our awardees with talented professionals from all walks of life who can coach them holistically. We aim not just to build social solutions, but to tackle barriers to success for members of under-recognized communities. Coaching to awardees is provided by a dedicated Baltimore Corps programs manager, faculty, program partners, and others in the Baltimore Corps network.
Capacity Building and Technical Assistance: Along with our program partners, Baltimore Corps will provide training, development, capacity building, and technical assistance on topics necessary to build a successful social venture. These opportunities will be provided throughout the award period, as awardees work toward targeted milestones and produce deliverables critical to building a sustainable and profitable social venture. The Elevation Awards’ learning approach will center on three pillars:
Self - Focus on personal leadership development and overcoming obstacles regarding wealth-building.
Work - Focus on developing long-term business plans, financial models, and other necessary systems that will support sustainable and profitable operations.
Impact - Focus on maximizing the impact of a social venture by centering social value in strategic planning, tracking valuable impact-data, and infusing workplace equity into the core of ventures.
Idea Execution: Baltimore Corps’ team will work with awardees one-on-one as they build and implement their ideas. Resources will be deployed to awardees as necessary.
Reflection: We hope to maximize the award period for planning and testing strategic approaches for cohort ventures and reflecting on the process. To this end, awardees will have opportunities throughout the program for guided reflection that we hope, will prepare awardees for the critical decisions as to appropriate next steps at the end of the award period.
What success looks like: We believe that our cohort members should have an opportunity to explore an innovative idea in a risk-controlled environment, while also providing individuals the opportunity to invest in their growth during the award period. We envision a City propelled by leaders with highly effective and innovative social solutions derived in, from, and for the community.
Highly engaged Awardees who take advantage of the program offerings will be prepared to navigate the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Baltimore and gain further capital to continue growing their venture.