Emerging Leaders
Fellowship Program
How To Apply
What
is it?
ELF 2.0 Empowers Founders to Move from Growth to Job Creation.
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Through a 12-week accelerator, we equip revenue-generating businesses with leadership skills, workforce strategy, and funding pathways that make hiring possible. By strengthening small business capacity, ELF 2.0 creates a transparent pipeline from operational readiness to capital acquisition, helping founders turn opportunity into employment and economic impact.
Learn
What you'll
During the 3-month leadership skill development fellowship, you will:
Be matched with a group of peers in your city.
Hear from industry leaders on different topics related to business and leadership.
Qualifications
To be considered for this program, applicants must be :
Identifying as a under-resourced woman.
Have a passion for empowering and building the ecosystems of underrepresented women founders in your community!
Have the ability to commit to approximately 8 hours per month (4 hours through Jetpack for Leaders + 4 hours
self-directed).
Apply
How to
1.
Complete the application form, meeting the eligibility criteria.
You’ll then receive an invitation to submit a short video introduction of you and your business.
2.
3.
You’ll receive an email notification of a decision.
FAQs
If I apply for the program, am I automatically admitted?
Enrollment is limited. Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Information submitted will not be released for other purposes and cannot be returned to the applicant.
How many cohorts will there be?
In 2025, there will be 2 cohorts. Cohort 1 will be February-April. Cohort 2 will be July-September.
How many founders will be selected for the program?
7-10 founders selected for each cohort across 3 cities (Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles).
Do I have to be a resident of a specific city to apply to the fellowship?
Currently, this opportunity is only available to residents of the following cities: Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles - but we’re growing quickly and hope to offer opportunities in more cities in the new future!
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I applied for the program, now what?
Stay tuned for more info. If you have questions email fellowship@blackgirlventures.org.