Stanford Impact Founder (SIF-Eco) Fellowship
The Stanford Impact Founder (SIF) Fellowship provides $110,000 in funding along with advising support to Fellows who want to start a high-impact for-profit or nonprofit venture to address a pressing social or environmental need. Distinct from the fellowship, SIF finalists are eligible to receive a $20,000 SIF Prize in acknowledgment of their venture and leadership potential.
Since 2009, SIF has supported Fellows working around the world on issues ranging from educational equity to climate change. Past Fellows have applied their degree from Stanford to overcome barriers to social and environmental progress, address the needs of marginalized populations, and build innovative solutions.
Since 2022, as part of the Ecopreneurship collaboration between GSB and the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, the environmental sustainability track of the SIF Fellowship (SIF-Eco) has expanded to support graduating graduate-level (Masters or PhD) students from across Stanford University.
- Evaluate your own eco-venture idea upon graduation with one year of support
- Build your leadership capacity with coaching and workshops
Applicant requirements:
● Graduate students (Masters or PhD) from across Stanford graduating between August 2024 to December 2025 (a 16-month graduation window)
● Individuals (no team applicants)
● Good academic standing with your department
● Students can apply only once
● Must work full time (40+ hours/week) on the venture after graduation
● Must have appropriate personal legal status for the country in which they will be operating
Project requirements:
● Can be nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid
● A stand-alone operation independent of existing organizations
● Give rise to a new organization to be incorporated within the next two years, or have been incorporated during the applicant’s time at Stanford
● No member of the venture's founding team may have previously won a SIF Fellowship
