Leadership for Growth (L4G) for Women Social Entrepreneurs
A fully-funded leadership development program for female founders across Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu
This project has been made possible through a grant awarded by
MAKING POSSIBILITIES POSSIBLE
Empowering Impact Leaders in South India
We are running a special edition of our award-winning Leadership for Growth program for Women Social Entrepreneurs. With support from the U.S. Consulate General Chennai we are able to offer the program free of cost to the selected applicants.
Research insights from the Sixth Economic Census indicate that southern India accounts for more than half of the women-led small scale industrial units in the country. On the other hand, studies also highlight the various social, economic, cultural, societal, and personal challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in India.
With social entrepreneurship poised as a promising pathway for women to overcome these challenges, there is an urgent need for dedicated capacity building support for them. Based on our deep experience with small and growing businesses in emerging markets, the customized version of this program is designed to help women social entrepreneurs build the 21st century skills, resources, and professional networks needed to thrive in their contexts.
If you are a woman entrepreneur looking for such support, we invite you to apply* to this fully-funded leadership development program.
*Applications will be reviewed on a first-come-first-served basis, so we encourage you to apply soon. A total of 20 participants will be selected.
APPLICATIONS CLOSED.
This program is for you if
1
You are the founder/co-founder of a social enterprise in a non-metropolitan city in South India
2
You believe leadership is a quality you can inspire in others and nurture within yourself
3
You are looking to build connections with women social entrepreneurs across India
Your organization would be an ideal fit if
- It is registered as a for-profit social enterprise, on or before November 2017
- If your business operates in a non-metropolitan city of Karnataka, Kerala, or Tamil Nadu
- You have a minimum of 3 full-time employees
- You are comfortable in spoken and written English as the medium of instruction in this program
- You can commit to attending 4 half-day online training sessions each month between February and May 2022 and 1 in-person* training session in Bangalore or Chennai in June 2022
*Travel & stay costs for the in-person event will also be covered by the program sponsors.
Important dates to keep in mind
1
Jan 10, 2022
Applications Close
2
Jan 19, 2022
You Hear From Us
3
Feb 18, 2022
Program Begins
4
Feb to May 2022
16 Online Training Sessions
5
Jun 2022
In-person Closing Event
Participating entrepreneurs can expect to
- Invest in themselves and their journeys to uncover their highest leadership potential, while learning from a diverse cohort of peers
- Develop 21st century leadership and management skills including skills for innovation, systems thinking, strategy, team building, and communication
- Interact with expert guest speakers from the US and India to accelerate organizational growth
- Gain access and membership into the Women In Social Entrepreneurship Network (WISEN) and receive 1:1 mentorship from the founding members
Get to know the in-house program faculty
WISEN
In 2020, we ran a program for women social entrepreneurs across India in collaboration with ANDE India and the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai. Through a rigorous selection process, 40 women were selected from 215 applicants. The cohort saw diverse representation across sectors, regions, and age groups. The 6-month engagement culminated in the creation of an all-women entrepreneurs’ network called WISEN (Women in Indian Social Entrepreneurship Network). Selection into this program will gain participants an invitation to join this inspiring network, along with mentorship from the founding network members. The WISEN project and network were featured in a number of articles including the one linked below.
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