The InVenture Foundation supports InVenture's Portfolio Management Team by providing financial literacy training and on-ground advisory support to InVenture micro-entrepreneurs and their communities.
What is the fellowship program?
Under the direction of our Education and Training Director the fellowship program offers our fellows the opportunity to spend a minimum of 12 weeks working in the field in an InVenture community with a partner microfinance institution (MFI) or NGO. This program offers exposure to unique field experience in the microfinance sector. InVenture fellows are an integral part to the InVenture model, and play an important role in providing the necessary business guidance and training to InVenture's entrepreneurs in the field.
What do fellows do?
To meet the needs of the program, Fellows are required to:
- Provide assistance in conducting due diligence for entrepreneur selection process (pre-screen profiles, narrowing selection of potential entrepreneurs by putting together field reports)
- Take an active role in developing and maintaining relationships with InVenture field partners and entrepreneurs.
- Act as a liason between Portfolio Manager (at InVenture Cap. Corp) and entrepreneurs for better communication flow, and for execution of strategic guidance.
- Train entrepreneurs in properly using SMS platform - used to report daily metrics back to InVenture.
- Maintain an open and constant stream of communication with micro-entrepreneurs to ensure proper reporting of the micro-business'metrics back to Portfolio Manager.
- Keep weekly blogs on website
What do fellows receive from InVenture? (financial, scholastic, professional)
Beyond the experience of creating a positive good in the lives of micro-entrepreneurs and their communities, there are several benefits for individuals participating in the InVenture Fellowship program, including:
Professional
- Direct interaction and experience in the microfinance sector.
- Experience working with an innovative start-up organization
Scholastic
- Possibly school credit (case-by-case basis pending university relationships)
- Exclusive access to any research performed through the fellowship
- A venue for publication and promotion of research findings
Financial
- Living stipend and help with housing accommodations, based on location.
How do I apply?
We post available opportunities up on www.inventure.org and potential fellows can inquire by sending an email to fellows@inventure.org
University Partnerships
InVenture Foundation develops partnerships with universities, enabling us to have access to the latest academic research and brightest minds. University partnerships also give InVenture access to different types of technology and skill sets as resources, such as fellows for our Fellowship Program and Evaluation Programs.
Social Performance Measurement
We recognize and understand that in order to maximize our impact in every region and community we work in it is necessary to give our beneficiaries a voice by simply engaging with and getting direct feedback from the very people we are trying to help. The InVenture Foundation is responsible for implementing metrics to measure the impact our program has on the individuals and communities we work with. Social performance surveys are also used to complement the communication between micro-entrepreneurs, partner MFIs, InVenture Fellows, and InVenture. Data collected from the social performance surveys, combined with direct feedback from the micro-entrepreneurs, will be elicited to validate the integrity and enrich the quality of data of measuring InVenture's social performance in the field.
Foundation Partnerships
As part of participating in the InVenture program our micro-entrepreneurs are required to reinvest 5% of their net revenues back into local community initiatives. Because we focus on women led micro-businesses, the community re-investment is directed at improving the situation of females in their surrounding communities as well. Therefore, we provide our micro-entrepreneurs with the option to reinvest into public health or education initiatives. The InVenture Foundation is responsible for scouting, evaluating, approving and developing relationships with local non-government organizations (NGOs) who focus on public health and education initiatives in the communities where InVenture is present for being potential recipients of our micro-entrepreneurs' re-investment funds.