There are more than 270,000 Native American-owned businesses in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 survey of business owners and self-employed persons. Despite the drive to become an entrepreneur, opportunities for young Native adults to start a business can be challenging, as access to financial support and networking is limited. However, a new program provides this opportunity for selected individuals, which includes those at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs).

The Ripple Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, has the mission to mold social impact entrepreneurs through experiential education in order to disrupt existing systems and create a better world for people and the planet. Social entrepreneurship should be about building business practices that account for preservation of people and the planet as much as it is about profit. In order to create a better world, the Ripple Center is launching a new opportunity to learn the historical and contextual knowledge needed to build businesses that have a positive environmental and human impact locally and globally.

The Ripple Fellowship is a nine-month educational opportunity for young adults ages 18-24. TCU students who are enrolled either full or part time, or those who are taking a semester break to work, are encouraged to apply. This mostly remote program is the first of its kind, with a comprehensive curriculum and mentorship to mold impactful social entrepreneurs who will go on to create lasting change in their tribal communities.

There is no cost to selected fellows as the program operates on a scholarship basis. The fellowship, which includes three group travel experiences to New York, Boston, and Phoenix will have a cohort of 15-20 young adults from across the United States. Fellows will engage in a weekly online curriculum facilitated by a variety of experts and changemakers. Moreover, fellows will be paired with a mentor who is successful in their career and knowledgeable about specific subject areas that pertain to social impact entrepreneurship. Throughout the program, fellows will construct a business plan that supports people and the planet and then participate in a formal business pitch to the Ripple Center community at large.

“We need young changemakers from all over our country. In nature, diversity is what creates a healthy ecosystem. In social entrepreneurship, diversity is what drives positive impact across all industries,” shares Mike Chodroff, founder and CEO of the Ripple Center. “When business leaders are intentional about the impact of their decisions, the planet and its people will be the benefactors. This fellowship will mold these types of leaders so that each passing year the possibilities for true global change will grow exponentially.”

As human populations and the consumer economy continue to grow, the natural resources that sustain us are becoming increasingly fragile and finite. The only antidote is to create new systems that benefit people and the planet long term. To find out more about the Ripple Fellowship, visit theripplecenter.org.