Blossom Hill Fellowship is looking for people who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of Middle Eastern children harmed by war. They’re looking for ambitious candidates who can demonstrate their ability to succeed and commitment to social change, present bold, innovative, and viable solutions that address a genuine need and have the potential for exponential impact, and who are accessible, responsive, articulate, proactive, and take the initiative to expand their reach.

Key Dates

• Pitch Video Deadline: January 18, 2024
• Applications Available on Blossom Hill’s Website: February 6, 2024
• Fellowship Applications Deadline: March 29, 2024
• Round I and ll Interviews: April 6 – May 4, 2024
• Applicants are Notified: June 30, 2024
• First Instalment Funds: July 18, 2024
• Fellowships Announcement: August 4, 2024
• Three-month Progress Report Deadline: October 17, 2024
• Second instalment Funds: November 1, 2024
• Nine-month progress report and renewal request: April 17, 2025
• Applicants are notified on Year 2 renewal requests: June 30, 2025
• Year 2 First Instalment Awarded: July 18, 2025
• Final Project Report Deadline: August 18, 2025

Key Details

Organizer: Blossom Hill Foundation

Focus Areas: Live improvement of the war-affected children from the Middle East

Eligible Nationals: All

Number of Opportunity: N/A

Funding Type: Partially Funded

Fellowship Duration: 1 Year, extendable

Benefits of Blossom Hill Fellowship:

The winning projects will benefit from the Blossom Hill Fellowship as follows:

• Fellowships are worth up to $50,000 annually and are renewable annually based on the project’s impact assessment and evaluation.
• Fellows who substantially affect the community and meet Blossom Hill’s qualifications may be eligible to reapply for extra funding the following year after nine (9) months.

The award is paid in two installments:

1. After the initial proposal has been approved.
2. The Fellow’s appointed “thought partner” must approve the Fellow’s second payment after three (3) months of implementation.

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants and projects should meet the following criteria:

• They support initiatives or products that try to improve the lives of Middle Eastern communities (Bahrain, Northern Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian AR, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen) children, youth, families, etc affected by conflict and war.
• Initiatives can be launched in the Middle East or in another country where war refugees are common and the primary program beneficiaries, such as Syrian refugees presently stranded in Europe.
• Applicants should have extensive experience and strong relationships with the community and culture that their concept will benefit.
• Applicants must have the language abilities to carry out their proposed initiative successfully.
• To serve as a fiscal sponsor, candidates must have a partner NGO that is a 501(c)(3) charitable NGO or organization in the United States.
• Applicants must reach children and youth beneficiaries aged 24 and under to be eligible for financing.

Required Documents:

Applicants should prepare and submit the following materials:

• A two-minute pitch video.
• Filled out the online registration form
• Completed profile for each applicant (Section 1) and proposal (Section 2)
• Headshot (JPEG format with a minimum of 300 PPI)
• All attachments should be in PDF format
• Two letters of recommendation per applicant
• Required fiscal sponsor documents:

1. 501(c)(3) determination letter
2. Board of Directors
3. Most recent financial audit
4. List of major supporters

How do you apply for the Blossom Hill Fellowship?

1. Pitch Video Submission: Before applying to the Blossom Hill Fellowship Program, all interested applicants must create a pitch video. This video, limited to two minutes, serves as your “Shark Tank” moment, where you present your compelling case for funding to a panel of four investors.
2. Steering Committee Review: The steering committee will thoroughly review your pitch video. If your pitch is approved, you will receive an invitation to proceed with the formal application process.
3. Application Submission: After receiving the invitation, carefully review the application materials. Ensure that you provide complete and detailed responses to all questions. All applicants, whether individual or part of a team, must complete the online registration form before applying.
4. Team Applications: If applying as a team, each member must complete the online registration form and the candidate profile section as part of the application process.
5. Attachment Submission: All necessary attachments, such as documents or supporting materials, must be submitted with the application in PDF format. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
6. Final Review: The steering committee will conduct a final review of the complete applications. Successful applicants will proceed to the next stage of the fellowship program.
7. Confirmation and Acknowledgment: Once selected, successful applicants will be notified and provided with further instructions for the fellowship program. Ensure timely acknowledgment and adherence to any additional requirements.
8. Incomplete Application: Incomplete applications lacking the required information or attachments will not be considered in the selection process. Ensure thorough completion of all necessary steps for a successful application.

Email the Pitch Video to [email protected]  

Apply Now

Watch the video below to learn more about this fellowship from the previous year:

Evaluation Criteria for Blossom Hill Fellowship

In the proposal and work plan, the Blossom Hill evaluation committee is looking for the following:

• Personal Integrity
• Commitment to Social Change
• Demonstrated Need
• Innovation
• Impact

They also look for Fellows who can demonstrate that they are measuring the effectiveness of their proposal and showing promise for future assistance when they:

• Demonstrate both quantitative and qualitative effect measurement.
• Make a well-thought-out plan to keep the program or product going.
• To increase impact, promote a scalable model.
• The community has expressed a strong request for you to continue.
• Showcase a fundraising strategy and objective for increasing volunteerism.

For more information about the Blossom Hill Fellowship, visit Blossom Hill’s official announcement or read the FAQs. 

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