Western Union Foundation Fellowship Program

The Western Union Foundation Scholarship is a venture and leadership accelerator program for entrepreneurs and community leaders from extremely marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced populations worldwide.This virtual and global program is intended to provide these next-generation entrepreneurs and leaders with the knowledge and expertise they need to enhance access to economic opportunity, establish valuable networks and resources, and transform their communities. This is a fully-funded program thanks to the support of the Western Union Foundation.

About Western Union Foundation

The Western Union Foundation is a separate charitable corporation from The Western Union Company that receives support from The Western Union Company, its employees, agents, consumers, and business partners.The Western Union Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of senior Western Union executives from across the globe. The Foundation’s executive director and highly-skilled team grant makers, fundraisers, and advocators is based in Denver, Colorado. For 20 years, the Western Union Foundation has invested in changing lives for the better.


Apply: Federal Govt Interest-free loan

Benefits of WUF Fellowship Program

  • Seed Funding: $45,000 in seed funding will be distributed among select Western Union Foundation Fellows based on progress and impact throughout the Fellowship
  • With the support of the Watson Institute team, you will gain a roadmap of how to grow and scale your work and impact. In addition, you will create impact through the facilitation of an impact workshop and training (called a Basecamp)in your community and for your stakeholders. You will receive a stipend, playbook, and team support to make this happen.

Requirements For WUF Fellowship Program Qualification

  • You are an entrepreneur or community leader from and working with highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced communities around the globe.
  • You are leading an early-stage social impact venture or community initiative with a proven track record of impact, entrepreneurship, and leadership in their community.
  •  Applicants from or are working in the following countries will be given priority: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Uganda, United Kingdom,United States
  •  You are looking for expert-led entrepreneurial training, access to funding opportunities, and a vast network of mentorship to accelerate your leadership skills and venture impact.

How To Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Western Union Foundation on http://watson.is/western-union-foundation-fellowship/ to apply

  • Complete the online application, this  contains 4 short essay questions and should take about 45 minutes to complete. The final deadline to submit your application is August 18th, 2023.
  • Our admissions team will review applications on a rolling basis starting July 7th, 2023. We review applications in two batches on a rolling basis and encourage you to submit your application early.
  • Qualified applicants will be invited to a 20-minute Zoom interview. Interviews will begin July 10th, 2023.
  • The strongest applicant profiles will be shared with our external admissions committee for final review.
  • The admissions team will begin sending out final acceptances and fellowship awards in mid August.
  • The last step to finalize enrollment is to review and sign Watson’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

For more details, visit WUF website on http://watson.is/western-union-foundation-fellowship/