Bank of America/Vital Voices Global Ambassadors Program 2020 for women entrepreneurs

Application Deadline:Friday 28^th February, 2020,

The Global Ambassadors Program (GAP) is designed for women entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs – providing mentorship, training and a network of support to help grow your business/organization and your personal development.  The program includes one-on-one mentoring sessions and strategic workshops focused on building organizational management, financial acumen and leadership skills.

The program is a partnership between Vital Voices, a leading NGO in women’s leadership and development and Bank of America, based on a shared belief in the need to invest in women who are creating economic and social progress around the world.

The New York City 2020 Global Ambassadors Program will take place from 4^th to 8^th May 2020 and will focus on women who are providing solutions to climate change and environmental sustainability such as renewable energy, the reduction of greenhouse gases, zero-waste products, climate-resilient food production etc.

Benefits:

• One week in-person training program in New York City, including:
  • Strategic Planning for Business Growth
  • Financial Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Communications workshops including Branding, Social & Digital Media, Public Speaking and Executive Presence
  • Participation in Bank of America’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs LIVE event
• A 1:1 mentoring relationship with an established woman executive.  Previous mentors include: Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group; Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd.; Dr. Sachiko Kuno, President and CEO, S&R Foundation; Luz Maria de la Mora, Undersecretary for Foreign Trade, Mexico’s Secretariat of Economy; Manal Zraiq, General Director, Massar International; Ana Birchall, Deputy Prime Minister of Romania; Norah Casey, Broadcaster, Author, Publisher.
• Inclusion in the Vital Voices network of more than 16,000 women from 181 countries and territories around the world.
• Opportunity for cross-cultural exchange with women from around the globe.
• Opportunities for your business/organization to be profiled via digital channels, social media and in earned media coverage.
• On-going support and mentorship, specific to your needs,  through the Global Ambassadors Program for 1+ year

Applicant Criteria:

• A woman entrepreneur or social entrepreneur who owns a majority stake in a qualifying business / organization, is the key decision maker in the business / organization and manages it on a day-to-day basis 
• The applicant must have a minimum of 10 years of experience in a professional setting
• The applicant must have worked in her existing business / organization for a minimum of 5 years
• Proficient in English
• Demonstrate a commitment to the core principles of the “Vital Voices’ Leadership Model” –   Innovative, collaborative, and driven by a clear sense of mission; engaged in their communities and are committed to advancing the status of women and girls. 
• Demonstrate high-potential for leadership and a desire to take on leadership roles both within and outside of their business / organization

Please note, very important – if you are involved in more than one business / organization, the above criteria must apply to the business / organization that you would like to focus on during this mentorship opportunity

Entry Criteria:

• For profit or social entrepreneur of a legally registered business / organization+ (for this program, a social enterprise is a business / organization with a social mission and an earned revenue stream) that is engaged in providing solutions to climate change and environmental sustainability.
• Should have a minimum annual revenue of at least US$ 150,000 and a maximum annual revenue of US$ 10 million

Not eligible for this program:

• Non-profit or Non-Governmental organization (NGO’s)
• Start-up or early stage businesses

Evaluation:

• 10 applicants will be chosen to participate and notified by mid to late March 2020
• Applications will be assessed to determine participants based on a variety of factors, including the following considerations:
  • Ability to commit to the entire week of in-person program,  training, mentorship  and pre-event webinars – no exceptions
  • Submitted Business / Strategic Plan and identified needs for development
  • Alignment with the Vital Voices Leadership model
  • Willingness to accept feedback and coaching from mentors
  • Ability to implement change within her business/organization
  • Anticipated impact on business or organization based on application
  • Willingness to help shape the community dialogue about women’s advancement in their region, and wield the influence necessary to do so.

Applicants are required to:

• Complete and submit this online Application Questionnaire
• Submit a two-minute video  (described in the last section of this application)

All travel, meals and accommodation costs for mentees participating in this program are covered in full by the Global Ambassadors Program

This online application process may take up to 1 hour to complete. Applications should be submitted by Friday 28^th February, 2020. Any incomplete applications, or any applications received after Friday 28^th February, 2020, may not be considered. Applications submitted without the 2 minute video will not be considered.

If you need to exit the survey before finishing it, please click “save and continue later” at the top of the page. This will allow you to enter an email address to receive a link to your partially completed application.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Bank of America/Vital Voices Global Ambassadors Program 2020