Regional Leaders Program FAQ

  • Are there any fees for involvement in the RLP?
    • All programmatic costs are covered by the Partnership and our sponsors. However, travel, lodging, and food outside of our program is at the cost of the participant. 
  •  What is my time commitment for the RLP? 
    • The LP is currently set to run for 7 consecutive months. During this time, there will be three in-person events that will require travel to Atlanta, Georgia. Each event will run for two days. Participants are required to attend all three in-person events to be considered for this program. In addition to these in-person events, there will be online workshops to provide additional training and guidance through the program. Our program timeline, including exact dates and precise time commitments will be updated as we get closer to the start of the program.  
  • What types of projects does the RLP support?  
    • General examples of projects that we will consider are those which develop physical, educational, financial and/or network-building resources for community-specific entrepreneurial and innovation activity. For a list of project examples, see our projects examples page.  
  • How do I know if I and/or my teammates are eligible for participation? 
    • The LP selects teams representing a combination of public, private and civic industries. These teams should have a demonstrated commitment to advancing inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship and ecosystem building. The selection criteria and applicant team eligibility are located on our LP homepage. 
  • Is my location important for selection? 
    • We will select teams from small to mid-sized and rural communities across the Southeast US (GA, AL, MS, SC, NC, TN, LA and KY) that demonstrate the ability to lead and advance the development of the local and regional innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. While our primary focus on location for our pilot cohort will be within the state of Georgia, we will consider applications from communities within states that border Georgia.
  • What do we need to apply to the program?
    • Teams must submit a pre-application to be considered for the program. This application will gather general information, such as the location of your team, your general project idea, and your team’s collective background. In this part of the application, each team member must include 1 resume or CV and/or 1 LinkedIn profile (both are preferred wherever possible). If your project and team meet the eligibility criteria of the program, our team will invite you to submit a comprehensive application, which will include one letter of support for each team member. To view the comprehensive application questions, click here. 
  • Who should I request a letter of Support from?
    • Letters of Support (LoS) should come from persons or organizations who can speak to their support of the project team and the greater need for the proposed project in the community. LoS should highlight your previous roles and/or your teams ability to lead the ecosystem development and building in your community or region. If it is from an employer, they should confirm the participant’s ability to participate in the program and acknowledge the time commitment required to participate in the program. Recommenders should also have detailed knowledge surrounding the initiative itself, be involved as a partner or support organization in one or more of the communities benefitting from teams participation in the LP and the ecosystem project or having led a similar initiative in the past. 
  • What happens after my team submits our application? 
    • Our team will review all project pre-applications based on the selection criteria. Applicants could be contacted to provide additional information regarding their community, team, and project concept. If your pre-application submission is selected to move forward in the application process, your team will receive an invitation to complete the full program application. Once your full application is submitted, a panel will evaluate your responses. If selected to move forward the applicants’ point of contact will be contacted to schedule a virtual interview with your team. After all interviews have been completed, the Partnership team will determine which final applicants will be selected to participate in the cohort. 
  • Our team has more than one idea for our innovation projects. Can we submit more than one project with the application? 
    • While we appreciate innovative thinking, we ask that you submit no more than one project with your application. 
  • Who makes the final decision for applicant selection? 
    • Final decisions are made by the Partnership team using the program selection criteria, panel scores and feedback, ecosystem building project concept, and information gathered during the applicant interviews. 
  • If selected, what can my teammates and I expect from the program?  
    • If your team is selected, the LP program will provide you with learning workshops and opportunities to connect with experienced technical assistance and resource providers within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. During the program, you will be provided with resources, best-practices, and social connections to help your team develop and advance your ecosystem building skillset. You will also be required to develop a project plan for your concept over the course of the program. At the end of the program, teams will have the opportunity to present their projects and may receive an offer for seed funding to start their projects. Please note, this funding is not guaranteed to all teams at the end of the program. 
  • What if I am not selected for the LP?  
    • If you are not selected to participate in the program and it is determined that your project or team could be a good fit for the program with improvements, you are strongly encouraged to reapply in future programs. We will offer feedback to improve your team’s application after the project application cycle is completed upon request.  

Who we are and why we are doing this:   

  • What is the Regional Leadership Program?  
    • Designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship growth in small–to–midsized and rural communities, The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation Leadership Program (The Partnership LP) equips and supports local teams of public, private, and civic changemakers with the knowledge, best practices, and relationships needed to lead and accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial networks and innovation ecosystems. The Leadership Program is run by the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation. The Partnership is a regional organization that catalyzes innovation, opportunity and shared economic success by unlocking the promise of untapped innovators through a public–private partnership. 
  • What are the objectives and mission of the Leadership Program?  
    • We are dedicated to Inclusive Innovation. Our goal is to support and connect teams of change makers from local and regional communities to lead initiatives that create access and opportunity for shared economic prosperity for all through entrepreneurship and innovation. The Partnership’s guiding principles include talent, connectedness, diversity, sustainability and identity – to achieve inclusive innovation, which we define as creating and increasing access and opportunity for all.  

Funded Projects

  • What qualifies a project to be funded?
    • After successfully completing the PIN Leaders program, each team may obtain grant funding based on their team’s progress in the program and the mission detailed within their community project. These projects must meet the following criteria:
      • Are inclusive and collaborative
      • Incorporate public, private and community collaborations or partnerships
      • Build on current strengths of its ecosystem
      • Build capacity and create economic competitiveness
      • Address a gap(s) in the ecosystem
      • Create programs, services, and technologies to support entrepreneurial growth
      • Connect inputs to desired outcomes
      • Have KPIs that are clear and measurable
      • Create impact aligned with community’s goals
      • Establishes the ecosystem as a hub for inclusive economic development and innovation
    • In addition to meeting these standards, teams must submit a written agreement, a budget proposal, and maintain monthly communications with the Economic Opportunity team throughout the duration of the funding period.
  • How is grant funding disbursed?
    • Funding is disbursed at the beginning of the annual funding cycle and at the midpoint of the annual funding cycle, contingent on the team’s ability to comply with the reporting requirements and development of their community-based projects.
  • What can the grant funding be used towards?
    • Capacity building
    • Implementation of technologies, innovations and resources
    • Scaling of projects (people, geographies served)
    • Technical assistance and coaching
  • What can the grant funding NOT be used towards?
    • Projects that do not create or improve inclusive access and opportunity or create and scale inclusive impact
    • Acquisition of or improvements to physical infrastructure, buildings, land etc.
    • Certain hardware purchases and equipment* (as approved by the Partnership)
    • Research projects
  • Who can I contact with any additional questions?  
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