About the Program
“The program has helped broaden my focus from a social entrepreneurship model to a social movement model—one that turns recipients into activists.”
Sara Horowitz, Founder and Executive Director, Working Today and the Freelancers Union
Prime Movers are recommended for the program by a group of nominators. All of the leaders we select are empowered by a constituency, pushed forward to lead by others in their movements. Prime Movers are also recognized nationally as public faces of their movements by others who are not part of those movements. Each year, we invite up to 12 new fellows to join our program. In addition to receiving grant funds of $60,000 over two years, Prime Movers participate in seminars on critical issues related to mobilizing masses and have opportunities to reflect on their experiences with their peers in the program.Prime Movers must apply their grants toward individual leadership development. Each fellow creates a work plan that identifies the use for his or her grant funds that will most enhance the leader's influence within his or her movement. While many of the Prime Movers attend leadership seminars or work with an executive coach or media coach, some have used their funds creatively, attending acting classes to improve communication skills and writing books and making documentary films about their work.