Organization:Echoing Green

Overview

Echoing Green’s roots can be traced to one of the most influential philanthropists in modern history, Charles Feeney.  Charles Feeney and Robert Warren Miller reached considerable financial status after the success of their joint venture, the Duty Free Shopper’s Group.  

Feeney’s personal beliefs led him to donate the majority of his wealth to launch a philanthropic foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies.  In 1980, General Atlantic was founded as a private investment firm which would be responsible for investing Charles Feeney’s considerable wealth.  General Atlantic is now a leading global growth and private equity firm which maintains its founding commitments to philanthropy. 

In 1987, the board of General Atlantic, in an effort to maximize philanthropic and social impact, founded Echoing Green.  This name might be familiar if one considers oneself to be a poetry aficionado.  Echoing Green was named after the William Blake poem, “The Echoing Green,” which describes the cycle of life through play and reflection.  

Echoing Green began by supporting one individual, Diana Propper de Callejon, in creating alternative livelihoods for Amazonian people that were not based on deforestation. Since then, Echoing Green has supported over 500 fellows, investing over $30 million dollars in seed funding.  Programs and organizations which have stemmed from an Echoing Green fellowship include Teach For America, Public Allies, Family Van, and Jumpstart.  

In 2002, Cheryl Dorsey guided the organization out of possible dissolution and into a new role as a global nonprofit.  A Harvard Business School Case Study detailing  Cheryl Dorsey and Echoing Green can be found http://www.echoinggreen.org/sites/default/files/Echoing_Green_Case_Statement.pdf

As of today, Echoing Green remains a leader in encouraging young people to pursue social entrepreneurship.  Echoing Green fellowships have been awarded to individuals and teams launching social ventures dealing with youth development, education, health services, civil rights, environmental justice, food security, and immigration. Echoing Green has also added new programs to support their mission, including the Work on Purpose program and the Fellowship Search Partnership program.

Purpose

Echoing Green’s mission is to, “unleash next generation talent to solve the world’s biggest problems.”

The organization currently pursues this mission through their prestigious and well founded Echoing Green Fellowship program, as well as through curricula that engages young people in discourse about working with passion and purpose.  In 2006, Echoing Green released “Be Bold,” a publication aimed towards emboldening young people to construct a career path geared towards social entrepreneurship.  This publication lead the way for the Work on Purpose program, which is a simple yet effective structure for encouraging and emphasizing social impact when designing a career path. 

Distinct Differences From Other Offerings

Echoing Green offers an impressive track record in seed funding for social venture startups.  With over 500 fellows, and approximately 65% of the organizations originally seed funded by Echoing Green still in existance, Echoing Green has created a massive network of like minded entrepreneurs.   Additionally, Echoing Green's partnerships with universities, non-profits, and other organizations through the Work on Purpose program have established an even more expansive network of resources and opportunities to reach and engage with young social entrepreneurs.

Echoing Green Fellowship

• A health insurance stipend
• A yearly professional development stipend
• Conferences led by organizational development experts
• Access to technical support and pro bono partnerships
• Access to a large community of social entrepreurs and public service leaders

Work on Purpose

• Accessible curriculum designed to engage young people in discourse about socially impactful careers
• Workshops and trainings to facilitate engagement of curricula and target audiences
• Online community dedicated to supporting the Work on Purpose program
• Work on Purpose publication

Black Male Achievement Fellowship

• A health insurance stipend
• A yearly professional development stipend
• Conferences led by organizational development experts
• Access to a large community of social entrepreurs and public service leaders

Impact Achieved For Students and Campus

(Include images, where possible, and campuses involved)

Contact Information

Website:

http://www.echoinggreen.org

Mailing address:

Echoing Green
494 Eighth Avenue
Second Floor
New York, NY 10001

Phone Number:

212-689-1165:

Email:

info@echoinggreen.org

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/echoinggreen