Ashoka envisions a world free of systemic oppression in which everyone has access to resources, self-expression, power and safety. Such a world will only emerge if the structural, institutional, and historical barriers that have led to the marginalization of underrepresented peoples, such as women, Black people, Indigenous people and People of Color, religious minorities, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, working-class people and people living in poverty, are addressed.
We, at Ashoka, are committed to making these barriers visible and gradually shifting the way that society and institutions have traditionally organized (placing some groups above others), to allow the equitable and fair treatment of all people at Ashoka and beyond.   

Selection Criteria

What characterizes a leading social entrepreneur?
How does Ashoka decide which candidates to recommend and which to turn away?

Ashoka's selection process is anchored by our five criteria against which all Fellow candidates are evaluated:

New Idea

⚙️? Creativity

?Entrepreneurial Quality

?Social Impact of the Idea

?️Ethical Fiber

Ashoka has additional areas we consider when evaluating nominations. These will not result in automatic rejections, but more information may be required during the initial selection process. If you are unsure, you may still submit the nomination to be reviewed by a local representative. 

Full Time

Legal Structure

Arts, Theatre, & Sports

Religious Affiliation

Local Connection

Political Parties

Stage of Impact

The Selection Process for the Ashoka Fellowship

Ashoka searches the world for leading social entrepreneurs through an intensive, human-centered process, selecting them into our Ashoka global, trust-based fellowship of peers.

 

The process of selection is a transformative and enlightening experience.

Candidates articulate their innovations, and how they have the potential to change sector-wide systems. They scrutinize their strategies and methods, and reflect on how they engage as individuals and leaders in today’s world. The selection process is not simply a means to an end, but rather generates robust discussion, sharpens ideas, and gives room for a journey of self discovery and growth.

 


The selection process phases are:

Infographic with light blue background. Purple roadmap trip that leads you to the different stages of the process



 

 

“Having identified myself as a social entrepreneur was truly significant. It defined my role and gave me the security of belonging to a network of people with similar abilities and vocations.”
 

Ximena Abogabir
Casa de la Paz, Chile. Ashoka Fellow since 1995
Ximena

The Ashoka Fellowship


For more than 40 years, Ashoka has built and nurtured the largest network of leading social entrepreneurs in the world. After a rigorous selection process, they are introduced to a life-long fellowship, where every member is committed to championing new patterns of social good. We encourage Ashoka Fellows to take ownership of the network and we partner with them to co-create Ashoka’s vision of an Everyone a Changemaker world