Applications are open for the Western Union Global Fellowship 2026, a fully funded 16-week leadership and entrepreneurship programme for entrepreneurs and community leaders creating solutions for refugees, forcibly displaced people, and highly marginalized communities. Supported by Western Union and powered by Watson Institute, the fellowship is designed to equip promising leaders with the skills, mentorship, financial knowledge, resources, and global connections needed to expand their ventures and create lasting impact.

The programme brings together a diverse group of entrepreneurs working to advance economic opportunity and improve outcomes for underserved populations. Fellows will participate in Watson Institute’s entrepreneurship and leadership curriculum, receive guidance from experienced mentors and Entrepreneurs in Residence, develop their financial literacy, and gain access to a global network of peers and supporters. Participants will also receive financial stipends and long-term alumni support after completing the programme.

As part of the fellowship, participants will have the opportunity to develop and implement a one-day Basecamp training programme in their own community. Fellows will receive a practical playbook and funding to support the Basecamp, allowing them to share knowledge and extend the fellowship’s impact beyond the cohort.

The 2026 programme will run from August 11 to December 3, 2026. The opening immersive experience will take place virtually from August 11–18, followed by weekly virtual workshops. Fellows are expected to participate in sessions held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:00–10:00 AM Mountain Time. The programme will conclude with a Virtual Summit on December 3, 2026, where selected fellows will have the opportunity to pitch their ventures to entrepreneurs, community leaders, peers, and other members of the fellowship network.

The fellowship is intended for entrepreneurs or community leaders who have personal experience with the challenges faced by highly marginalized, refugee, or forcibly displaced communities, or who are actively working alongside these populations. The organisers particularly value leaders with close connections to the communities they serve and a strong understanding of the challenges affecting historically underserved groups.

Applicants should have a business or organisation that has been operating for between one and five years and has fewer than 10 employees. Ventures should already have engaged customers or beneficiaries, demonstrated measurable results, and obtained some form of funding through revenue, grants, investments, donations, or other sources. For-profit businesses, nonprofits, social enterprises, and other legal organisational structures are eligible to apply.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and able to participate fully throughout the 16-week programme. The fellowship is particularly suited to individuals seeking advanced entrepreneurial training, specialised mentorship, leadership development, a supportive international peer network, and practical opportunities to grow their ventures and increase their community impact.

Applicants located in or creating impact in the following locations are encouraged to apply: the United States, specifically Denver, Austin, and Miami; Santa Ana in Costa Rica; Pune in India; Quezon City in the Philippines; Vilnius in Lithuania; Buenos Aires in Argentina; Rome in Italy; São Paulo in Brazil; and Lima in Peru.

The Western Union Global Fellowship provides a combination of entrepreneurship training, mentorship, financial support, leadership development, and global networking designed to help community-focused entrepreneurs strengthen their organisations and expand their impact.

Scroll down for more information and click on the official link attached below to apply for this opportunity