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Snow Entrepreneurs – fellowships for social change

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Snow Entrepreneurs Cohort 3 Expressions of Interest are open now, from 21 May 2025 and will close 16 June 2025 at 8am – apply here: https://grants.snowfoundation.org.au/

Meet cohort 1 and 2 of the Snow Entrepreneurs in the video at the end of this page, and read about their initiatives here.

The Snow Entrepreneur – fellowships for social change are an opportunity for eight to twelve entrepreneurial leaders to receive funding and wrap-around capacity-building support for their early-stage initiatives tackling disadvantages in new ways.

The fellowships are a celebration of our own entrepreneurial roots and the legacy of our late founder Terry Snow AM. They reflect our long-term commitment to backing inspiring leaders and teams with innovative ideas to tackle pressing social issues – particularly those affecting women and girls, First Nations communities, young people, and LGBTIQ+ people.

Our Aim

  • provide generous, flexible support – responsive to need
  • build strong, trusting partnerships
  • accelerate growth and lay the groundwork for long-term sustainability through leadership development and organisational strengthening
  • enable significant impact in the lives of many

What is Included?

Successful Snow Entrepreneurs receive:

  • Two years of grant funding ($100-200k p.a.) with the possibility of a third year
  • Peer cohort for connection, collaboration and support
  • Informal support and connections, including to the wider Snow Entrepreneurs group and alumni
  • Professional wrap-around support including:
    – Leadership retreats
    – A mentor
    – A diagnostic report, identifying strengths and areas for development
    – Expert advisory services to address specific gaps
    – Leadership development
    – Pitch training
    – Access to Antler.co venture capital fund masterclasses, expertise and network

Mentors and advisory services are provided by the Social Impact Hub Professional Impact Network.

Selection Criteria

We are looking for great people who are:

  • Capable and credible leaders who are visionary, passionate and persistent in pursuing their goals
  • Motivated by a strong understanding of the issue they are addressing, particularly through lived experience
  • Entrepreneurial problem solvers who aren’t afraid to chart new waters, listen and learn from mistakes, and who are able to surround themselves with excellent advisors and collaborators
  • Willing to engage with and support their peers in the Snow Entrepreneurs cohort

We are looking for initiatives that:

  • Address a gap: demonstrated community need
  • Are innovative: addressing entrenched problems in new ways
  • Have a realistic plan for growth and sustainability: including a business model that includes some self-generated revenue (current or future)
  • Align with our themes: Gender, First Nations, Youth and/or LGBTIQ+.
  • Focus on one or more of the following cause areas:
    – Domestic and sexual violence
    – Economic empowerment
    – Healthy masculinity
    – First Nations self-determination/leadership (post Voice)
    – First Nations cultural understanding
    – Rheumatic heart disease prevention (living conditions in Indigenous communities)
    – Education outcomes (school age)
    – Mental health prevention
    – Digital addiction
    – Alcohol addiction
    – Disability employment and empowerment
    – Civil society and democracy

Eligibility

  • Address disadvantage: Be driven by a social purpose and directly benefit disadvantaged or at-risk populations (initiatives that generate impact primarily by donating a portion of their commercial revenue are not eligible).
  • Be early stage and operating: Already be in operation and have been in market for less than three years.
  • Have national or scalable impact: Demonstrate potential for national reach, including benefits for people in our key regions – ACT, Sydney, the NSW South Coast, or NT (for Indigenous communities only).
  • Have revenue under $1m in the past 12 months.
  • Be registered in Australia (DGR and charitable status are not a requirement)
  • Applicant must be Founder/CEO (key decision maker)

Exclusions

We do not accept applications for initiatives that are focused on:

  • Environmental causes
  • Animal welfare
  • Arts and culture
  • Overseas beneficiaries

Please ensure you are available for interviews as well as the leadership retreat in February 2026, should you be selected. Participation in the annual retreats is a core component of the program.

FAQs to come – check back soon.

Snow Entrepreneurs Cohort 3 Expressions of Interest are open from 21 May and will close 16 June at 8am – apply here: https://grants.snowfoundation.org.au/

Snow Entrepreneurs Cohort 1 & 2