About innovation@cfed
Quick Links: Strategic Advisors, Frequently Asked Questions – innovation@cfed, Frequently Asked Questions – For Innovators
Click here to download innovation@cfed's founding publication, The Launch of the innovation@cfed Platform: 21 Top Innovations.
As an organization, CFED has long been recognized as a hub of innovative approaches that expand economic opportunity to link community practice to private markets and policy. Marking its 30th anniversary in 2009, CFED introduced innovation@cfed to accelerate the evolution of the next generation of effective strategies; and to increase the visibility of solid concepts that have the potential to significantly impact economically vulnerable people.
innovation@cfed acts as a research and development arm for the organization, recognizing the importance of collaboration and celebrating a diversity of ideas. The program achieves this through supporting and promoting:
- Innovators-in-Residence: strong leaders who are prepared to take their proven concept to the next level of scale and impact during a virtual or in-person residency with CFED's assistance
- Innovative Ideas: submitted by practitioners, policy makers and researchers, whom we call Innovators, and who create a deeper network of ideas which have a niche in CFED’s spectrum of causes.
- Innovation Summits: any event hosted by innovation@cfed that recognizes the inventive power of collaboration.
Sign up to join the innovation@cfed learning community! You can also follow us on Twitter and on Facebook!
Strategic Advisors
innovation@cfed is supported by a distinguished group of individuals who serve as Strategic Advisors. They provide guidance, intending to help take the innovation@cfed program to new heights. The Strategic Advisors meet annually to brainstorm ideas as we grow our learning community and lend their highly sought-after expertise to the dynamic range of areas in which innovation@cfed focuses. To see photos and biographies for each of these esteemed individuals, visit our Strategic Advisors page.Frequently Asked Questions – innovation@cfed
What is innovation@cfed?
innovation@cfed is a strategic initiative that helps those who traditionally struggle in our economy prosper. A national nonprofit, CFED works to expand economic opportunity so people build wealth by saving, getting an education and becoming homeowners and business owners.
innovation@cfed was launched to accelerate the next generation of strategies to expand economic opportunity. We’re looking for great ideas and policies, products and practices that will help Americans build wealth, bring about greater social equity, alleviate poverty and lead to a more sustainable economy.
What are the elements of innovation@cfed?
innovation@cfed has three components: Innovative Ideas, Innovators-in-Residence and Innovation Summits. Under Innovative Ideas we invite you to submit good solid concepts that have the potential to significantly impact economically vulnerable people. We will select ideas to showcase widely and to stimulate discussion and exchange. Innovators-in-Residence will receive financial and technical support in a virtual or onsite CFED residency to refine and grow their innovations to marketable scale or to advance them through expanded real-world application.
What is the innovation@cfed Learning Community?
Through innovation@cfed, persons of all backgrounds and interests are invited to engage with CFED and each other around innovative ways to expand economic opportunity. This is the innovation@cfed learning community. Community members from all sectors, backgrounds and places can sign up to receive regular updates and are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas on the innovation@cfed website, through its blog and by emailing innovation@cfed.org.
Will innovation@cfed change over time?
innovation@cfed is intended to not only support innovations in progress, but also to serve as a learning platform for CFED and the community-at-large about how to make innovation happen more effectively. As such, innovation@cfed will grow and evolve over time, as we learn together.
Who is eligible to participate?
Anyone age 18 years or older is invited to participate in the innovation@cfed learning community and to respond to online invitations. Applicants to become Innovators-in-Residence must be able to work in the United States.
What is an Innovator-in-Residence? Does the award go to an individual or to an organization?
An Innovator-in-Residence is an individual who is prepared to take a proven concept to the next level during the residency period with CFED’s help. Innovators selected for residency may be a free agent or may be associated with an organization. For example, you may be a staff member of a nonprofit organization or associated with an academic institution.
May I apply to become an Innovator-in-Residence now?
Applications are not currently being accepted, but sign up to be a member of the innovation@cfed community and you will receive information about application opportunities as they become available.
What are the criteria sought in potential Innovators-in-Residence?
There are basic criteria for a potential Innovator-in-Residence that include:
- Innovations must have potential to create large-scale or significant impact for low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals in the U.S., and Innovators must have a well-articulated theory of change.
- Applicants must be able to articulate the value of “embedding” the Innovation at CFED for a one- to two-year period, and describe what will be gained by leveraging CFED’s resources.
- Innovations that link community practice, public policy and/or private markets and that are closely linked to CFED’s strategic goals will receive special consideration.
What is an Innovative Idea Champion?
An individual, aged 18 or older, who has an innovative concept or approach that has the potential to significantly expand economic opportunity for low- or low and moderate-income Americans.
May I apply to become an Innovative Idea Champion now?
Applications are not currently being accepted, but sign up to be a member of the innovation@cfed community and you will receive information about application opportunities as they become available.
What are some of the criteria that will be used to select Innovative Ideas?
There are basic criteria for a potential Innovative Idea Champion that include:
- good, solid innovative ideas that can expand economic opportunity for significant numbers of low- and moderate-income Americans.
- ideas with great potential impact for particularly disadvantaged populations. Such ideas will receive special consideration.
- ideas that will benefit from increased visibility resulting from selection.
- ideas that cross “silos” and/or incorporate synergies among community practice, public policy and private markets. Such ideas will be given special consideration.
What is a Next Generation Innovator?
Next Generation Innovators are Innovative Idea Champions between the ages of 18 and 30, representing the next generation of innovative individuals who are bringing to scale ideas that significantly impact the lives of millions of Americans.
May I apply to become a Next Generation Innovator now?
Applications are not currently being accepted, but sign up to be a member of the innovation@cfed community and you will receive information about application opportunities as they become available.
Frequently Asked Questions – For Innovators
What does innovation@cfed generally expect of me as an Innovator-in-Residence, Innovative Idea Champion, or Innovative Idea Engineer?
CFED expects Innovators-in-Residence, Innovative Idea Champions, and Innovative Idea Engineers to take the lead role in your participation in the innovation@cfed learning community. Specifically, it is your responsibility to send via email to innovation@cfed.org:
- updated web content at least two times within a 12-month period that will be posted on your profile web page (e.g. updated descriptions of your work and how it evolves, updated biographical information, and links to publications and other online resources you want to feature).
- three blog posts (each at least one paragraph in length) within a 12-month period that will be posted on the innovation@cfed blog (these blog posts can be ones that you write for your own or another blog).
What should I do if I decide I no longer want to be featured as an innovation@cfed Innovator-in-Residence, Innovative Idea Champion or Innovative Idea Engineer?
At any time in the future, Innovative Idea Champions and Innovative Idea Engineers may choose to “opt out” of being formally featured by innovation@cfed. If you opt out of being designated by CFED as an Innovative Idea Champion or Innovative Idea Engineer, your individual profile page will be moved to the “Archive” section of our website. You will no longer be required to send us updated web content and blog posts. You will however, still be encouraged to participate in the innovation@cfed learning community. Specifically, we will welcome you sending us blog posts or commenting on our blog, and we will continue to send you updates through the innovation@cfed newsletter.
If we have not heard from you within a reasonable period of time in the ways stated in the previous FAQ question, we will archive your profile page from our website and you will no longer be designated as an innovation@cfed Innovative Idea Champion or Innovative Idea Engineer.
To opt out of being featured by innovation@cfed, you need only to send an email to innovation@cfed.org that states that you no longer wish to be designated and featured as an Innovative Idea Champion. We will act to remove your information from our website within 10 business days. If at any time in the future you change your mind and decide you would still like to be featured as an innovation@cfed Innovative Idea Champion or Innovative Idea Engineer, you may contact us via email at innovation@cfed.org and we will work with you to update and move your profile page back to the active Innovative Ideas portfolio.
For Innovators-in-Residence, please refer to your formal agreement for guidelines pertaining to the term of your residency.
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