Applications open January 6, 2025!
UpLift by UpStart is for visionaries, leaders, and entrepreneurs navigating the early stages of their ventures and who are ready to take their ventures to the next level.

About UpStart’s UpLift Program

  • UpLift is a three-month virtual sprint designed for entrepreneurs in the early stages of building their ventures.
  • Infused with Jewish wisdom, UpLift combines a virtual interactive atmosphere with self-paced learning modules. The curriculum fosters growth in a radically human-centered environment utilizing Learning Pods, Critical Colleagues feedback sessions, and live virtual gatherings.
  • All UpLift ventures will join the UpStarter Network, a community of entrepreneurial ventures that have participated in an UpStart entrepreneurial program. Spanning various stages of development and focusing on diverse areas of Jewish life, members of the UpStarter Network work to transform Jewish life, making it more just, vibrant, and inclusive. The UpStart Team provides a robust suite of offerings—including gatherings, resources, and grants—to meet UpStarters where they are and help them achieve their goals.
  • Participants who successfully finish the program will redefine the future of their early-stage venture and earn a badge of completion, and those who receive their badge of completion are eligible to apply for a $3,000 general operating grant to advance their venture.

    Note: Not all applicants will receive the grant. Priority will be given to venture leaders who hold underrepresented identities and/or ventures that primarily serve underrepresented groups. “Underrepresented” includes Jews of Color, Mizrahi Jews, Sephardi Jews, BIPOC individuals, LGBTQ+ folks, and/or people with disabilities. Current UpStarter Network members are not eligible for the early-stage grant.
    Learn more about UpStart’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Is UpLift right for your venture?

What will venture leaders learn and do?

  • Identify the exact areas of venture development needed, understand and lean into what it means to be a social entrepreneur, and document and refine your business model (what you do, who you serve, how you fund it, and how you know it works); explore your ecosystem and learn best practices for building relationships; think through the early stages of impact measurement, and reinforce/practice the foundations needed for effective fundraising.
  • Work through three units, including:
    • Unit 1/Month 1: Foundations of Social Entrepreneurship
    • Unit 2/Month 2: People and Purpose
    • Unit 3/Month 3: Funding Readiness & Storytelling
  • Have access to:
    • Tools including a social impact canvas, an ecosystem map, budget templates, an audience discovery workbook, a setting workbook, and an impact model worksheet.
    • Subject matter experts who can provide specific and tailored support on various business needs/topics via optional Content Specialist Drop-In sessions.
    • A community of early-stage peers via the UpStart Platform.

Participation Details

  • This is an entirely virtual program with both synchronous and asynchronous components. 
  • Approximately 30 total hours of solo, cohort, and peer learning over the three months of the program (6-9 hours per month).  
  • Asynchronous learning: 
    • An average of 4 - 6 hours/month working individually.
    • We will provide guardrails for when asynchronous learning components need to be completed, but we encourage you to find a rhythm that suits you best, whether it's breaking learning down into smaller daily sessions, spreading it over a few days a week, or dedicating longer periods when it fits your schedule - plan for the rhythm that best fits your needs.
  • Synchronous learning: 
    • An average of 2 - 3 hours/month working with your cohort through full-cohort virtual gatherings, small group learning pods, and optional content specialist drop-in sessions.
    • Full-Cohort Calls: 
      • There are four virtual full-cohort calls (see chart below)
      • Please double-check your availability for these virtual meetings as they are MANDATORY for participation in this program. If you are unavailable for these dates, consider applying for a later cohort.
    • Critical Colleagues: Small groups of ventures meet to present a challenge and receive peer feedback. 
    • Content Specialist Drop-In Sessions: A series of monthly hour-long sessions that occur within and beyond the program. 

 

Program Event

 

Cohort A 2025

 
Program Start: Orientation Period
(**Asynchronous-materials become available) 		 Wednesday, February 26, 2025

 
Full-Cohort Live Virtual Gathering #1:
Opening Orientation

 

 Wednesday, March 5, 2025
12:00PM-1:30PM ET
Full-Cohort Live Virtual Gathering #2

 

 Wednesday, March 26, 2025
12:00PM-1:30PM ET
Full-Cohort Live Virtual Gathering #3

 

 Wednesday, April 23, 2025
12:00PM-1:30PM ET
Full-Cohort Live Virtual Gathering #4:
Closing

 

 Thursday, May 29, 2025
12:00PM-1:30PM ET
Critical Colleagues Meetings

 

 Coordinated among small group members 

 
Content Specialist Drop-In Sessions
(optional)		 ~1x/month

 
Asynchronous Learning At your pace (see below) orientation and the closing gathering

 

  • Access to a computer or tablet with a camera and a reliable internet connection.
  • Ability to navigate the Google suite of tools (Google Docs, Slides, Spreadsheets, and Jamboard), and an online learning platform.
  • UpStart can support accessibility needs and provide training on navigating the tools and learning platform to support participation in the program. Accommodation requests can be sent to accessibility@upstartlab.org.

The content is structured for individual venture leaders to participate. If your venture has a co-leadership model, we welcome both parties to participate.

If you begin the program content and cannot finish due to unexpected reasons, then you’ll work with UpStart staff to determine the best next steps on a case-by-case basis.

Access to all materials will be available for 9 months.

Each venture will be charged a program fee based on its organizational budget upon cohort admission. 

  • Venture Budget <$100K:  $80 program fee
  • Venture Budget $100K–$200K: $180 program fee
  • Venture Budget $200K–$500K: $280 program fee
  • Venture Budget $500K+: $500 program fee

Eligibility and Selection

Monday, February 3, 2025, at 11:59 AM PT.

Applicants will hear from UpStart within 2-3 weeks of submitting an application.

  • Social ventures with leadership that have a growth mindset, curiosity, passion, and determination are eligible.
  • Venture leader displays professional readiness by having at least six months of experience with their current venture and at least once a year since the venture was founded.
  • Ventures must meet UpStart’s criteria for being an early-stage venture, review the readiness criteria here.
  • Ventures must contribute to a Thriving Jewish Community.

If you were not advanced due to your venture stage, and your venture is currently early-stage, this may be a really good fit for you! 

  • If you’re a member of the UpStarter Network because you’ve completed a growth stage program, then UpLift is not the right fit.
  • If you are an early-stage venture, you are eligible to apply! 
  • Please note that current UpStarter Network members are not eligible for the early-stage grant.

UpLift is unique from other early-stage programming UpStart has offered in the past.  If you feel like you’re still early-stage and will benefit – apply to join us!

  • We care more about the impact you seek to make in the world than your tax status. 501c3, LLC, B-corporation, fiscally sponsored…all are welcome. 

 

  • Our program has traditionally been geared towards nonprofit entities, but we have begun experimenting with opening it up to for-profit entities with a social impact.

 

  • If your business model contributes to a thriving Jewish community or if you have a business model that will generate more revenue for Jewish life, you should consider applying. For example:
    • You are a company that manufactures Matzo. The product alone does not impact Jewish life. However, if something about how you produce it or your financial model specifically contributes to a thriving Jewish community, we welcome you to apply! 
    • You are a publishing company focusing on publishing underrepresented voices, with a line focusing on BIPOC and LGBTQIA authors. If you are interested in building out a line that focuses on Jewish authors, you are welcome to apply!
 

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