Introducing the 2020 Changemaker Institute Curriculum 

By: Julia Lang and Cozette Boyake  

The 2020 Taylor Center Changemaker Institute Curriculum is now available for free online for anyone interested in learning more about our work.

The Changemaker Institute is a social venture accelerator for Tulane graduate students that deepens students’ understanding of social issues, connects them to local mentors and experts, and equips them with entrepreneurial tools to create a social enterprise. CI participants are either working to create their own social impact venture (such as a non-profit, program, student-run organization, or business) OR are focused on building a new and innovative capacity within an existing organization.  

The cohort typically meets once per week and on six Saturdays from January-April, working with a wide variety of speakers and mentors from the New Orleans community and beyond to learn how to: 

• Conduct design research 
• Select a business entity classification (for-profit, NGO, B-Corps, LLC, L3C, etc.), 
• Use the Lean Canvas to visualize components of one’s idea 
• Build prototypes to test an idea 
• Measure social impact 
• Fundraise
• Market and brand your idea 
• Build an advisory board 
• Tell one’s story via pitching/storytelling.  

The 2020 Changemaker Institute Curriculum provides a comprehensive view of a program that supports graduate students interested in developing ethical, sustainable, and viable social enterprises. This reference includes dozens of links to readings and activities that we assign throughout the program.

We especially hope to share this with budding social entrepreneurs interested in building out an idea but unsure about where to start, educators interested in or running a social venture accelerator, and social entrepreneurs interested in becoming a paid speaker or volunteer mentor with our program. We hope you find this information helpful and look forward to working with you or collaborating with you in the future.    

For questions about the Changemaker Institute, contact Julia Lang at jlang@tulane.edu.