CI 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.
Changemakers (n) – People who use their skills, expertise, gifts, and power in a way that creates positive social change and affirms the humanity of all people.
Taylor’s Changemaker Institute (CI) cultivates changemakers within the Tulane community by building student capacities to identify and create lifelong pathways to tackle pressing social issues.
Applications for the next cohort will open in October 2021.
Changemaker Institute News
Changemaker Institute (CI) Ventures 2021
March 30, 2021
Each year, a select group of graduate students in Taylor’s social venture accelerator, the Changemaker Institute, work tirelessly on Mondays, in the evenings and on weekends to propel their idea for social change into a viable and sustainable social enterprise.…
Introducing the 2020 Changemaker Institute Curriculum
July 23, 2020
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…
Spring 2020 Speakers for Tulane’s Social Venture Accelerator
March 29, 2020
A core component of Taylor's social venture accelerator, the Changemaker Institute (CI) is inviting key community leaders and social entrepreneurs in New Orleans to lead workshops to help students build out their ideas. These experts help guide the students as…
Changemaker Institute (CI) Ventures 2020
February 22, 2020
Each year, a select group of graduate students in Taylor’s social venture accelerator, the Changemaker Institute, work tirelessly in the evenings and on weekends to propel their idea for social change into a viable and sustainable social enterprise. Participants in the…
What Happens During the Changemaker Institute?
Participants in the Changemaker Institute meet weekly (1.5 hrs) and on five Saturdays through a semester.
During these meetings, participants gain:
- A framework and process to deepen one’s understanding of social issues and form partnerships with change agents tackling that issue.
- Growth in social entrepreneurial skills
- Business model development skills
- Mentorship from Tulane and New Orleans’ social entrepreneurial communities
- Support from an active international Changemaker Institute alumni network
- Preparation for applying to funding opportunities at Tulane and beyond
Access our Curriculum
Check out our 2020 Changemaker Institute Curriculum for a comprehensive view of a curriculum designed to supports graduate students interested in developing ethical, sustainable, and viable social enterprises. We wrote this for:
- A budding social entrepreneur interested in building out your idea but unsure about where to start.
- An educator interested in running a social venture accelerator and interested in comparing curriculums.
- A social entrepreneur interested in becoming a paid speaker or volunteer mentor with our program.
Get Funded
- The Changemaker Institute programming offers access to funding for impact-related activities through Tulane-based grants as well as other advanced opportunities in social impact beyond campus.
- All participants of the Taylor Changemaker Institute are eligible and coached to apply for the following funding opportunities:
The Alvarez Spark Innovation Award offers up to $2,500 to pursue a social venture idea by prototyping or testing a component of an idea.
The Changemaker Catalylst Award offers up to $1500 to participate in an engaged learning experience.
Changemaker Institute Alumni
- CI alumni have been accepted to local and national incubators including Idea Village, Propeller, and Echoing Green.
- Trash to Treasure seeks to create a revolving sustainable fund for outreach project in New Orleans. T2T deliver this by collecting and selling dorm room necessities thrown away by Tulane students during move out. Their profits fund subsequent sales as well as further sustainable ventures.
- SHRI (formerly Humanure Power) works to eradicate outdoor defecation as a normal practice for hundreds of millions of villagers in rural India by building community toilet blocks. These toilets leverage proven and existing technology that convert human waste in to energy that can be sold, generating a revenue stream that helps further their mission of building more toilets.
- Radical Grandma Collective is a nonprofit online store that creates a platform for women to support other women in environmental justice work.
- STEM Library Lab is a science equipment lending library that fosters academic success by providing teachers and students with access to equipment and support for high-quality active learning.
- Fund 17 is a Louisiana registered non-profit that works to empower micro-entrepreneurs in the New Orleans community. Fund 17 does this by providing financial education and micro-loans.
- Network Volunteers (formerly Crescent City Connections or “CCC”) promotes and facilitates customized volunteer and cultural activities for visitors and residents in New Orleans to better connect people with community organizations in the city.
- Top Box Foods Makes high-quality nutritious food (lean meats, fish and fresh produce) available at extremely affordable prices. The non-profit uses volunteers to deliver food, focusing on areas identified as food deserts.
Graduate Assistants
The Changemaker Institute (CI) graduate assistant works with staff to develop, organize, promote, and execute Taylor’s social venture accelerator program.
