Financial activists leveraging capital as a tool for positive change.
We will be accepting applications for our Canadian fellowship in August 2026.
We will be accepting applications for our US fellowship in February 2027.
The nine-month fellowship consists of three in-person immersions, online sessions, one-on-one advisor calls, peer coaching, online resources and a creative capital project.
The program is grounded in an understanding of the current extractive economic system and the ways financial and social capital can be used to effect systemic change. JEI Fellows learn how to activate the positive potential of capital from experts in integrated capital, social change movements, impact investing, community wealth building, funder organizing and transformational leadership.
We focus on three core areas of learning:
- the inner work that deepens self-awareness and the capacity to collaborate skillfully
- the practical work of using financial and social capital to create community wealth and support healthy systems
- the collective work of building power to drive lasting, positive change
Overview and Dates
The Just Economy Institute fellowship program runs late September through late June.
In-person gatherings (for the 2026–27 cohort):
- Immersion 1: October 19–23, 2026
- Immersion 2: March 1–5, 2027
- Immersion 3: June 21–25, 2027
All immersions will be hosted at Paicines Ranch in Paicines, CA. Participation in all three immersions is required.
Online Sessions:
Ten online sessions will be offered between immersions, featuring leading practitioners in the field.
Cost
Sliding scale, from $10,000 to $40,000.
The true cost of the program is $25,000 per Fellow, which covers tuition, faculty, advisors, materials, webinars, resources and on-site lodging and meals at all three immersions. The fee does not cover travel to and from Paicines Ranch.
JEI uses a sliding scale fee because we are committed to providing equitable access to our fellowship. For those who can afford to pay more, we ask you to consider this, as it will ensure that we continue to make JEI available to as many financial activists as possible. The suggested sliding scale is:
| $10k fee: | Assets (individual and organizational) up to $1M |
| $15k fee: | Assets over $1M and up to $4M |
| $20k fee: | Assets over $4M and up to $8M |
| $25k fee: | Assets over $8M and up to $15M |
| $30k fee: | Assets over $15M and up to $25M |
| $40k fee: | Assets over $25M |
We will make every effort to provide financial support to Fellows who need it.
Qualifications
The work of capital activation requires creative, intelligent and passionate leaders. JEI Fellows possess self-knowledge, as well as the skills needed to navigate power, conflict and possibility.
We are seeking Fellows who have:
- a deep commitment to effect positive change and create a just economy
- the ability to influence the flow of financial and social capital
- a clear desire to learn and grow, both personally and professionally
- strong emotional intelligence
Why Now?
Growing communities of financial activists are following a calling for healing and justice and collaborating to create long-term well-being for all. They’re working to end the extractive practices that cause immense human suffering and severely damage the natural world. And they’re advancing a new form of activism, one in which financial and social capital are used as powerful tools to effect positive and lasting change.
Positive change happens when people with innovative solutions have the support and connections to make those solutions happen. We’ve seen visionary leaders pioneer better models inspired by this conviction and a values-driven community of practice.
Application Process
After our application deadline, we’ll review applications and reach out with a status update within one month. We’ll then interview selected candidates and extend invitations to join our next cohort approximately one month after we conduct interviews.
