Tory Burch Foundation Fellowship

Overview

The Tory Burch Foundation Fellowship is a yearlong program that equips women entrepreneurs with education, capital, and a supportive community. Each fellow receives a $5,000 business education grant, access to a virtual curriculum, a weeklong workshop at the Tory Burch headquarters in New York City, and ongoing mentorship from industry experts. The fellowship focuses on early-stage growth businesses poised to scale, emphasizing founders who drive social impact and economic opportunity. Graduating fellows join an alumni network that continues to deliver resources and visibility.

Opportunity Snapshot

Eligibility Checklist

Applicants must identify as women, be legal U.S. residents, and serve as majority owners and key decision-makers of businesses registered in the United States. Companies should be generating at least $75,000 in annual revenue and have been operating for a minimum of one year. The fellowship welcomes for-profit and nonprofit models but prioritizes ventures with scalable impact. Founders must demonstrate readiness to engage in programming, travel to New York for the in-person workshop, and commit to participating in community events throughout the fellowship year.

Crafting a Strong Application Narrative

The application requires essays detailing your business model, growth strategy, and leadership philosophy. Begin with a clear description of the problem you solve and the value you deliver to customers. Highlight traction—revenue growth, customer retention, partnerships, or social impact metrics. Explain how your personal story informs your company’s mission and leadership style. Use data to describe your market opportunity, competitive advantage, and milestones achieved. Address how the fellowship’s curriculum, mentorship, and network will accelerate your next phase of growth.

Financial Health and Growth Readiness

Provide a concise financial overview, including annual revenue, profit margins, and cash flow trends. Discuss financing history—bootstrapping, loans, equity investment—and outline capital needs for the coming year. Explain how the $5,000 grant will be invested in strategic priorities such as technology upgrades, marketing, inventory, or hiring. Present forecasts showing how fellowship support will translate into revenue growth, job creation, or social impact. Transparency builds credibility and helps reviewers envision your scaling path.

Leadership and Team Development

Share details about your leadership team, board, advisors, and staff. Describe how you cultivate inclusive workplace culture, invest in professional development, and delegate responsibilities. Provide examples of how you navigate challenges, mentor employees, or build partnerships. If you are a solo founder, explain how you leverage contractors, mentors, and peer networks to cover skill gaps. The fellowship seeks founders with both vision and operational discipline.

Demonstrating Social Impact

Tory Burch Foundation emphasizes entrepreneurship as a vehicle for social change. Highlight the societal or economic impact of your business—supporting women in supply chains, delivering health services to underserved communities, promoting sustainability, or advancing racial equity. Provide metrics that capture outcomes, such as jobs created, products distributed, or emissions reduced. Discuss plans to scale impact during and after the fellowship. Authentic, mission-driven narratives resonate strongly with reviewers.

Preparing for the Interview

Semi-finalists participate in interviews and pitch sessions. Prepare a concise pitch that outlines your business model, growth strategy, and fellowship goals. Anticipate questions about competition, customer acquisition, operational challenges, and leadership development. Practice with mentors or fellow entrepreneurs to refine delivery. Approach the interview as a dialogue—share specific ways you plan to contribute to the fellowship community and ask thoughtful questions about program resources.

Maximizing Fellowship Benefits

Fellows gain access to workshops on finance, branding, legal strategy, and leadership, along with expert office hours and peer masterminds. Outline how you will integrate these learnings into your operations. Schedule time for coursework, implement new systems, and measure results. Engage actively in the community by sharing insights, offering feedback, and collaborating on opportunities. Consider how you will cascade knowledge to your team, investors, and customers.

Building Post-Fellowship Momentum

After the fellowship year, alumni continue receiving invitations to events, partnerships, and media opportunities. Plan how you will sustain momentum: set post-program goals, maintain accountability partners, and explore capital pathways such as impact investors, revenue-based financing, or government contracts. Share your success stories with the foundation to stay visible. A long-term engagement strategy demonstrates that you view the fellowship as a catalyst for enduring growth.

Crafting a Standout Video Pitch

Applicants must submit a two-minute video introducing themselves and their businesses. Script your key points—mission, customer problem, traction, and how the fellowship will accelerate growth—then rehearse until your delivery is confident and conversational. Film in a quiet, well-lit space with minimal background distractions. Use captions for accessibility and include product demonstrations or customer testimonials when possible. Close with a clear call to action that reinforces your readiness to join the fellowship community. A polished video helps reviewers connect with your personality and leadership style.

Engaging References and Advocates

While formal letters are not required, strong references can elevate your application. Reach out to mentors, investors, customers, or ecosystem partners who can vouch for your impact. Provide them with your executive summary, revenue highlights, and social impact metrics so they can speak concretely about your accomplishments. Encourage advocates to comment on your collaborative spirit and willingness to uplift other women entrepreneurs—qualities the Tory Burch Foundation prizes highly.

Leveraging Alumni Insights

Connect with fellowship alumni through LinkedIn, industry events, or small-business associations. Ask about their application strategies, program highlights, and lessons learned. Alumni often share valuable templates for growth plans, budget trackers, or impact measurement frameworks. Incorporating this insider knowledge can sharpen your own submission and demonstrate that you have already begun integrating into the fellowship’s supportive network.

Measuring Impact During the Fellowship

Set quarterly benchmarks for revenue, customer acquisition, team expansion, and social outcomes before the fellowship begins. Use dashboards or project management tools to track progress and share updates with your mentor cohort. If you encounter obstacles, leverage office hours to workshop solutions and adjust targets. Documenting impact in real time ensures that you can showcase tangible results at the end-of-year showcase and in future fundraising pitches.

Paying It Forward

The foundation expects fellows to contribute to a thriving ecosystem. Plan how you will mentor other women founders, share resources, and advocate for inclusive policies. Consider hosting webinars, writing thought-leadership pieces, or partnering with local chambers of commerce to deliver training. By articulating a pay-it-forward plan in your application, you prove that you view the fellowship as a platform for collective progress, not just personal gain.