Deadline: July 12, 2026
Applications for the BMO Fellowship 2026 are now open. The BMO Fellowship, powered by Watson Institute, is a fully-funded program for entrepreneurs and small business owners driving economic opportunity in their communities.
Fellows are increasing their communities’ access to formal financial services, tools, and literacy, supporting and enhancing the small business ecosystem in their market, or expanding home ownership opportunities for families locked out of wealth-building pathways. Fellows gain the skills, insights, peer network, and long-term Alumni support needed to drive sustainable impact and growth in their communities.
Benefits
- Business & Leadership Workshops: Participate in 16-weeks of entrepreneurship training led by expert practitioners who are successful entrepreneurs and small business owners themselves, with workshops focused on business acumen and financial literacy.
- Financial Tools & Resources: Access practical financial tools, frameworks, and workshops designed to strengthen your venture’s financial foundation. Benefit from the expertise of practitioners and Watson Institute’s broader network of specialists supporting entrepreneurs at every stage.
- Basecamps: Creating Lasting Impact: Design and lead a comprehensive 1-day entrepreneurship training program (Basecamp) for 20 earlier-stage small business owners in your community. With training, resources, and a community development stipend, you’ll deepen the small business ecosystem in your market.
- Pitch Training & Virtual Summit: Develop and refine a professional, compelling pitch through dedicated training sessions. Present your small business progress and impact at the virtual Summit to community partners, mentors, BMO team members, and potential investors.
Eligibility
- You are a small business owner or community leader deeply committed to creating sustainable, scalable impact. You are advancing economic resilience, expanding access to opportunity, and strengthening local economies through your business. Your work aligns with one of the following:
- Bringing formal financial services to underbanked communities: Providing access to financial services, tools, and literacy
- Supporting small businesses: Enhancing the small business ecosystem in your market
- Expanding home ownership opportunities: Creating pathways to home ownership for families locked out of wealth-building
- You have an entrepreneurial spirit, a growth mindset, and are driven to grow as an effective leader.
- You are located in and creating impact within BMO’s priority markets: Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, and Denver
- Your business or organization has been operating for 1-5 years with fewer than 10 employees. You have engaged customers, measurable results, and have secured some funding through grants, investments, donations, or revenue, and you’re ready to grow to the next level. (All legal business structures welcome: for profit, nonprofit, social enterprise, etc.).
- Adults 18 or older.
- You must be able to commit to the full 16-week program, including the mandatory virtual Immersive and weekly workshops held Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Mountain Time. They prioritize participants who are fully committed to active engagement throughout the entire program. The program’s success depends on building a strong community where all participants are enthusiastic about both learning and sharing their experiences with others.
- You seek entrepreneurial training led by expert practitioners, committed mentorship from Watson Institute’s network, connections to national sources of capital and BMO’s small business ecosystem, a supportive community for feedback, and opportunities to challenge yourself by leading a Basecamp training program that supports 20 earlier-stage small business owners in your community. You bring an entrepreneurial spirit and growth mindset to this work.
Application
Candidates complete the online application in approximately 30 minutes. Submit by the priority deadline of July 12, 2026, for early consideration. Applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled.
For more information, visit BMO Fellowship.
