FMS Training

The Launchpad to a Purpose-Driven Career

“FMS was a door-opening opportunity for me; it allowed me to transition from the technology sector into the impact investing field, which was exactly what I wanted going in. That said, it just opened the door — when I walked through, I realized that I needed more experience and more credible technical/financial skills to excel in this field, which led me to apply to graduate school. All of that said, FMS was well worth the investment, and I don’t think I would be in the program I’m in today had I not done it.” -Mike Ilardi

The award-winning FMS program provides intensive two-week certificate trainings that prepare participants for careers in impact investing and social venture management. The training curriculum combines lectures, co-creative projects, and experiential learning facilitated by leading social entrepreneurs and investors. After the training, participants have the opportunity to become candidates for a competitive two- to 12-month fellowship in global hotspots for social enterprise. The field placement fellowship option is a key part of a self-sustaining ecosystem for social enterprise development and investment, designed to enable entrepreneurs in the “missing middle,” those ventures that are too large to receive microfinance funds, and those that are too small to attract traditional venture funding.


Training (Sample schedule from January 2018)



January 8              Social Enterprise and Impact Investing (Ross Baird, President and Founder, Village Capital)
January 9              Social Venture Ecosystems Across the Globe (Sid Mofya, Director of Partnerships at
                              Draper Venture Networks)
January 10 – 11     Impact Capital Stacks and Management Strategies (Eric Maltzer, Director at Medora 
                              Ventures)
January 12            Unique Considerations for Social Enterprise Business Model Designs (Yuwei Shi,
                              Professor at MIIS)
January 15 – 16    Challenges and Approaches to Scaling Social Enterprises (Alex Lazarow, Principal at
                              Omidyar Network)
January 17 – Building Cross-sector Impact Metrics (Amit Sharma, Director at Empowerment Capital)
January 18 – 19 – Getting Real About Impact: The New Economics of Social Change (Morgan Simon, Managing Director at Pi Investments)


Tuition and Fees 

General: $4,000 USD*
MIIS and Middlebury Students: $1,000 USD*

Full and partial merit scholarship rates for the training are available.

Participants may choose to apply for the training program or both the training and field programs. Participants will receive a professional certificate in Social Enterprise Management and Impact Investing upon successful completion of either chosen program. Successfully completion of the training is required to become a fellowship candidate. However, there is no additional cost to enroll in the competitive fellowship program.

A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due upon acceptance of your application.
*Fee includes tuition, career advising, networking events, and light breakfast/snacks served during the training.