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Partners
An overview of where the Institute is going, what it costs to get there, and how partners play a role in making it happen.
Inaugural cohort selected and convened. First Atlantic crossing completed.
From eight fellows to a self-sustaining network of sixty or more across the Western world.
Launching under fiscal sponsorship. Independent 501(c)(3) application in 2026.
US, UK, Canada anchoring an expanding network across Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific.
The Plan
Three years to an institution.
The Archipelago Institute is being built as a permanent institution, not a programme that expires. The first three years establish the core infrastructure: the fellowship model, the network, the convening calendar, and the financial independence to sustain all of it.
The founding year is about proving the model. A small, high-quality inaugural cohort. Two Atlantic crossings. One annual convening. Establishing the Meridian directory as a living asset.
- Q1 Advisory board constituted from senior figures in policy, media, and civil society across the US, UK, and Canada
- Q2 Inaugural cohort of 8–12 Meridian Fellows selected by nomination and review
- Q3 First Atlantic crossing: North American fellows travel to the UK for structured immersions
- Q4 Founding annual convening. UK fellows travel to North America. Meridian directory formally launched.
The second year expands geography and deepens the program. A second cohort is selected, including the first fellows from Europe and the Pacific. The Institute files for independent 501(c)(3) status and begins building an endowment base.
- Q1 Second cohort selection opens. First outreach to European and Pacific partner networks.
- Q2 501(c)(3) application filed. Major donor programme formalised.
- Q3 Expanded Atlantic crossing program. European immersion pilot added for select fellows.
- Q4 Second annual convening. Ideas platform launched with fellow-authored publications.
By year three, the Institute has a directory of sixty or more fellows across the Western world, an independent legal structure, and a sustainable funding model that does not depend on any single donor. The network runs itself.
- Q1 Third cohort includes fellows from Latin America and additional European countries.
- Q2 Endowment campaign launched. Target: three years of operating costs in reserve.
- Q3 Full four-direction crossing program operational: US/CA to UK, UK to North America, North America to Europe, Europe to North America.
- Q4 Third annual convening. Institute operates with financial independence from any single founding donor.
Financials
What it costs to do this properly.
The Institute is designed to be lean. Costs are concentrated in program delivery: the crossings, the convening, and the modest operational infrastructure needed to run a serious fellowship. No large staff. No expensive office. Every dollar goes to the network.
Year One
$350,000 – $450,000
- Atlantic crossings (2 directions)$80,000
- Annual convening$60,000
- Fellow stipends and travel support$80,000
- Operations, legal, fiscal sponsorship$70,000
- Communications and platform$30,000
- Advisory board and recruitment$30,000
Year Two
$500,000 – $650,000
- Expanded crossing program$120,000
- Annual convening$70,000
- Fellow stipends and travel support$120,000
- Operations and legal (501c3 filing)$90,000
- Ideas platform and publications$50,000
- European pilot immersion$50,000
Year Three
$700,000 – $900,000
- Four-direction crossing program$200,000
- Annual convening$80,000
- Fellow stipends and travel support$160,000
- Operations and endowment campaign$120,000
- Ideas platform and publications$70,000
- Latin America and Pacific expansion$70,000
Partnership
What partnership means.
The Institute is not a transactional organisation. Partners are not buying a logo placement. They are investing in a network that will matter, and they are doing it early enough that their support is genuinely founding.
Founding Partner
$100,000+
- Named founding partner in perpetuity
- Direct relationship with the executive director
- Invitation to participate in fellow selection process
- Two reserved seats at each annual convening
- Private briefing on network activity twice per year
Program Partner
$25,000 – $100,000
- Named partner in annual report and convening materials
- One reserved seat at the annual convening
- Annual briefing from the executive director
- Access to the Meridian directory
Network Supporter
$5,000 – $25,000
- Acknowledged in Institute communications
- Invitation to annual convening as a guest
- Access to the Ideas platform archive
Get in Touch
Ready to talk?
All partnership conversations begin with a direct conversation. We are not a foundation with a grants portal. If you are interested in supporting the Institute, write to us.
contact@thearchipelagos.org