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“People think that design is styling. Design is not style. It’s not about giving shape to the shell and not giving a damn about the guts. Good design is a renaissance attitude that combines technology, cognitive science, human need, and beauty to produce something that the world didn’t know it was missing.”
—Paola Antonelli

Upcoming Events

June 4th

2012 Fellows announced!

June 21st

2011 Fellows Closing Circle

June 28th

DI Summer Fundraiser Kicks-Off!

August 4th

2012 Fellowship Training in Bangalore

 

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Host a Fellow

“The partnership with DI has shown us the difference between scientific research and social design. After partnering with DI we now have the ability to use locally available resources to create tools that reduce the burden of the rural poor.”

J. Elango, ODAM Secretary

Design Impact partners with organizations interested in bringing design expertise into their project areas. Organizations gain not only full-time professional designers to expand and explore their creative ideas for social change, but also the experience of the Design Impact consultant network that brings experienced engineering, marketing, and business expertise to their project.

Design Impact places fellows that have the appropriate background for specific projects identified by the partner organization. Each fellow works on-the-ground with the partner organizations for six months. Design Impact remains a partner from the projects' initial idea to implementation, placing as many fellows as are required during the project.

Costs associated with a design fellow are set up on a sliding scale. Smaller partner organizations are expected at minimum to support the fellows' room and board, supply staff hours to the project, and cover any prototyping costs.

 

Partner Organizations recieve...

  • a full-time design oriented staff member
  • connection to DI's network of consultants
  • international recognition and online presence through project's development

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    Partner Organizations need to supply...

    • a minimum 20 hours of staff time per week
    • an ability and desire to implement project at local level
    • a monthly report on project/fellow status
    • room and board costs for fellow
  • work related travel support

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    Partner Organizations should...

    • be located in India
    • be working closely with a local community to affect social change
    • have been in existence for at least 5 years
    • demonstrate an openness to innovative thinking in at least one area of their programming
  • have an identified area of opportunity that they would like to explore with Design Impact

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    Partnering process...

    • We are looking for partners on an ongoing basis. For more information on becoming a Design Impact partner organization, please contact: kate@d-impact.org