Frequently Asked Questions

None of the employees, board members (and funders) of The School for Moral Ambition have interests in the Tobacco or Vaping industry, nor the Tobacco-Control sector. Two of our Board members (Heleen Dura van Oord and Edmond Hilhorst) invested in funds with sustainable protein companies in their portfolio. The Board of SMA is not involved in the selection of topics for fellowships. The fellowship topics are selected according to an independent research process and decided on by the management of the School.

The selection process is skill-based, focusing on the relevant skills crucial for success in the role rather than just academic credentials. After the initial application, the process includes a three-hour skill test, a 45 minute online interview focusing on case scenarios and personal fit, and a final one-hour interview with a potential host organisation.

Moral Ambition Fellowships are an opportunity to radically transform your career and be prepared to contribute at the highest level to urgent global issues. The fellowship is a seven-month program, including a one-month intensive training that sharpens you into an effective advocate for positive change, followed by a six-month placement at a leading NGO or think tank working in the field of a Tobacco Free Future or Food Transition.

You can apply for the second edition of the EU fellowship during the application round from April 2 to May 12, 2025. The first round of application will take approximately 1.5 hours.

By the end of the program, fellows are expected to have developed comprehensive skills in advocacy, made substantial contributions to their field, and prepared a foundation for a career focused on making a difference in global issues related to their fellowship topic area.

During our selection process we focus on skills instead of traditional credentials.The School for Moral Ambition embraces diversity and inclusion, welcoming applicants of all races, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, national origins, abilities, and other diverse backgrounds.

The success of the fellowships is measured by the impact of the fellows work and their continued contribution to their respective fields after the fellowship, relative to the costs invested in the fellowship program.

We will financially and logistically support temporary relocation to your placement location. We are also exploring options for shared housing for our fellows.

Yes, fellows receive expert guidance at their placement organizations and have the opportunity to listen to inspiring guest speakers, enhancing their learning and professional development during the fellowship. SMA will also provide the fellows with independent professional coaching to facilitate the career change.

Yes, there is. After the first edition of the fellowship we started our alumni network for our fellows.

The 2025 EU Fellowships will focus on two key themes: A Tobacco-Free Future and The Food Transition. We are also partnering with Ambitious Impact on the Founding to Give program. Additionally, we are planning to launch a U.S. Food System Reform Fellowship and a Global Tax Fairness Fellowship.

Fellows are well positioned to continue their careers in the fields of the programs using the skills and networks developed during the fellowship.

Last year 653 people applied for 22 positions across 2 fellowships.

Fellows may work on a variety of projects depending on their background, including writing evidence-based studies and position papers, engaging with policymakers, coalition-building or networking to further their careers post-fellowship.

We plan to add, dependent on funding, one new topic on a yearly basis

During their six-month placement, fellows receive continuous support from their host organization and the fellowship program. This includes professional guidance, mentorship, and regular cohort meetings to discuss progress and share learnings.

The fellowship program carefully matches fellows with host organisations to ensure alignment of goals and skills. Fellows are integrated into their teams with planned orientations and are supported throughout their placement to maximize both their impact and their learning experience.

Yes, it is possible that you get rejected on one of the application rounds. However, we welcome you to apply for our Moral Ambition Fellowship in the future.

No, there is no job guarantee after the fellowship. Your fellowship will have equipped you with many desired skills and many contacts to organisations and funders. You must find your own place after the fellowship.

Some fellows can stay at their host organisation after the fellowship, but there is no guarantee for that. Other fellows can apply to jobs in NGO's, thinktank or lobby organisations. Some fellows start their own NGO after the fellowship.

Previous backgrounds included consultants, researchers, medical doctors, laywers, marketeers, NGO leaders, entrepeneurs and lobbyists / advocates. However, we welcome candidates from various backgrounds with relevant work experience and transferable skills related to the fellowship program.

Moral Ambition Circles are for anyone determined to improve lives by tackling the world’s most critical challenges. Whether you’re taking your first big step toward impact or already leading at a high level and know you can contribute more, a Circle gives you the structured, peer‑led support to turn moral ambition into measurable results.Participants commit to eight sessions of 2–3 hours each, plus roughly 2–3 hours of preparation before every meeting.

Initially, the program focuses primarily on donation potential: participants pledge to donate at least 50% of their personal proceeds if they exit their company. This emphasis was chosen because we identified a lack of available capital for high-impact initiatives during the first year of SMA's existence. However, we are definitely open to founders building direct impact ventures — startups that create positive change themselves.

We’ll keep you informed and may offer other ways to contribute to the cause or connect you to aligned efforts.

Our fellowships and founder programs are designed to strengthen existing orgs by injecting talent and channeling new funding.

Yes. We’ll notify you and explore ways to keep you engaged in related work.

We value grassroots work deeply. We support it via Moral Ambition Circles, but our programs focus on policy and entrepreneurship

We believe these are the most powerful levers for systemic change, policy can shift institutions, and entrepreneurship drives innovation and can create funding sources at scale

Professionals allowed to work in the EU, U.S., Canada, or the U.K., preferably with experience in tax law, economics, or communications.

All programs require a full-time commitment

If you still have questions after reading the FAQ you can reach out to our US Director Felix Tabary (felix@moralambition.org)

The fellowship includes 1 month of intensive training and 6 months of full-time paid placement. Training will cover tax justice fundamentals, advocacy strategies, and network-building for impact.

We collaborate with host organisations in Europe, the US, and Canada. You will be placed based on the regions where you are legally allowed to work.

Relocation might not be required. Fellows may be placed across the U.S. depending on their project.

Fellows will be placed in leading organizations working on global tax justice. Projects may involve policy advocacy, research, communications campaigns, or building coalitions for a global wealth tax.

Stipends will be available, with the amount varying based on your location. The ballpark figure we can give is around 5000 USD per month

The program requires a full-time commitment

Projects may include state-level food policy reform, reshaping food systems to promote environmental sustainability, improve public health, and enhance animal welfare.

The fellowships are expected to start in late 2025 or early 2026, depending on funding.

U.S. citizens or permanent residents who want to make a career shift into food system reform.

We review applications on a rolling basis, so we recommend applying as early as possible. The early application deadline is June 23, 2025.

We are still fundraising for the programs and we don't know the exact start dates. Therefore we didn't want to ask you to complete a longer application.

After the incubator phase, participants can continue to receive mentorship and may connect with networks that provide seed funding, ongoing advice, and community support.

You can contact Jacintha Baas from our partner organisation AIM: jacintha@charityentrepreneurship.com

The Founding to Give Program is operated by Ambitious Impact (AIM), in partnership with the School for Moral Ambition (SMA). AIM leads program design, selection, and delivery; SMA supports outreach.

All founders pledge to donate at least 50% of their personal proceeds over $900K from a future exit to effective charities.

The next program starts January 5, 2026. The first month is in-person, followed by two months remote.

It includes a short form, intro interview, test task, and partner interview. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Highly ambitious builders ready to launch a high-growth tech company and want to donate a portion of future exit proceeds to effective charities. We welcome technical talent, founders, and domain experts from across the world.

We provide a 3-month stipend, cover flights and housing during the in-person phase, and connect you to aligned capital. We do not take equity.

We support high-growth, tech-enabled startups, with or without direct impact. We’re particularly excited about healthtech, edtech, emerging markets, and fintech ideas.

No. Most participants start without a team or idea. The program helps you find cofounders and explore promising ideas during the first phase.

We would love to welcome you to our Community Platform — the space where ambitious idealists from around the world come together to connect and collaborate. Once you're in, you can:Explore the Requests Page to offer or ask for supportJoin events (online and offline) that spark action and reflectionDiscover and connect with members working on similar topicsShare your own project and story through your profileYou can sign up here: https://community.moralambition.org/signup

We regularly post open roles on our vacancies page. Explore what’s currently available via this link. Nothing that fits your talents or wishes? Join or start a Moral Ambition Circle to connect with other community members who are looking for their best way to make a difference. You can read more about the program here or explore it through our community onboarding.

To help you find what you’re looking for, we invite you to post your request on the Requests page of our community platform. It’s the place where morally ambitious people come together to exchange support, ideas, and meaningful connections.You can use the page to ask for advice, look for a collaborator, seek a connection, or offer support yourself.

No, you don’t — although you’re welcome to. You can choose to rotate the host role, so that each member takes a turn facilitating a session. This not only eases the pressure on the Circle starter, but also gives everyone a chance to contribute in a meaningful way.

By signing up on our community platform — you can do that via this link: https://community.moralambition.org/signup.

Once you're in, you can:

• Explore the Requests Page to offer or ask for support
• Join events that spark action and reflection
• Discover and connect with members working on similar topics
• Share your own project and story through your profile

If you want to start a Circle, the first step is to complete the Circle Starter Training. This training helps you internalize the material and prepares you to confidently guide your own Circle. Also, you will connect with other Circle starters from around the globe! Once you've completed the training, you'll be invited to the Circle Pioneer Club — a dedicated sub-community on our platform where Circle starters connect and support each other.

We use all feedback to continuously improve the Circle program. In fact, we're already on the third version — shaped by the insights and experiences of those who came before you.

Absolutely! There are countless challenges worth working on. To help you focus your efforts, we use the SSS framework — Sizable, Solvable, and Sorely Overlooked — to guide you in identifying which global problem you might take on. As a Circle participant, you’ll gain access to all related materials and recommendations.

Yes. Circles are grounded in the “5 C’s”: Confidentiality, Commitment, Curiosity, Courage, and Challenge. These principles are essential to building a safe and supportive space. Throughout the program, you'll regularly reflect on them, and various exercises are designed to strengthen the 5 C’s within your group.

The program consists of 3 modules, each with three sessions. We recommend planning 2 to 3 weeks between each session. However, there are also optional extra sessions you can add — so you’re free to extend the journey if you like.

On average, preparing for a session takes about 2 to 3 hours — and we ask that you take this seriously. If you’re also leading the session, add roughly another hour for facilitation. The sessions themselves last between 2 and 3 hours.

No. The School for Moral Ambition is a non-profit foundation that offers the program free of charge. Leading a Circle is a voluntary commitment — it’s not a paid role.

Yes — the school offers a comprehensive curriculum free of charge. It includes a guide and slide decks for all sessions of the program. This serves as the foundation for your Circle meetings. Of course, you’re free to adapt and personalize it — it’s your process!

We’ve chosen a model that gives everyone free access to all materials. This way, we keep the threshold for participation as low as possible — so anyone who feels called can join.

All royalties from the book and from Rutger Bregman's lectures on the book go to The School for Moral Ambition. You can find the contract between Rutger’s BV and Stichting School for Moral Ambition here.

We truly appreciate it when participants share their experiences. After each session, you'll have the opportunity to provide your feedback. Your insights help us enhance the Circle program for everyone involved.

When putting your Circle together, we recommend considering two things: location — can you meet in person? — and the ambition level of the people you invite. It helps if you're on the same page when it comes to your drive and goals.

First, create an account on our platform via this link https://community.moralambition.org/signup. Then, we recommend joining a Community Onboarding Session to get started.If you decide to start your own Circle, the next step is to complete the Circle Starter Training. This training gives you everything you need to confidently guide your own Circle.After completing the training, you will be ready to start your Circle — and you will get access to our Circle Pioneers Club: a dedicated space on the platform with events, exclusive resources, and a private forum to support and inspire each other.

As a Circle Starter, you're generally responsible for finding your own location.The ideal space is quiet, enclosed, and allows you to sit in a real Circle—ideally with access to a screen.Here are some tips for finding a good location:At your workplace: Ask if you can use a meeting room in the evenings.Rotate weekly: Host the first session at your home, then ask others to take turns hosting.Community spaces: Libraries or neighborhood centers often offer affordable rooms for social initiatives.Commercial venues: Some professional meeting spaces offer discounts for initiatives with social impact.

The main sources of income for the foundation are donations from morally ambitious entrepreneurs and foundations who support our mission. Additionally, Rutger donates all income from the sale of his book Moral Ambition and from his lectures on moral ambition.

No, we don’t. We did receive positive feedback from students who have completed the Moral Ambition Circle program. Are you a student interested in joining? You're very welcome to try it — and we’d love to hear about your experience! Please start by joining the Moral Ambition Community. Here you can find more morally ambitious students - and others!

The School for Moral Ambition was founded by Rutger Bregman (author of the book Moral Ambition), Julia van Boven (Community Director), Harald Dunnink (Creative Director), and Jan-Willem van Putten (Fellowship Director).

Join the Moral Ambition Community Platform and either start or join a Moral Ambition Circle—a peer‑led group of six to eight ambitious idealists who help one another turn moral ambition into action. The platform gives you step‑by‑step resources to organise your Circle and connects you with members who share your drive for impact. Create your profile and get started at community.moralambition.org/

We encourage everyone within their own company or organization to pursue their moral ambition. Learning more about moral ambition can be done by reading the book Moral Ambition and by participating in Moral Ambition Circles. For now, we are not entering into direct collaborations, but this may change in the future.

We work in accordance of applicable legislation in this area, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Furthermore, we handle the personal data of participants and stakeholders with care.

The book is currently available in Dutch. You can buy the book at your favorite book retailer. For example, in the kiosk of De Correspondent or at your local bookstore.

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Upcoming translations:

Finnish: October 2024

German: November 12, 2024

English (UK/US): Spring 2025

French: September 2025

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The publication dates of other editions are not yet confirmed. Translation rights have been sold to 17 countries.

For contributions to lectures or events, we recommend emailing us at info@moralambition.org.

Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn.

We have published our policy plan in accordance with ANBI regulations on our website moreleambitie.nl. Annual reports will also be published here with the first one in June 2025.

For substantive questions or comments about the book, you can email post@decorrespondent.nl.

For questions not addressed in the FAQ, you can contact us directly at fellowship@moralambition.org. We also periodically host webinars during the application period.

For complaints, it's best to contact The School for Moral Ambition directly via info@moralambition.org.

The topics were chosen through an extensive research process using the Impact-Neglectedness-Tractability framework, supplemented by assessing whether a small cohort of talented individuals could make a significant impact. These topics were identified as both urgent and actionable, where focused efforts could lead to meaningful change.

We strive to mobilize talented individuals to address the greatest global challenges. Also see our seven core principles.

The fellowship program carefully matches fellows with host organizations to ensure alignment of goals and skills. Fellows are integrated into their teams with planned orientations and are supported throughout their placement to maximize both their impact and their learning experience.

We work according to our seven principles. These guide how we interact with each other.

During the training program Fellows will be able to interact with experts in the field. In the placement period Fellows work together during regular cohort meetings where they discuss learnings and attend seminars. Through their placement organizations they will get the opportunity to interact with experts in the field.

You need an EU or EEA citizenship and/or permanent residence to be eligble for the program.

Yes, fellows receive a monthly salary of 3800 gross for seven months, to support their participation in the fellowship. For more affluent participants, it is possible to waive (part of) the salary.

Within the EU Fellows receive a monthly salary of 3800 gross per month, financial assistance in case of temporary relocation, professional guidance, and the opportunity to work on impactful projects at influential NGOs or think tanks. They also gain invaluable networking opportunities and one month of skill training that prepare them for continued careers in their chosen fields.

The program is aimed at people with around 8 years of work experience. Five years of relevant work experience is the minimum required.

The fellowship lasts for seven months, with the EU Fellowships (Food + Tobacco) starting on September 1 and ending on April 1.

Fellows undergo a one-month intensive training from top trainers, learning about effective advocacy, the specific problem area they will work on, and receiving lessons from the best guest speakers in the industry. There will be an on-site week in The Netherlands, two weeks of group-research and a final week of on-site training in Brussels. The curriculum is designed to prepare them to be effective leaders in their respective fields. Learning will continue during the placements at host organisations through weekly exchanges and lectures on Fridays.

No, as this is a career-transitioning program, prior experience in these fields is not required. We recruit talent with relevant transferable skills (such as advocacy, policy work, consulting or research) related to the program.

Our fellowship is unique in a few aspects: 1) it focuses on lowering the barrier of career shifting towards impactful job sectors for mid career professionals, 2) it uses a targeted focus on one specific global challenge per program with a well researched theory of change, and 3) it builds on existing policy infrastructure with pre-selected host organizations that enable you to have direct impact and to build relevant career capital for a career switch.

Yes, absolutely. We have the most experience with in‑person Circles, but we’ve also received very positive feedback from people who participate in online‑only Circles. You can find peers on the Moral Ambition Community Platform.

Fellows are offered a temporary job contract with us, using employer of record Remote. Fellows are entitled to a monthly salary of €3800 pre-tax and 15 vacation days for the duration of this contract. The specific contract content, net salary and subsequent legal employee benefits are dependent on the location of work.

Yes, definitely! Just keep in mind that this requires more from you than just participating or leading the Circle. As a participant, expect to spend about three hours of preparation per meeting. To lead your Circle effectively, we recommend setting aside two hours of preparation time per meeting.Additionally, it's important to ensure that you don't take up too much space as a participant while leading your Circle. We advise you to ask one of your participants to help monitor the time.