Introduction

How do you take a passionate grassroots leader and transform them into a strategic, scale-ready Changemaker? That’s the core purpose behind the GAP Intensive — a 14-month leadership journey designed by Global Action on Poverty (GAP) to help individuals working to eradicate poverty move from intention to impact.

Since its inception, the GAP Intensive has supported 125+ Changemakers across India and beyond, helping them grow their initiatives, unlock funding, and build powerful partnerships. But what happens behind the scenes in this flagship program? Let’s take a closer look.

The Structure: 14 Months of Transformation

The GAP Intensive is not a typical accelerator or workshop. It is a holistic, immersive experience that combines personal reflection, ecosystem immersion, and strategic planning with intense community and mentorship support.

Here’s how the journey unfolds:

1. Immersion & Self-Discovery (Month 1–3)
   The first phase focuses on helping Changemakers reflect on their leadership identity, personal purpose, and social problem statement. Through curated exercises and coaching, they begin to see their story in the context of systems change.
2. Problem Clarity & System Mapping (Month 4–5)
   Many social entrepreneurs work in complex spaces — education, climate, health, livelihoods — where challenges are interlinked. This phase helps them break down their problem into root causes, actors, and forces. Tools like Theory of Change, Value Chain Analysis, and Human-Centered Design are introduced.
3. Growth Planning & Strategy Design (Month 6–9)
   Changemakers create their “Mission Roadmap” — a focused plan outlining where they want to be in 3 years and how to get there. Strategy experts, finance professionals, and domain mentors step in during this time to refine budgets, outreach, and team planning.
4. External Engagement & Showcasing (Month 10–13)
   From pitching at GAP events to securing partners via GAP Accelerate, Changemakers are guided to present their initiative professionally. A 360° feedback loop from coaches, peers, and funders prepares them for scale.
5. Graduation & Beyond (Month 14+)
   At the final GAP Annual Gathering, each Changemaker showcases their growth and future vision. But graduation is not an end — it marks the beginning of their alumni journey. They continue to receive mentorship, attend learning labs, and give back to new cohorts.

Coaching: The Game-Changer

Each Changemaker is assigned one or two professional coaches. These are not mere advisors — they are deep listeners, experienced in navigating complexity, and skilled in unlocking leadership potential. Coaching sessions happen monthly and are often cited as the most transformative part of the program.

In the words of Anjali Sinha, GAP Class of 2020:

“My coach didn’t give me answers — she asked me questions that changed how I saw myself. I went from being a founder to a systems leader.”

Peer Learning: Community over Competition

The GAP Intensive is intentionally designed as a cohort-based experience. That means you’re never walking the journey alone.

Cohort members:

• Share monthly reflections in circles
• Troubleshoot challenges in virtual huddles
• Exchange tools and contacts
• Co-create solutions across domains

This solidarity becomes one of the strongest anchors in the Changemaker’s life — long after the program ends.

Real Impact, Real Growth

Here are a few examples of what GAP Intensive alumni have achieved during or after the program:

• Increased reach from 3 villages to 18 in 14 months (Annapoorna Collective)
• Built a team from 2 to 10 and onboarded full-time operations lead (Sankalp Health)
• Raised ₹18 Lakhs in CSR & crowdfunding (EcoArtisans)
• Won awards from Google, Echoing Green, and Social Alpha (multiple alumni)

The GAP team ensures that every Changemaker gets what they uniquely need — not what looks good in a cookie-cutter accelerator.

What Makes the GAP Intensive Unique?

• Combines inner transformation with outer execution
• Values deep community, not just funding
• Anchored in Gandhi Ashram principles: simplicity, listening, co-creation
• Prioritizes long-term sustainability over short-term vanity metrics
• Fully subsidized for participants, ensuring access across backgrounds

How to Apply

The program runs once a year. Applications open between October and December and include:

• Written application
• Short video introduction
• Two reference letters
• Phone interview with the GAP team

GAP looks for:
✓ Clarity of purpose
✓ Commitment to grassroots impact
✓ Openness to learn and collaborate
✓ At least 2 years of on-ground work

Conclusion: It’s Not Just a Program — It’s a Pathway

The GAP Intensive is a space where dreams are structured, leaders are grown, and impact is multiplied. It is where someone solving for malnutrition in Jharkhand meets someone digitizing panchayats in Tamil Nadu — and together they imagine a new future.

It’s not easy. It’s not flashy. But it’s real.
It’s what impact looks like when people grow roots before they grow wings.