What is Black Licorice?
Black Licorice makes early, high‑conviction bets on Indonesian founders tackling maternal malnutrition and the first 1,000 days. Each year, it provides a small cohort of founders with unrestricted capital, intensive coaching, and a peer network, with the goal of turning sharp, hyperlocal NGOs into fundable, high‑performing organizations.
What problem is Black Licorice trying to solve?
Indonesia has no shortage of capable, community‑rooted founders working on maternal health and stunting. The problem is that they are chronically underfunded, under‑governed, and invisible to institutional donors. Big funders say they want “local leadership,” but their systems are built for polished, de‑risked NGOs, not early‑stage founders. Black Licorice fills this gap by giving these leaders the early capital, scaffolding, and visibility they need to grow into serious organizations
How does the model work in practice?
Black Licorice operates like a lean philanthropic venture fund, focused on one country and one problem. Each year it:
- Finds 5 of the most promising Indonesian founders in maternal health and malnutrition, from NTT to Sumatra, Kalimantan, and West Papua.
- Bets early with a one‑year fellowship that includes USD 20,000 in unrestricted funding, two week‑long retreats in Bali, and a structured program on design for impact, strategy, governance, communication, and evidence.
- Builds capacity that matters: real boards, clean budgets and controls, clear theories of change, hard‑edged KPIs, and the skills to navigate donor bureaucracy.
Who are the fellows & how are they selected?
Fellows are typically founders or CEOs of small, Indonesian‑led NGOs working directly on maternal malnutrition and the first 1,000 days. They are nominated, complete a short application and financial template, and then go through interviews and, where promising, field visits. Selection is based on the strength of the idea, evidence of traction, founder grit, and the potential for outsized impact if given capital and coaching.
What do fellows receive?
Each Black Licorice Fellow receives:
- $20,000 USD in unrestricted funding
- Two intensive, week‑long retreats in Bali (covering governance, strategy, metrics, fundraising, and learning from failure)
- A structured year of support focused on design for impact, strategy, governance, and communication
- Access to local and global experts for lectures, coaching, and 1:1 mentoring
- A peer cohort of other Indonesian founders on a similar journey
How is this different from other fellowships or accelerators?
Black Licorice is not about scale or pitch‑decks. Instead we:
- Focuse tightly on one problem (maternal malnutrition/stunting) and one geography (Indonesia).
- Provide unrestricted capital, not project‑restricted grants.
- Invest deeply in governance, financial discipline, and real organizational strategy—not just storytelling.
- Position ourselves explicitly as the “early‑stage regrantor and capacity‑builder” that de‑risks hyperlocal NGOs so that big funders can confidently step in later.
What does success look like by 2030?
By 2030, Black Licorice will have:
- Seeded 25 serious Indonesian‑led organizations focused on maternal health & malnutrition
- Built a pipeline of NGOs with boards, budgets, data, and strategies strong enough to sit comfortably in Mulago, Skoll, Gates or similar portfolios
- Helped create Indonesia’s first tight‑knit ecosystem of maternal health innovators capable of influencing national systems and donor priorities
How does Black Licorice relate to the 1000 Days Fund?
Black Licorice is a venture of the 1000 Days Fund. It leverages 1000 Days’ credibility, know‑how, and unrestricted budget to “fund the future”—channeling resources into early‑stage Indonesian founders long before big philanthropy typically engages, creating a clear pipeline from early seed to larger, longer‑term support.
How much funding does Black Licorice deploy each year?
In 2026, the total budget is USD 225,000, with USD 100,000 going directly as grants to 5 Indonesian founders (USD 20,000 each) and the rest supporting program costs: retreats, coaching, selection, and ecosystem‑building. Over time, as more capital is raised, the goal is to maintain this lean structure while increasing depth and reach.
Why should donors support Black Licorice instead of a single NGO?
Donors who back Black Licorice are not funding one organization; they are buying into a pipeline. Each dollar helps identify, de‑risk, and professionalize multiple hyperlocal NGOs that otherwise would never reach institutional funders. By 2030, the fund will have produced 25 “donor‑ready” organizations, multiplying the impact of early capital and changing who gets to sit at the table in global health and development in Indonesia.