Action Plan: The business plan that all Venturers must complete before starting their Venture.

Ally: A non-controlling adult who has agreed to help mentor and support a specific Venture.

• Technical Ally: A non-controlling adult who specializes in a specific field who has agreed to answer the technical questions of a specific team. (Example: An engineer helping answer the questions of a robotics team)

Ashoka: Ashoka’s Youth Venture (a primary partner to the program based out of DC)

Cause: A problem or need in a community that a Venture has decided to help fix.

Champion: The staff liaison of a partner school who is responsible for running the UWYV program at the school.

Changemaker: A term coined by the social entrepreneurship organization, Ashoka, meaning one who desires change in the world and, by gathering knowledge and resources, makes that change happen. To learn more, click here.

MWCC: Mount Wachusett Community College

Outreach Specialist: A UWYV staff member whose responsibility is to visit each partner site on a weekly basis to support the Champion and mentor the Venturers.

Panel: The presentation of the Venture to a group of community leaders and experts who will determine if the Venture is ready to start and how much seed funding they should receive.

• Mock Panel: A trial panel experience in which Venturers present to UWYV staff to get feedback in preparation for the real panel.

Partner Site: A school that has partnered with the UWYV to implement the program for their students.

Pay It Forward: A Each Venture team donates 10% of all annually raised funds to go toward the seed funding of future Ventures at their school.

Revolving Fund: The pool of money that each partner site grows from unused seed funding and Pay It Forward funds to use towards future Venture seed funding in following years.

Seed Funding: The one-time initial funding that a Venture receives from panel to help them start their project.

UWYV: United Way Youth Venture

Venture: A group of two or more students who work together to use their passions and skills to help solve a problem they see in the world today.

• Launched Venture: A Venture which has been approved by a panel.
• Pipeline Venture: A Venture which is has not yet gone to panel.
• Project-Based Venture: A Venture that has an end goal or date and does not need to continue.
• Sustainable Venture: A Venture that can continue on an annual basis

Venturer: A student who is a member of a UWYV team.