We take you from idea to pitch#

DifferenceCorps takes you from idea to pitch, not much more. Over six months, we help you shape a concept into a tested, fundable, pitch-ready project, then put you in front of the right room at BUILD. If you already have a solid idea, and may have even launched it (or parts of it), we help you develop and refine the pitch for a larger and more sophisticated audience.

We are deliberately not a full-scale incubator. Think of DifferenceCorps as a nudge: structure, feedback, modest support, deadlines, and a stage to showcase your work.

Orientation#

Your cohort begins with a required orientation session before your first cycle (date and details shared after acceptance). We'll walk through how the program works, introduce our team and your fellow Corps members, and set expectations for the six months ahead, including how support works, our attendance policy, and what BUILD asks of you (all covered below). Come with questions.

Meetings happen on Fridays#

All regular program meetings such as check-ins, feedback sessions, and workshops are generally held on Fridays. Friday is the time we've found works best for our members and for our team. Meetings can be attended remotely.

After each Friday meeting, our team sticks around for open office hours. Drop in for help on your project, quick questions, or a gut check before your next step.

Attendance#

DifferenceCorps is light-touch, which makes the few meetings we hold matter. We invest in you and we ask that you invest in us. Therefore, attendance is required and the schedule is released months in advance. If you miss two meetings, you may be removed from the

program.

BUILD is in person#

BUILD, our annual gathering each March in Downtown Los Angeles, where Corps members pitch their work to funders, journalists, community leaders, and policymakers - happens in person. Because we recruit primarily from communities across Southern California, we do not provide transportation or lodging for BUILD. Please plan for it early.

Basecamp#

All of your work will be done on Basecamp. It is the platform our community uses for communication, file storage and transfer and project management. Aside from exigent circumstances, we do not communicate via text, email etc., We encourage you to use Basecamp to chat with your fellow DifferenceCorps members, our team and the wider Difference Engine community. You can do privately via pings, or publicly using Chats or Message Boards. Learn more about Basecamp here.

Working with student workers#

Some projects receive support from ASU student workers such as research, coding, design, data analysis. Students are there to help you with small, concrete parts of your work and work is supervised by our staff.

• Students are supplementary helpers, not staff. Think of them as interns: talented and motivated, but learning as they go.
• Their class schedules come first. Availability rises and falls with the academic calendar (midterms, finals, breaks).
• Support depends on each student's skills and availability, and it is not unlimited.