Get Involved: Field Building Partnership Program

The ESHIP Alliance Field Building Partnership Program brings together leading organizations that provide support, training, tools, and funding for entrepreneurial ecosystem building practitioners across the U.S. Together, we align strategies, strengthen connections, and co-invest in advancing ecosystem building as a recognized professional field.

Interested? Keep reading.

Building the next wave

Ecosystem building is the next wave of economic development—an inclusive, community-driven approach that transforms local economies from the bottom-up. With growing momentum and resources nationwide, we’re at a tipping point for broader impact. Yet this approach won't achieve the widespread impact it promises without shared standards, common language, better metrics, proven practices, and stronger infrastructure to spread them. 

To unlock its full potential, we must build our professional field as intentionally as we build the ecosystems themselves.


Moving forward—together

Through this program, partners convene regularly to share insights, link programs, and collaborate on initiatives that grow the field.  By contributing both monetary and in-kind resources, partners help expand the ESHIP Alliance’s collective efforts, fueling a growing national movement to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems everywhere.

Together, we equip more practitioners to do this work in more communities, ultimately reaching more entrepreneurs at a scale no single organization—or even a single network—could achieve alone.

Who is this for?

Eligibility Criteria:

To qualify for participation in the Field Building Partnerships Program, organizations should meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Be a nonprofit or for-profit National Ecosystem Building Resource Provider (NRP) dedicated to supporting entrepreneurial ecosystem building practitioners by delivering services, programs, tools, research or funding to individuals, organizations, or communities in multiple U.S. states.

  • Be a philanthropic institution, government agency, funder, or aligned stakeholder seeking to advance equitable, place-based economic development at scale throughout the country.

  • Be mission aligned with the ESHIP Alliance’s vision: Expand entrepreneurial opportunities for all, making local, regional, and national economies more resilient, equitable, and vibrant.


Why join us?

By participating as a Field Building Partnership Program, your organization will be positioned as a key driver in shaping the future of equitable, place-based economic development and entrepreneurial ecosystems across the United States.

  • Quarterly Partner Meetings:
    Dedicated sessions to share knowledge, discuss emerging trends, align efforts, build capacity, and collaborate on field-building strategies that advance entrepreneurial ecosystem building.

  • Check-In Calls | Match Making | Peer Sessions
    Regular one-on-one or small group calls – and concierge-like introductions – with ESHIP Alliance leadership to ensure ongoing alignment, updates on initiatives, address shared challenges, and explore opportunities for deeper collaboration and impact.

  • Platform for Communication & Collaboration:
    Exclusive access to the ESHIP Commons, the only national cross-sector digital platform for ecosystem builders and the people who support them. This virtual hub will support capacity building, resource sharing, and peer-to-peer engagement, enabling partners to strengthen their impact individually and collectively.


Program Commitment Levels

To foster collaboration, alignment, and shared learning, the ESHIP Alliance will provide the following engagement opportunities for Field Building Partners

Benefits of becoming a field building partner

Alignment with a National Vision:
Join a 1000+ organization collective movement dedicated expanding entrepreneurial opportunities for all and fostering more vibrant, equitable communities across the country.

Recognition as Field Leaders:
Gain public acknowledgment of your organization’s leadership and commitment to entrepreneurial ecosystem building, with visibility in ESHIP Alliance communications.

Access a National Cross-Sector Network
Connect with a diverse, cross-sector community of ecosystem leaders and like-minded organizations—both national and locally focused—dedicated to supporting entrepreneurial growth in regions across the U.S.

Capacity-Building Resources:
Access tools, frameworks, funding, and shared knowledge to enhance your organization’s programs and initiatives.

Business Development Support:
Amplify your reach and connect with aligned partners, funders, and potential clients through curated networking, visibility opportunities, and shared platforms designed to help Field Building Partners grow their impact and offerings.

Thought Leadership Opportunities:
Share your insights, resources, and innovative practices through ESHIP Alliance’s platforms, elevating your organization’s visibility and influence in the field.

Strategic Collaboration:
Collaborate with other partners to co-create solutions,
pilot innovative approaches, and drive systemic change to advance the practice of entrepreneurial ecosystem building.