Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Program FAQs
We Also Work With Non-Profits to Bring New Ideas And Expertise Into The Department
Not-for-profit organizations can sponsor a paid fellowship to be filled by an individual with a background in entrepreneurship and innovation. These “Innovators-in-Residence” leverage the resources and expertise of both organizations (HHS and the sponsoring organization) during their appointment, to tackle specific challenges in health and the delivery of human services.
The IDEA Lab works with the Innovator-In-Residence and his or her supervisor (the sponsor), and designated HHS mentors to develop a project concept and establish project goals that are mutually agreed upon between HHS and the sponsor.
Innovators-in-Residence are employees of the sponsor organization and participate in government activities through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA). The IPA enables the exchange of talent between government and organizations for a wide array of practices. If an organization has not previously participated in an IPA employee exchange with HHS, an application is submitted and reviewed for approval before the project is started.
If your organization is interested in becoming a sponsoring organization or has additional questions regarding eligibility, please email idealab@hhs.gov.
Contact Information
Will Yang, Interim Program Director – Will.Yang@hhs.gov
EIRs in the news
“How an Entrepreneur-In-residence changes the culture at CMS” by HITECH Answers
“HHS Taking Applications for Entrepreneurs” by Federal Times
“The American Way of Death Data” by Federal Computer Week (featuring EIR Paula Braun & her project)
“An Interview with Greg Downing: Join Forces with Outside Talent” by Federal News Radio
“Government Infecting Itself with Entrepreneurial Spirit” by Techonomy
“HHS Adds New Class of Entrepreneurs-in-Residence” by the Washington Post
“Next Wave of Entrepreneurs Arrives at HHS to Help Tackle Major Healthcare Challenges” by Open Health News
Frequently Asked Questions
It is up to the participating Operating / Staff Division to determine the compensation for the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR). EIRs will be brought in as Term Appointments and will receive the same employee benefits as any other Federal employee:
- Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB);
- Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI);
- Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS); and
- Annual and sick leave.
In order to maximize the effectiveness of the project, we recommend that Entrepreneurs-in-Residence relocate to the project site for the duration of the program. Relocation costs for EIRs have not been covered in the past.
No, the participating Operating or Staff Division must provide funding for the EIR salary, any anticipated travel, and project costs. HHS provides:
- Access to an external talent pool of individuals who do not normally apply for government positions
- Support and visibility of your project at the highest levels of HHS leadership to test your idea and remove barriers
- Access to a network of internal and external innovators, including current and former participants in the HHS Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, HHS Innovator-in-Residence and HHS Ignite programs
- Support and freedom to incorporate new approaches to reduce time, lower cost and improve customer satisfaction for your program/process
- A suite of tools typically not available to staff including a secure cloud environment for app development and testing, and GitHub access
- Assistance with the hiring process for the Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Internal Entrepreneurs will continue to be paid under the same compensation structure prior to joining the HHS EIR Program.
In addition to identifying the project lead and project participants, each team needs to identify an Executive Sponsor for the project, who is typically at the Division Director, Bureau Chief, or Executive Officer level.