Applications are open for the Roddenberry Foundation Catalyst Fund 2022. The Catalyst Fund makes grants to anyone, anywhere in the world who has an early-stage idea or project that addresses pressing global challenges.
The Catalyst Funds
- Early Stage: The Catalyst Fund is designed for modest and/or early-stage concepts and projects that require funding to get off the ground or demonstrate their viability. Catalyst grantees are frequently testing the waters, entering uncharted territory, preparing to launch, or changing course.
- Big Ideas: The Catalyst Fund backs innovative concepts or initiatives that challenge the current quo and force us to reframe problems and their solutions. These large concepts have a great chance of affecting an entire neighborhood, city, or nation. They frequently make use of already-existing infrastructure, expand on public and private partnerships, and enhance what is already in place. Big ideas challenge the status quo and push the envelope.
- Bold Vision: The Catalyst Fund assists people with bold change-related goals. Catalyst award recipients have a vision for how to get there and what has to be done. They seek out major, long-term effect. They are able to explain why they want to improve the world and how they intend to do it. Others are motivated by and given hope for a brighter future by their vision.
Funding
- Requests submitted through the Catalyst Fund range from $2,500 to $15,000. Requests above $15k will be automatically disqualified. Align your request with what you need — if you need $7k, don’t ask for $12k. In deciding how much to request, consider how much funding you need right now and how you will use it to advance your idea.
Eligibility
Grants are given by The Catalyst Fund to anyone, wherever. You could be starting out or have 25 years of experience. You might be employed by a for-profit business, a social venture, a non-profit organization, a team, or yourself. Each applicant, in order to be qualified:
- Be 18 years of age or older. You should be 18 years old at the time of submitting your application. If you will turn 18 in the estimated window for receiving a response to your application—just wait a little bit longer. They are happy to read your application when you turn 18.
- Submit an application in English. While they welcome proposals from all over the globe, the Foundation asks that you submit your application in English. This gives them the best capability to understand your work and the nuances of your proposal.
- Include completed responses to all required application questions. Every required question in their application is crucial to helping them understand your plans and ultimate goals. They try not to ask too much—or too little—so answer all the questions with as much detail as possible.
- Agree to all legal terms and conditions of the Catalyst Fund grant program. First and foremost: your proposal must be for an initiative that is for charitable purposes. Additionally, they ask that you complete a final grant report. They may also ask for additional paperwork as part of the initial due diligence process. They’ve collected all the legal terms and conditions of the Catalyst Fund in this very nifty rules document. Make sure you understand what you are signing up for!
- Be able to legally receive grant funding. The Catalyst Fund makes grants to many different types of entities, but here are some that they cannot fund: government agencies; lobbying groups; or entities in countries that are prohibited by law, regulation, treaty or administrative act from entering into trade relations with the United States.
Criteria
- Impact: Solution has potential for tangible, measurable and significant impact (at some point)
- Innovative: Solution is innovative; it presents a new or non-traditional approach to an existing problem
- Original: Solution is original; unique and creative approach that differs from existing options/approaches
- Ecosystem: Solution builds on established best-practices and leverages existing solutions or systems
Application
There are no deadlines. Applications are accepted year-round. Upon receiving your funds, you will have 9 months to complete the activities outlined in your grant application.
