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Spark Grants Platform

The Spark Grants platform is an innovative just-in-time grantmaking process that enables organizations aligned with our focus areas to receive funding within weeks. This rapid funding approach supports initiatives that would be impossible under traditional grant decision timelines.

The Student Basic Needs Spark Grants funding cycle closed for applications on December 15th, 2025. Stay tuned for updates on the next funding cycle in 2026.

The Spark Principles

Scalability

We support systems-level strategies that can create impact at scale and inform public policy.

Pilot Program Support

We prioritize demonstrating the viability of groundbreaking ideas, seeding innovative initiatives that are still in the proof of concept phase.

Rapid Response

We are committed to advancing or declining an LOI within one week of when the call for proposals closes. Grants are awarded within six weeks of the call for proposals closing.

Funding Cycles​

In the spirit of acting quickly, grants are reviewed on a rolling basis. Below is a rough timeline of when each cycle’s call for proposals opens:

  • Digital Equity (Q2 of 2025)
  • Smart Justice (Q3 of 2025)
  • Student Basic Needs (Q4 of 2025)
  • Open Educational Resources (Q1 of 2026)

Eligibility

For our Spark Grant cycles, we generally focus our impact on organizations doing work in California. Organizations whose work does not impact California are likely ineligible, but please review our call for proposals each cycle.

Grantees

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Creative Commons

Faculty Professional Development Bootcamps on OER
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FFRP

Supporting Workforce Development for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals in Forestry and Firefighting Careers
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FRAC

Educating Decision Makers on How SNAP Benefits Help Students Meet Their Basic Needs
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Healing and Justice Center

Supporting Justice-Impacted Parents Through Trauma-Informed, Healing-Centered Programming
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Impact Justice

Launching the California Justice Leaders Postsecondary Pathways Program (CJLP3)
Indigenous Justice Receives Smart Justice Spark Grant to Expand Decarceration Efforts

Indigenous Justice

Expanding their Returning Relatives program to reduce incarceration and promote community healing
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#OaklandUndivided

Local Bandwidth Speed Tests to Inform State Policy
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PPIC

Implementation Analysis of California’s $6B Broadband Investment Through SB156
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Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition

Building a Student Coalition to Combat Automatic Textbook Billing
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U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund

Study Revealing the Limited Choice and Uncertain Savings of Automatic Textbook Billing
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University of California, Irvine LIFTED

Piloting the First UC Degree-Granting Program in Prison
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Young Invincibles

Student-Led Research Ensuring Effective Implementation of California's Investment in Community College Basic Needs Centers