Michelson Spark Grants
On October 22nd we will be launching a funding round focused on the issue of student basic needs. Program officers Miguel León and Ryan Erickson-Kulas will be hosting a webinar on Wednesday, October 7th at 10 am PT to provide an overview of the Spark Grant program. It will highlight past awardees and also provide updates regarding our Student Basic Needs round.
Spark Grants is an innovative, just-in-time grantmaking process.
Our vision is to introduce a process that can fill urgent needs for education organizations that are well-aligned with our focus areas. We seek to fund highly impactful initiatives that would not be possible if they needed to wait through a traditional grant decision timeline.
The Spark Advantage
Timing
In the spirit of acting quickly, grants will be reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis.
Eligibility
For this round of funding we have decided to focus our impact on organizations that are doing work in California. Organizations whose work does not impact California will be ineligible for this opportunity.
Velocity
We are committed to reaching a decision on each application within 15 business days.
What We’re Looking For
Our vision is to introduce a process that can fill urgent needs for education organizations that are well-aligned with our focus areas. We seek to fund highly impactful initiatives that would not be possible if they needed to wait through a traditional grant decision timeline.
Alignment with focus areas
Long-term organization sustainability
Measurability of project impact
Grant Evaluation Criteria
Baseline Grant Criteria
- Grant ask is up to $25,000
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The Michelson 20MM Foundation seeks to fund macro level projects that are helping students persist and graduate by helping them meet their basic needs. We are looking to support systems level strategies that create impact at scale and inform public policy. This can include but is not limited to initiatives, partnerships, programs, and models whose outcomes will have a regional effect on student basic needs or whose effect on student basic needs will be seen across systems of higher education.
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Student basic needs work includes efforts that mitigate the impact of the real cost of college on students, including the non-tuition costs that cause students to face food insecurity, housing insecurity, homelessness or overall financial instability.
- We will not be funding initiatives that would result in direct assistance to students during this Michelson Spark Grant round, such as emergency student aid, laptops and hotspots for remote learning, or food and housing vouchers. While we realize there is a tremendous need among students for direct support, at this time we are leveraging our funding to effect broader systemic change.
- For this round of funding we have decided to focus our impact on organizations that are doing work in California. Organizations whose work does not impact California will be ineligible for this opportunity.
- We will also be prioritizing proposals that will have a focused impact on first generation college students and students of color.
- Preference will be given to grants that cover a specific self-contained milestone focus such as inflection points, things that may open up a new foothold with a partner (i.e. enabling a new partnership with a market leader), new proof of concept.
- Examples of funding restrictions: general operating expenses (rent, utilities, server costs, etc.), general working capital.
Student Basic Needs Round Focus Areas:
- Increasing student awareness and access to SNAP benefits and other public social services and resources within systems of higher education.
- Strengthening efforts within higher education systems that meet the basic needs of college students excluded from receiving CARES funding assistance.
- Supporting efforts to educate policymakers about student basic needs issues and solutions.
- Research that addresses glaring gaps in emergency student aid, including how institutions of higher learning manage and distribute aid dollars and how these dollars impact student retention, persistence and graduation. Research can focus on general emergency student aid funds, CARES funding received from the federal government or funding from philanthropic foundations.
- Providing innovative solutions that target students experiencing homelessness, parenting students, and students in the foster system.
- Increasing the understanding of an accurate definition of the real cost of college including the impact of non-tuition expenses on students.
Spark Grants Evaluation Process
Grant Application is Received
After LOI is submitted the Grant Committee will do an initial assessment.
Reject or Move Forward Decision is Made
Within 6 business days you will be notified if your proposal is moving forward in the process.
Complete Full Application
Proposals that advance will be asked to complete a full application within a 72 hour period.
Applications Assessed
Full applications will be assessed and a follow up call will be scheduled with those that advance to the finalist stage.
Applicants who do not respond within 48 hours to our request to schedule a finalist call will be determined ineligible for a Spark Grant
Final Decision Made
You will be notified of the Grant Committee decision within 15 business days of your LOI submission date.
Grant Committee
Phil Kim
President
Mayra Lombera
Vice President of Programs and Operations
Ryan Erickson-Kulas
Program Officer
Miguel León
Program Officer
Sign Up For Notifications
Want to Learn More?
Download the slide deck or watch this 70 minute webinar from our Smart Justice round to learn more about the Michelson Spark Grant program.