News
2021 Swift Grants Update: Himalayan Cataract Project & Helen Keller International
Welcome to our blog series updates on Lever for Change's 2021 Swift Grants. In May 2021, Lever for Change introduced this Award to provide small grants to members of the Bold Solutions Network for collaborative projects. These grants allow some of the world's top problem solvers to leverage their expertise and work together to find innovative solutions in their respective fields. We are excited to share updates on the progress and impact of these projects as they unfold. Stay tuned for more information on the 2021 Swift Grants and the work being done by the Bold Solutions Network.
2021 Swift Grants Update: Bard College & University of Waterloo
In March 2022, over 350 colleges, universities, high schools, primary schools, and other institutions in more than 60 countries – and over 50,000 people – participated in the WorldWide Teach-in on Climate and Justice led by Bard College and the University of Waterloo.
Timely Solutions to Strengthen Democracy
Following the 2022 midterm elections, Lever for Change is highlighting outstanding projects in our Bold Solutions Network that aim to increase civic engagement and strengthen democracy. We invite you to support one or more of the rigorously-evaluated projects featured in the collection below.
Looking Back at Year Four of Ahlan Simsim: A Year of Growth
Sesame Workshop was the recipient of the MacArthur Foundation’s inaugural 100&Change challenge in December 2017 for its collaboration with the International Rescue Committee to create Ahlan Simsim, a show for a rising generation of children affected by conflict and displacement across the Middle East and North Africa. René Celaya of Sesame Workshop and Marianne Stone of International Rescue Committee share lessons learned from Ahlan Simsim's fourth year.
Honoring U.S. Indigenous Peoples’ Day, October 10, 2022
Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the past, present, and futures of Native peoples throughout the US. At Lever for Change, we celebrate the outstanding projects in our Bold Solutions Network that are committed to American Indian, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiian populations. We invite you to support one of these highly vetted projects centering Native voices, stories, and issues.
JUST Announced as Awardee of Inaugural Jack Dilenschneider Award for Social Justice
Lever for Change announced nonprofit microlending platform JUST as the recipient of the inaugural Jack Dilenschneider Award for Social Justice.
Announcing the Five Swift Grant Recipients
In May 2021, Lever for Change introduced the Swift Grants fund, aimed to provide small grants to Bold Solutions Network members for collaborative projects. This fund provided an outlet for the world’s top problem solvers to leverage expertise and join forces to find creative solutions in their fields.
Celebrating the one-year anniversary of our Bold Solutions Network
Time flies. It’s been just over a year since our team at Lever for Change launched the Bold Solutions Network. Born of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change competition for $100 million, Lever for Change unlocks capital that might otherwise remain on the sidelines. We embolden donors to make larger grants than are typical in philanthropy—$10 million or more—through customized competitions, which provide the opportunity for donors, nonprofits, and social entrepreneurs to connect and solve global challenges together. We then amplify the top-ranked solutions in our Bold Solutions Network to catalyze investments in outstanding teams and accelerate large-scale social change.
Update on Funding & Upcoming Opportunities
At Lever for Change, we prioritize ensuring that our processes and approaches provide value and raise the visibility of bold solutions. While we continued to learn, evolve, and improve over the past year, we have seen strong evidence that being a member of the Bold Solutions Network proves valuable not only for teams who ultimately receive an award, but for all members.
Bold Solutions Network Update
We are fast approaching the first anniversary of our Bold Solutions Network, which matches donors with nonprofits and social enterprises whose solutions to significant social challenges were highly ranked after rigorous evaluation in one of Lever for Change’s competitions.