Eligibility
What do we mean by the “child welfare system”?
The child welfare system refers to the constellation of people and organizations that help to prevent, treat, and heal child abuse and neglect. The Springboard Prize for Child Welfare seeks to invest in interventions designed to mitigate abuse and neglect, support children and families involved in the system, and ensure their long-term well-being.
How will applications be evaluated?
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria.
Innovative: Is this project a new and creative way to improve the lives of children and families in the child welfare system? To what degree would this be transformational to the field, if successful?
Scalable: Would this project make a meaningful difference to the child welfare field, readily grow to support more children and families, or become a model for others? Would the Springboard Prize make a meaningful difference to the likelihood of the project’s success?
Achievable: Is it likely the project will be executed successfully? Does the project’s leadership have the knowledge, experience, and capacity required? Are external factors, such as the economic and political environment, taken into account?
Representative: Does the project include leadership and/or participation of those with a deep connection to or direct experience in the child welfare system?
We especially welcome applications that serve those most affected by the child welfare system, including low-income and Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.
Who is eligible to apply?
We welcome applications from individuals, nonprofits, government agencies, and mission-driven for-profit entities. The Prize rewards transformational ideas originating from any sector.
What projects are eligible?
The Prize is intended for innovative projects in the earliest stages of development. Eligible projects are typically in one of the following stages:
- Idea Stage: You or your organization have identified a potential solution or concept to address a problem or meet a need.
- Research Stage: You or your organization are gathering data, conducting sector analysis, and assessing the feasibility of your idea.
- Pilot Stage: You or your organization are developing an approach, testing it with a small audience, and gathering feedback.
- Growth Stage: You or your organization have proven the project’s viability and are making efforts to scale.
If you are unsure whether your idea or project is eligible, please ask us. We are eager to hear from you and will respond as quickly as we can.