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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. It includes interventions designed to mitigate abuse and neglect, support children and families involved in the system, and ensure their long term well-being.
The Springboard Prize is not intended to fund pre-child welfare system involvement efforts.
How will applications be evaluated?
Applications will be evaluated based on how they demonstrate:
- Innovation: 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, early-stage projects, including either:
- An idea or concept that is grounded in research and/or the applicant’s experiences and has not yet been operationalized, or
- An emerging project with promising initial results that has not yet moved beyond its pilot phase.
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.