Lever for Change is excited to announce the launch of the Economic Opportunity Challenge, a competition for a $10 million grant to improve economic opportunity for low-income individuals within the United States. Proposals must identify a specific barrier and offer a solution to overcome that barrier. Applications will be accepted online from October 15, 2019 to February 18, 2020.
The Economic Opportunity Challenge is open to individual organizations or to teams with operating budgets of at least $1 million. Applicants may partner with individuals, government agencies, universities and colleges, but the lead applicant must be a U.S.-based registered nonprofit organization.
Describing the motivation behind the $10 million competition, the donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, said, “As income inequality in the U.S. has risen dramatically over the last half-century, the American Dream has become more of a myth than a reality. While there exist highly effective nonprofits working to remove barriers to economic opportunity for low-income families, it has been difficult for these nonprofits to access funding of the magnitude that will allow them to scale. The main goal of the Economic Opportunity Challenge is to significantly increase economic opportunity in the U.S. by helping to fill this gap.”
The Economic Opportunity Challenge is the third competition that Lever for Change has managed since our founding earlier this year, and we are eager to work with applicants from around the country to find new solutions to this significant challenge.
You must first assess your fit and eligibility for the Economic Opportunity Challenge, and then register no later than Tuesday, January 28, 2020, at 5:00 PM Pacific. Registration is required and is a simple two-step process. First, create a username and password, and then check your inbox to confirm your registration. Next, complete the online registration form. Once you are registered, submit your application online no later than Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at 5:00 PM Pacific.
