As a non-profit organization, attracting funding is essential to advancing your mission. Securing grants from impactful funders can be highly competitive, but also rewarding. If you are looking to scale your social impact, the Omidyar Network may be an ideal funding partner. Established by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, Omidyar Network aims to empower people and communities through investments in innovative organizations and entrepreneurs.
Funding from Omidyar can be transformative for non-profits and social enterprises. However, qualifying for and securing an Omidyar grant requires thorough planning and a compelling application. You will need to demonstrate a innovative solution to a social problem, a sustainable business model, and a high potential for impact and scale. With a rigorous application process, you must be able to effectively articulate your vision and theory of change to position your organization as an ideal candidate for investment. If awarded, Omidyar Network funding and support can help accelerate your progress and push you to the next stage of growth.
What Is the Omidyar Network Grant?
The Omidyar Network Grant is a philanthropic initiative by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar to fund nonprofit organizations and social enterprises. Omidyar Network aims to support organizations focused on fostering an inclusive society, equitable access to opportunity, and government integrity.
To qualify for an Omidyar Network grant, applicants must be a registered U.S. nonprofit organization or social enterprise with innovative solutions to systemic social challenges. Priority is given to organizations working to benefit underserved and marginalized populations. Applicants should have a proven track record of success and be prepared to provide quantitative evidence demonstrating the impact of their work.
The application process consists of an initial eligibility quiz, letter of inquiry, video pitch, and if selected, a full proposal. The eligibility quiz and letter of inquiry are short submissions to determine if your organization and initiative are a good fit. If advanced, the video pitch and full proposal allow you to share more details about your mission, goals, and impact.
Grants are awarded for general operating support as well as program-specific funding. The amount of funding varies depending on the organization and initiative. Omidyar Network does not fund individuals, political campaigns or lobbying efforts, endowments, fundraising events, or medical research.
If your nonprofit or social enterprise is working to create opportunities for people to improve their lives, apply for an Omidyar Network grant. This prestigious funding can provide your organization with the means to scale its impact and further its mission of empowering people and communities.
Who Qualifies for the Omidyar Network Grant?
To qualify for an Omidyar Network grant, your organization must be a registered non-profit or social enterprise focused on creating opportunities for people to improve their lives. Specifically, ON funds organizations promoting financial inclusion, education, governance and citizen engagement, and property rights.
ON provides both short-term project-based funding as well as long-term general operating support for organizations that meet their key criteria:
- Clearly articulated vision and strategy. Your organization must have a well-defined vision for change and strategic plan to achieve impact.
- Strong leadership and governance. ON looks for organizations led by experienced and visionary leaders, and governed by engaged and competent boards of directors.
- Focus on underserved groups. Priority is given to organizations focused on empowering disadvantaged populations through innovative solutions.
- Evidence of impact. Your organization should have a proven track record of success and meaningful outcomes, ideally demonstrated through impact evaluations or assessments.
- Financial sustainability. ON seeks partners with diverse funding sources and a plan to achieve long-term financial viability beyond ON’s support.
- Potential for scale. ON funds organizations demonstrating the potential and pathways to scale their impact over time through replication, policy change, technological innovation, and more.
By focusing on these key areas, the Omidyar Network aims to identify and fund organizations poised to create scalable and sustainable social impact. If your non-profit or social enterprise meets these criteria, you may be well-positioned to apply for and receive funding from the Omidyar Network.
How to Apply for the Omidyar Network Grant
To apply for an Omidyar Network grant, you must first determine if your organization and mission align with their funding priorities. Omidyar Network focuses on initiatives that promote inclusiveness and empowerment across the private, public and social sectors. They support innovative organizations and programs dedicated to creating opportunity for people to reach their full potential.
Eligibility
To be eligible for funding, your organization must:
- Be a registered nonprofit, for-profit social enterprise, or hybrid organization
- Have innovative solutions and scalable models that can drive meaningful social impact
- Focus on empowering individuals and communities through initiatives centered around education, financial inclusion, governance & citizenship, and property rights
- Operate in areas where Omidyar Network has strong expertise and experience including sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the US
Application Process
If your organization meets the eligibility criteria, you can begin the application process:
- Visit the Omidyar Network website and click “Apply for Funding”. Review the open calls for proposals to determine which funding opportunity is the best match.
- Complete the online application which requests details about your organization, mission, programs, leadership team, and funding proposal. You will need to provide metrics on your impact and a multi-year budget.
- If selected to move forward, Omidyar Network will conduct initial video calls to get further clarification on your proposal and social impact model.
- Finalists will participate in additional calls and potentially site visits before final funding decisions are made. The review process can take 3-6 months.
- If awarded a grant, Omidyar Network will work closely with your organization to develop key milestones and metrics to track the progress and impact of the funded initiatives. They provide funding as well as strategic guidance and support.
By focusing on Omidyar Network’s priorities and values, crafting a compelling proposal, and being transparent in the application process, social impact organizations around the globe have an opportunity to secure funding to scale their meaningful work. The application may be intensive, but the rewards of the Omidyar Network partnership are well worth the effort.
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Conclusion
As you’ve learned, the Omidyar Network offers grants to organizations and individuals focused on driving social change and innovation.
Their funding supports a wide range of causes from education and healthcare to economic opportunity and civic engagement. While the application process is competitive, if you have a mission-driven organization or project looking to make a meaningful impact, the time invested in applying for an Omidyar Network grant could be well worth it.
With their flexible funding and long-term support, these grants provide the opportunity to scale your work and expand your influence. If you’re up for the challenge of articulating your vision and strategy for creating positive change, start the application process today. The future is unwritten, and an Omidyar Network grant could help you shape it for the better.
Originally posted 2023-10-27 10:43:49.
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