Purpose Earth is a grant and mentorship program empowering leaders and their transformative solutions to our global challenges.
Our Purpose Earth Grant and Mentorship Program supports purpose-driven projects that are finding creative solutions within the areas of environmental protection, community activation and cultural collaboration.
Each year, we open up our application submission window for individual leaders and organizations with projects creating positive impact in their local and global communities.
Application window closes once we receive 200 fully-completed submissions, or on August 10th, whichever comes first.
Who We Are Looking to Support
Purpose Earth grant recipients are individual leaders and organizations with projects that align with the Purpose Earth mission, and working to address solutions in the areas of:
- Environmental Protection (projects that work to alleviate environmental degradation, restore/protect natural resources or address solutions for climate change)
- Community Activation (projects creating a positive and thriving community network while engaging in transformative change for the good of the whole)
- Cultural Collaboration (empowering creative expression and connection, while strengthening the values of compassion and collaboration across communities and sectors)
Projects must be able to articulate how a grant will support community impact and outline a specific design, development and implementation process for how the grant will be used within a clear timeline. See all important application guidelines below.
What You Receive as a Grant Recipient
- Grant Funding of up to $10,000
- Mentorship Support and personally-tailored guidance from professionals who are volunteering their time to help your project thrive.
- Spotlights and Promotion in our Purpose Earth digital communications, and a designated project page on our website.
When We Announce Our Grant Recipients
Our team engages in an in-depth and careful review and vetting of all application submissions and references. We take our responsibility seriously to vet all applicants to ensure that they are legitimate entities without links to illegal operations and that no grant recipients will be named who are suspected of inappropriate or illegal money laundering or usage of any sort.
Application Submission and Review Timeline:
- July-August: Application opens July 8th at 12:01 a.m. Central, for submissions. We will be capping submissions at 200 applications. Deadline to apply is August 10th if we do not reach this maximum number.
- August: Application submissions close.
- September – December: Application review and thorough vetting of projects begins by Grant Selection Council.
- January/February: Grant winners are personally notified of their award.
- February: First grant installment paid.
- April/May: Public announcement of all grant recipients, and an online celebration of former and current grant recipients takes place
- May: Second grant installment paid.
Important Application Guidelines
It is important you read the guidelines below. ALL the requirements outlined below are all needed for us to accept your application.
Before You Begin
Purpose Earth will only be accepting the first 200 fully-completed submissions.
Incomplete applications will NOT be reviewed or considered for funding. Please ensure all required sections are filled out accurately and thoroughly before you submit. We are unable to assist with change any answers after submission.
Unfortunately, due to our small team size and limited capacity for correspondence, individual questions cannot be answered. Please refer to our comprehensive information below for all you need to know to apply.
To ensure you are eligible to apply, please note the following:
- Projects that have already been completed are not eligible for grant funding.
- Applications and reference letters must be submitted in English. Video submission also preferably in English, or with English subtitles.
- Unfortunately, due to legal restrictions and international sanctions, we cannot accept applications from individuals based in the following countries: Balkans, Burma, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Yemen, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, West Bank, Ethiopia, Sudan, DR Congo (Republic of Congo is acceptable), Libya, Mali, and Venezuela.
In accordance with US regulations for not for profits, we thoroughly vet all applications through the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) sanctions list standards to ensure that no inappropriate use of funds is made. These will be checked carefully prior to sending any funding to potential grant recipients.
- Applications created and written by AI will NOT be accepted. We want to get to know you and your authentic voice and vision.
- Multiple applications will not be considered. Each organization or individual may submit only one application per project.
Application Requirements for Submission:
Funding Limit: Projects are funded up to USD $10,000. Applications requesting funding above this limit will not be considered.
Budget Requirements: Applicants must include a detailed budget and budget description, outlining how the funds would be allocated and spent.
Excluded Funding Areas: Funding is not provided for the following:
- Operational support, including salaries, wages, or compensation to consultants, contractors, or advisors.
- Travel support.
- Capital campaigns.
- Sponsorships, conferences, or prizes.
- Projects exceeding our maximum grant of 10,000 USD, where a Purpose Earth grant would constitute only a fraction of the total project cost, will not be considered for funding.
Professional Reference Letter: All applicants are required to provide at least one reference letter from an individual you’ve had a professional connection with, related to your qualifications in leading the project and endorsing the project mission. Reference letters must be recent (dated within the past year).
When providing your letter(s) there needs to be a clear relationship between the applicant and the references and previous collaboration. We require that reference letters come from individuals who have worked directly with the applicant on the project or in a similar professional capacity.
All letters must be in English and recent, dated within this past year.
- The reference must clearly mention the project you worked on together.
- The reference should outline the professional nature of your relationship.
- Please include the reference’s website and/or their professional social media links (e.g., LinkedIn).
- Personal references without context or professional relevance will not be accepted.
Video Submission: Applicants are asked to include a 1-minute video submission to creatively explain the vision and impact of how a Purpose Earth grant would support project efforts. We encourage you to read these guidelines for creating a quality video.
- Videos must be no more than 1-minute in length, and to be submitted with the application for consideration.
- Your video maybe recorded on a smartphone, and you do not need professional production. The purpose of the video is simply to help us get to know you and your project a bit more.
- Please make sure that your video’s privacy settings allow our team to view your video as a public or unlisted url link.
- We suggest you have the video completed and the shareable url link ready, prior to starting the application.
- Any application without a video will not be considered.
Deadline: The application window is limited to the first 200 fully completed applications. Apply as early as possible before submissions reach the cap!
