The Trust in American Institutions Challenge is a $10 million initiative designed to scale a bold solution that will build and restore public trust in the core institutions that form the pillars of society in the United States.
Donor Name: Lever for Change
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Awards and Prizes
Deadline: 02/19/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Data shows that public trust in public schools, government bodies, the media, and the medical system has declined significantly since 2015. This decline in trust has far-reaching ripple effects, both for the present and for the future, particularly in light of the polarized political landscape of the recent U.S. presidential election. It can result in fewer resources being devoted to these institutions—as is the case of many libraries, where budget cuts mean fewer services, including after-school programming and free Wi-Fi, on which the communities rely.
Dwindling trust also undercuts cohesion in the physical and virtual communities, and fosters an environment in which polarization can thrive. The ties to one another, the health of the communities, and the future of the democracy are dependent on the strength of the institutions that underpin them.
This challenge seeks transformative solutions that are poised to reverse recent trends and significantly increase public trust in fundamental institutions in the United States in the next five years. Applicants best fit for this opportunity will utilize key leverage points to renew, rebuild, and/or establish trust in core institutions for Americans across the country.
Each Finalist will receive an initial project development grant of $200,000 and technical assistance to strengthen the Finalist’s proposal. After submitting a revised proposal, one Finalist will be selected to receive an award of $9 million to implement their solution.
Types fo Project
This challenge seeks transformative solutions that are poised to reverse recent trends and significantly increase public trust in core institutions in the United States in the next five years. Strong solutions will utilize key leverage points to renew, rebuild, and/or establish trust in one or more core institution among Americans across the country. Solutions will be assessed on four criteria, bold, transformative, scalable, and durable.
- An approach that re-imagines possibilities and offers an exciting roadmap that includes risk-taking or experimentation in service of sustained impact and aspirational outcomes.
- A convincing, realistic, and thorough vision for systemic change made through coordinated interventions at multiple key leverage points and is supported by robust information and examples.
- A model that has been proven to be expandable, replicable, and/or adaptable while retaining effectiveness in different contexts and/or communities across the country.
- A sustainable strategy that will retain effectiveness, ensure long-term impact beyond the project timeline, and is highly likely to secure or generate ongoing financial support.
Eligibility Criteria
- An entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories that has received a tax determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) and a publicly supported organization described under section 509(a)(1) or (2) of the IRC and which tax determination letter is in effect.
- An entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and is also classified as a Type I or Type II supporting organization described under section 509(a)(3) of the IRC, and which tax determination letter is in effect.
- A fiscally sponsored project whose fiscal sponsor is an entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories and has received an IRS determination letter that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and a publicly supported organization described under section 509(a)(1) or (2) of the IRC and which tax determination letter is in effect; fiscal sponsors must exercise discretion and control over the grant funds.
- A state, local, or federal governmental entity which includes government units, government instrumentalities, and federally funded institutions.
- A public or private college, junior college, university, or other similar educational entity registered under section 501(c)(3) and section 509(a)(1) or (2) of the IRC that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS and which tax determination letter is in effect.
- A tribal government treated as a State pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 7871.
- A for-profit organization, including limited liability corporations, benefit corporations, or hybrid organizations.
- A private operating foundation based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS.
- Affiliates of national organizations as long as the affiliate is a separate 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) or (2) (or foreign equivalent) and has its own board of directors; legal liability rests with the local organization; affiliate’s tax-exempt status was not granted under a group exemption; affiliate makes decisions regarding overall mission, priorities, and strategies of organization and for day-to-day operations; and affiliate does not “fund” general activities of national organization.
- An entity under section 501(c)(4) of the IRC that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS and which tax letter is in effect.
For more information, visit Lever for Change.
