Through this Request for Proposals, the Richard King Mellon Foundation seeks bold ideas and innovative approaches that aim to strengthen the wide range of opportunities for adult residents in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties to succeed in the new economy.
Donor Name: Richard King Mellon Foundation
State: Pennsylvania
County: Allegheny County (PA) and Westmoreland County (PA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/09/2022
Size of the Grant: $200,000-$500,000
Grant Duration: 18 months
Details:
Through this Request for Proposals, the Foundation welcomes creative, collaborative, and innovative proposals for services, products, or technologies that aim to benefit disconnected workers – those who have left the labor force – become gainfully employed in the new economy and gig economy workers—those whose work often provides limited access to traditional employment-related benefits such as internal job ladders, health and pension benefits, or access to on-the-job-training.
The Richard King Mellon Foundation’s aspiration is for people of all ages in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties to be able to access their most promising and prosperous futures. They strongly believe that the region’s long-term economic prosperity is best achieved by economic growth and by fostering broad participation of all individuals in that growth.
The new economy is marked by continual technological disruption and innovation that is empowering people to transform world. As technologies change, so do the skill sets that are in high demand as well as the definitions of employment and work. Unfortunately, the region’s economic prosperity is hindered by a widening gap in economic opportunities among residents, education systems that are not keeping pace with what the workforce of the future needs to compete in the new economy, and a large number of workers who have dropped out of the workforce altogether or who hold tenuous contract or gig-based work to make ends meet.
Proposals should focus on propelling individuals’ equitable opportunities for employment, gaining income and wealth, and movement toward economic independence for those who are transitioning back to employment or who engage in independent, gig work.
Ideas and approaches could be products, services, or technologies that, for example:
- support the re-entry of women or vulnerable populations who have left the labor force or who are underemployed;
- match disconnected, underemployed, independent, and gig economy workers to flexible education, training, upskilling, and ultimately employment opportunities that best fit their life goals and needs;
- help individuals to find and retain meaningful and fulfilling careers in the gig economy (rather than in piecemeal jobs);
- relieve stressors of gig economy workers by supporting connections to the social safety net, improving financial literacy, lessening social isolation, or cultivating resilience in the face of constant change and uncertainty;
- enhance adaptations that are needed as we move toward remote work in the COVID economy or toward ways to “work” that have not yet been invented, as a way to support an increasingly flexible workforce.
Types of Support
- Planning and Innovation grants focus on experimentation and the development of new ideas. Recipients might describe activities such as piloting services or completing a feasibility study. Any evaluation activities should focus on understanding successes, challenges, and future possibilities resulting from the initial project.
- Implementation grants are for more developed concepts and services that are currently being conducted and need further infusion of funds to support reaching populations more deeply or with further intentionality. Recipients of this funding often have demonstrated past successes and have capacity to engage in iteration and evaluation.
- Scalability grants are focused on projects and ideas that have been tested within one population group or in one geographic area with promising success; they need an infusion of funds to expand the reach of the program to other population groups or geographic areas. This funding supports extending the reach of a promising model or project.
Funding Information
- For all types of grants awarded to nonprofit and public sector organizations through the RFP, the Foundation expects to fund projects in the range of $200,000-$500,000, depending on the complexity of the proposed project, the number of collaborators, and the stage (Planning and Innovation, Implementation, or Scalability).
- The funded activities must be conducted within 6-18 months.
Eligibility Criteria
For the purposes of this RFP, the Foundation welcomes proposals from nonprofit, public sector, and entrepreneurs or for-profit companies that have a social mission.
- Nonprofit and public sector organizations are invited to submit for a grant within the Economic Development program.
- Entrepreneurs and for-profit companies with a social-mission are invited to submit for a program-related investment (PRI) within the Social-Impact Investment program.
The Foundation’s general eligibility criteria apply to this RFP. Please review the Funding Policies on the Apply page of the Foundation’s website, the General FAQs found on the Foundation’s Nonprofit and Public Sector Partners webpage, and the information found on our webpage for For-Profit Partners.
For more information, visit RKMF.
