What is the Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls?
The Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls is a program that commits $25 million to fund organizations creating pathways to prosperity for women and girls.
Background
The Google.org Impact Challenge (GIC) is an open call for submissions for funding from organizations across the world who are empowering women and girls to advance in the economy. Google.org will provide funding to selected organizations out of a US$25 million fund.
Gender inequity is one of the most urgent challenges we face as a society, and COVID-19 has put the economic future of women and girls at even greater risk. Google.org believes that solving big problems requires collective action, and the people closest to the challenges are often those closest to the solution.
Google.org wants to support organizations helping women and girls turn their economic potential into power: from programs addressing systemic barriers to economic equality, to those cultivating entrepreneurship, developing financial independence, and more.
Funding
Each selected organization will receive between $300,000 and $2 million in funding and other support from Google. The selected organizations will be announced in late 2021.
Eligibility
The Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls is open to any not-for-profit charity, other not-for-profit organization, public or private academic or research institution, or for-profit social enterprise company with a project that has an explicit charitable purpose.
The program is looking for innovators who understand the needs within both their local communities and countries. Final discretion as to which organizations and which projects are funded is up to Google.org.
Your organization must have a registered office in your country of residence. Organizations located in Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, or Syria and projects in those countries are not eligible to apply. Unfortunately, individuals without organizational affiliation are ineligible.
For-profit businesses that are registered or formed under the laws of one of the eligible countries may apply if their suggested project has an explicit charitable purpose and they are willing to open source any IP created (or distributed) with the funding.
Only one organization may be the applicant of record, but Google.org welcome and encourage collaboration – especially between technical and social sector experts.
Application Criteria
Impact
- How will the proposed project create pathways to prosperity for women and girls or empower them to reach their full economic potential, and to what extent?
- Is the application grounded in research and data about the problem and the solution?
- How many people will be affected if successful and to what extent?
Feasibility
- Does your team have a well-developed, realistic plan, along with the right expertise and skills, to execute on the proposal?
- Has your team identified the right partners and domain experts for implementation?
- To best understand the needs of those you’re serving, does your team have women in positions of leadership?
Innovation
- What is the core insight or innovation that differentiates this project from others, in philosophy or execution?
- What makes the proposed project unique?
Scalability
- If successful, how can this project scale beyond the initial proposal?
- Can it scale directly, serve as a model for other efforts, or advance the field?
Timing
There will be a two-stage application process, and applications must be submitted in English.
In Stage 1, organizations submit their proposals for charitable projects creating pathways to prosperity for women and girls.
Applications close 9 April 2021.
Google.org will invite high-potential organizations to submit additional project information in Stage 2.
