The Sprout Fund | Apply for a Spark Award

About Sprout Spark Awards

Spark is a network of people, projects, and organizations that are empowering children and youth by creating relevant learning opportunities through the compelling use of technology, media, and the arts.

Spark Awards provide funding to support innovative solutions and imaginative approaches to learning that are open and accessible to all children and youth. Spark support catalyzes small-scale and first-time projects that create more relevant and imaginative learning opportunities in Pittsburgh, Southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. Learn more about Funded Sprout Projects.

Application Deadlines

Upcoming Deadlines

The next Spark Award application deadline is Friday, June 1, 2012 at 5pm.

How to Apply

The Spark Award Application is an opportunity for you to tell The Sprout Fund about your vision, goals, and plans for your project. The questions you are asked will help you structure your ideas and help us compare your application to others that are submitted.

Before preparing an application, be sure to read through the Spark Award Program Guidelines and Eligibility Information for Prospective Applicants to familiarize yourself with project criteria and eligibility requirements.

A complete application consists of three elements:

Cover Sheet
Answers to the 10 Application Questions
Sprout Standard Attachments for Budget, Timeline, and References

The Cover Sheet, Application Questions, and required Attachment Templates are available for download here:

The preferred method for submitting your application is e-mail. Please send your application materials as attachments to gro.dnuftuorpsnull@ylppa by the application deadline.

You may also submit your application via postal mail or hand delivery to:

Spark Award Application
c/o The Sprout Fund
5423 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15206

Spark Award Program Guidelines

Characteristics

Although each project is different, Spark Awards are generally made to support initiatives that include the following characteristics:

Creative & Innovative: supports inventive solutions and imaginative approaches to learning.
Collaborative & Cooperative: works with multidisciplinary teams in mutual support of shared goals and objectives.
Equitable, Accessible & Open: promotes the productive exchange of ideas and opportunities for all.
Nurturing & Child-focused: fosters the growth and development of children, families, and caregivers.
Experimental, Catalytic & Transformative: tests promising new ideas with the power to advance learning.
Relevant, Engaging & Impactful: offers enriching experiences attuned to the needs and potential of children and youth.

Audience

Projects must have as their primary audience children and youth (pre-K through teens). Projects may also target parents, caregivers, older children and educators only in addition to children and youth as their primary target audience.

Size

Spark Awards range from $2,500 to $15,000 – the average award is $10,000. Applications requesting less than $2,500 are considered on an ongoing basis and decisionmaking can be expedited if required.

Decisionmaking

Funding awards are decided by a community-representative Advisory Committee at regularly scheduled meetings. Applications typically take 6-8 weeks to review before funding decisions are announced.

Eligibility

Spark accepts applications from non-profit organizations, individuals, businesses, collaborations, and coalitions of organizations. Proposals that feature strong partnerships with child-serving and youth organizations are encouraged.

Limitations on Sprout Fund support:

Sprout supports projects that also receive funding from other sources. However, Spark Awards should provide catalytic funding for a project. This is to ensure that Spark Awards have a maximum impact in advancing new and innovative small projects.
Sprout funding should be predominately used in ways that will directly serve the programmatic ends of the project. Administrative and other non-programmatic expenses will be supported but should not constitute a significant portion of the budget request. In particular, the use of Sprout funding for indirect administrative costs, also termed overhead, cannot exceed 10% of the total award amount requested.
Sprout does not provide funding to start a business or offer operational support to for-profit entities.

Application Assistance and Development

Spark offers many opportunities for potential applicants to engage with The Sprout Fund’s extensive network of support.

Spark Award Workshops

Sprout holds informational workshops on Fridays at noon, with some exceptions. Come learn more about Sprout’s funding opportunities, navigating the application process, and strategies for developing successful projects. The workshops are held from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm at Sprout’s offices at 5423 Penn Avenue in Garfield/Friendship.

Next Spark Award Workshop: Friday, May 11, 2012

To attend, please RSVP via email to gro.dnuftuorpsnull@kraps or call (412) 325-0646.

Spark at the Waffle Shop

To assist prospective applicants in preparing competitive Spark Award applications that fit program goals and guidelines, Sprout hosts a pre-deadline workshop over a working breakfast at the Waffle Shop located at 124 S Highland Ave in East Liberty.

Next Waffle Shop Breakfast: Saturday, May 26, 2012 from 9am-11am

To attend, please RSVP via email to gro.dnuftuorpsnull@kraps or call (412) 325-0646.

Draft application reviews

A Sprout Fund staff member can review a draft application before the deadline to help refine the best proposal for the idea. Individual meetings can also be scheduled with Sprout staff.

Next Draft Application Submission Deadline: Friday, May 25, 2012

Submit your draft application via email to gro.dnuftuorpsnull@stfard.

Last updated May 9, 2012