Program Guidelines

Spark offers support through two funding streams:

  • Micro Sparks spur innovative and imaginative thinking among early childhood organizations, technology and media providers, and other community stakeholders by seeding small-scale and first-time projects. Project applications are accepted from individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and collaborative groups. Awards range from $500 to $15,000, and are made three times each year.
  • Super Sparks are awarded once a year to support larger initiatives that contribute to broader community goals and require in-depth research, testing, exploration and program development. Funded projects engage larger audiences, demonstrate deeper partnerships and collaborations, and are eligible for more substantial levels of support. Project ideas are generated through an open community dialogue process. Selected initiatives may be supported up to $50,000.

Please check the program calendar for this year’s application deadlines.

Project Criteria

Spark initiatives empower, engage, and educate young children through the creative application of technology and media. Funded projects propose an innovative solution to a relevant issue or demonstrated need facing children ages birth to eight in the city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and the surrounding communities of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Projects may occur in any of the following areas: health and wellness, recreation and environment, arts and culture, school and learning, and out-of-school and family time.

Spark seeks proposals that are:

  • Innovative : employ unique applications of technology and media tools to the world of young children.
  • Relevant : relate to the everyday activities and experiences of young children.
  • Engaging : promote active play and learning, shared experiences, and interactivity.
  • Collaborative : build meaningful partnerships between parents, educators, innovators, experts and organizations.
  • Inspiring : capture the imaginations of individuals, families, and communities by demonstrating creative thinking.
  • Transformative : affect lasting change by transforming the way we think about the challenges and opportunities facing our children.

Eligibility Requirements and Award Specifications

  • Projects must have as their primary audience children between age birth and eight. Projects may also target parents, caregivers, older children and educators only in addition to young children as their primary target audience.
  • Spark 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.
  • Project activities must begin no sooner than eight weeks after the application deadline.
  • Spark accepts applications from non-profit organizations, individuals, businesses and coalitions of organizations. Proposals that feature strong partnerships with early childhood organizations are encouraged. The Sprout Fund does not provide funding to start a business or offer operational support to for-profit entities.
  • Spark supports projects that also receive funding from other sources. However, Spark 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.