The Promise Sandbox Award is designed for changemakers who have ideas for transformative impact in early childhood so that they can access early funding and support to bring their ideas to life.  The changemakers we hope to serve are leaders who are proximate to their communities^ as a  part of our commitment to empowering those with firsthand understanding of the aspirations of and opportunities for children, parents, and families within their communities.

The program's emphasis on unrestricted* funding, mentorship, and connection-building is in recognition that early-stage innovators need more than just capital—they need strategic support and a community of practice.

This Award is being piloted this year by Promise Venture Studio . Our team sees this Award as an opportunity to support and learn about the grant-making and capacity-building supports needed at the earliest stages of entrepreneurship. With that learner’s orientation, we will partner with awardees to create new knowledge about what capital (human, social, financial, etc) and resources are most helpful in making a transformative idea a reality.

^*See the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more information on how we define proximity and unrestricted funding: https://www.promisestudio.org/the-promise-sandbox-award

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Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for 3-5 aspiring changemakers (solo individuals or small teams) who have a unique insight into a problem or opportunity that would improve the lives of children ages 0-5 and their families and have a strong hypothesis of how to address it. These leaders are eager to refine, test and share their ideas for great programs, products, and services with their communities, but are looking for early funding and some support in an environment that gives a nod to the name of the Award, “a place, area, or environment that provides opportunities for variation and experimentation in a way suggestive of children playing in a sandbox”.

Ideal Candidate Qualities:

• Background or experience in early childhood
• Entrepreneurial spirit with self-motivation and creative problem-solving abilities
• Connection to and unique perspective of communities impacted by the work
• Demonstrated commitment to working alongside their community and centering community voice
• Strong grounding in equity and justice principles
• Ability and desire to learn alongside Promise as they bring their ideas to life

What We’re Looking For in Their Ideas:

• New and original ideas that demonstrates potential for positive impact on children and families (ages 0-5)
• Ideas that address significant community demand or need within their community
• Ideas that incorporates a vision for impact that extends beyond their immediate community

Check out our detailed evaluation criteria for the Promise Sandbox Award.

We welcome first-time entrepreneurs and those with newly developed ideas that are poised to make a difference in their communities.  Ready to see if you might be a fit? Read the Frequently Asked Questions.

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Application Submission Window

April 16, 2025 - May 21, 2025

Interested in reviewing the application before filling it out? You can find it here.

Finalists Informed

June 6, 2025

Note: Finalists may be asked to complete an interview the week of June 9th.

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