The Pollination Project exists to uplift grassroots changemakers whose work helps build a kinder, more compassionate world. We don’t have narrowly defined criteria for projects we fund, preferring to be led by our community and applicants like you. So long as your work fits our general guidelines, our team will consider any effort that moves us towards a better world. Funding decisions are made on a rolling basis by 100+ volunteer grant advisors, most of whom have previously received seed funding from The Pollination Project.

We are honored to learn about your project and vision. We hope this is the beginning of a meaningful relationship with you, one that starts with seed funding but expands as you connect and engage with our global community of 6,000+ changemakers.

Who we fund:

We fund individuals, informally organized groups and organizations, and formally registered or incorporated not for profit organizations based anywhere in the world.

We make our application process open to as many people as possible. That said, we do have a few guidelines that help us stay in alignment with our core values.

We support:

Early-stage ideas: the annual budget for your group or organization must be less than $50,000, and the total cost for the project must be less than $10,000

Practical dreamers: we look for evidence that you have started some level of work on your project

New People & Projects: if you, anyone in your group, or your organization has previously received funding from us for this project or for any other work, we ask that you leave the opportunity to apply for seed funding open for others rather than reapply. Similarly, no other representative of your group or organization should currently have a proposal actively under our review at the time that you apply

Grassroots volunteerism: your group or organization must not have paid staff. Your project shouldn’t be designed to generate personal profit for you or anyone else. Note: If you sometimes contract for web design, accounting, or other professional services, that is allowed. If you do generate profit, it must be reinvested in a non-profit effort.

Compassion consciousness: we will not fund any person or organization carrying out work promoting or advocating for animal agriculture, even if that work is not part of your proposal to TPP

Freedom of all kinds, including religious freedom: we can’t support projects or groups who seek to proselytize, evangelize, or require those served to participate in faith-based practices

Equality & Inclusion: you and your group/organization must not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, age, or faith

Legal Compliance: legally, we can’t support work that seeks to influence the outcome of elections for specific candidates, or work that induces or encourages violations of law or public policy, or work that causes any improper private benefit to occur. Lastly, to receive a grant, you or your group/organization must be able to receive a wire transfer or Paypal payment in US dollars

What we can’t fund:

We believe you are the best person to decide how your seed funding should be used, and we support most project-related costs that fall within the guidelines above.

There are a few costs we can’t support, and those include:

• Payments to a grantee or a member of the grantee’s family for time or services
• Purchase of animal products, including but not limited to meat, honey, milk, and leather
• Work that promotes consumption of animal products, or projects which include nutrition recommendations other than adoption of a plant based diet or elimination/reduction of meat consumption
• Any event at which animal products will be served
• Beekeeping projects which produce honey for human consumption
• Any projects using synthetic/chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other products which harm the environment and/or human health
• Research projects without a tangible plan for how that research will create real world change. We do not fund academic coursework
• Donations on your behalf to a project that you are not affiliated with

What do grant advisors look for?

Our grantmaking team evaluates grant proposals based on their own experience working in a similar geographic or issue area.

They also consider:

• Impact of the project itself
• How meaningfully seed funding will move the project forward, and how likely it is that the applicant can bridge any gaps between total funding needed versus what has currently been raised
• The strength of the applicant’s connection to the community they want to serve
• What efforts the applicant has taken to maximize non-financial resources, such as recruiting volunteers or seeking in-kind donations

What opportunities are available to me if I am funded by TPP?

• We value relationship over transaction, and hope to walk beside you on your path long after your initial grant funding has been spent. In addition to one-time seed funding of up to $500, joining our global community of changemakers offers:
• The opportunity to apply for other one-time funding opportunities that TPP may offer existing grantees
• Capacity-building support and connectivity with other changemakers within our global network
• Opportunities to have your work showcased to the broader TPP community through articles, social media, and/or video
• After initial grant reporting, the opportunity to request that TPP serve as a fiscal sponsor on a per project basis.This allows individuals and informal groups to accept charitable donations from other donors outside of TPP
• Support in connecting with other funders and donors upon completion of initial grant reporting

Take the first step. Apply today here: Application form.