We’ve had a busy past few months at Lever for Change. In March, we launched MacKenzie Scott’s $250 million Yield Giving Open Call. While there has been some pushback on the eligibility requirements, which require organizations to have budgets between $1-5 million, I’m happy to share that we’ve received an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from around the country.

To date, Lever for Change has unlocked over $1 billion in funding for high-impact solutions and strengthened dozens of top organizations.

In the world of philanthropy, it's often the small projects that have the potential to create significant change. Lever for Change Swift Grants embody this spirit, allowing problem solvers to unite, leverage their expertise, and make a tangible difference in the world. We look forward to witnessing the transformative impact of these projects and the lessons they will continue to teach us along the way.

Welcome to our blog series updates on Lever for Change's 2021 Swift Grants. In May 2021, Lever for Change introduced this Award to provide small grants to members of the Bold Solutions Network for collaborative projects. These grants allow some of the world's top problem solvers to leverage their expertise and work together to find innovative solutions in their respective fields. We are excited to share updates on the progress and impact of these projects as they unfold. Stay tuned for more information on the 2021 Swift Grants and the work being done by the Bold Solutions Network.

A collaborative effort to treat mental illness is growing faster and spreading wider than anticipated.

Congratulations to Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, for being recognized in Better Magazine's list of Most Powerful Women in Chicago.

In 2017, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation unveiled the recipient of the inaugural 100&Change challenge. Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) were awarded a momentous $100 million grant to support their joint program Ahlan Simsim, which focused on providing support to the youngest children affected by the humanitarian crisis in the Syrian response region.

With Earth Day just around the corner on April 22, the recent release of the United Nations climate change report has spotlighted the critical state of our planet. The report warns that we may soon surpass a dangerous threshold of 1.5°C global warming within the next decade, leaving many of us wondering how to prevent further environmental damage.

Welcome to our blog series updates on Lever for Change's 2021 Swift Grants. In May 2021, Lever for Change introduced this Award to provide small grants to members of the Bold Solutions Network for collaborative projects. These grants allow some of the world's top problem solvers to leverage their expertise and work together to find innovative solutions in their respective fields. We are excited to share updates on the progress and impact of these projects as they unfold. Stay tuned for more information on the 2021 Swift Grants and the work being done by the Bold Solutions Network.

Through the Built for Zero methodology, communities are working together to make homelessness rare and brief, guided by person-centered, real-time data and coordinated strategies.