Call for Applications: LEAP Challenge 2024 in Sub-Saharan Africa & Latin America
Deadline Date: April 30, 2024
Donor Name: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Solve
Grant Size: $1000 to $10,000
https://solve.mit.edu/challenges/2024-leap-challenge
Eager to demonstrate that your education solution has a positive impact on learners? Apply for support from expert researchers and social entrepreneurs who will help build your approach to generating and using evidence to improve your product or program and strengthen children’s learning outcomes.
LEAP (Leveraging Evidence for Action to Promote change) pairs education organizations (Project Hosts) with a team of researchers and social entrepreneurs (LEAP Fellows) who lend their best-in-class expertise to the organization for a 12-week sprint (a “LEAP Project”). Fellows provide tailor-made research recommendations that inform the organization’s approach to strengthen the evidence base of their product or program.
What are the benefits of hosting a LEAP Project?
The goal of hosting a LEAP Project is to help your organization continue to build a culture of evidence, demonstrate the effectiveness of your solution, and accelerate the solution’s impact on learners by embedding insights and results from research. Project Hosts receive the following benefits:
- Access to a global pool of research and social entrepreneur Fellows who apply their knowledge and skills to support your education solution’s evidence journey;
- A final report that details tailor-made research recommendations (study designs, strategies, frameworks, and/or monitoring and evaluation tools) that inform your approach to strengthen the evidence base of your education solution;
- Professionally-managed project facilitation provided by MIT Solve, allowing you to focus solely on the most critical elements of the 12-week project;
- Valuable networking opportunities across the global cohort of LEAP Fellows and Project Hosts;
- A $5,000 stipend to the Project Host organization to compensate for time spent hosting the LEAP Project.
What happens if my organization is selected?
- Organizations selected as Project Hosts will attend a two-day virtual LEAPathon event where they meet LEAP researcher and social entrepreneur Fellows, engage in project refinement sessions, and match with up to four LEAP Fellows. Project Hosts will partner with Fellows on a 12-week Project Sprint which will kick off in two waves – five sprints will begin in September 2024 and another five will begin in January 2025.
Who can apply to host a LEAP Project?
- Project Hosts are education organizations (non-profit, for-profit, or hybrid models.)
- Project Hosts have education solutions (a product or program) that aim to improve learning outcomes for children ages 2-12 in Sub-Saharan Africa or Latin America.
- Project Hosts’ solutions are in the pilot or growth stage of development.
- Pilot: The solution has been launched in at least one community, but is still iterating on design or business model. If for-profit, is generally working to gain traction and may have completed a fundraising round with investment capital. (Often 10+ users/direct beneficiaries)
- Growth: An established solution available in one or more communities with a consistent design and approach, ready for further growth in multiple communities or countries. If for-profit, has generally completed at least one formal investment round (Seed stage or later). If nonprofit, has an established set of donors and/or revenue streams.
For more information, visit MIT Solve.
