Last verified 2026-09-05.
The Pollination Project is a collaborative foundation that makes small seed grants — $1,000 to $10,000 — to individuals and grassroots groups working for social change, every single day of the year, all over the world. Funding decisions are made by a network of about sixty-five volunteer grant advisors, each an expert in their field, so the people deciding are practitioners rather than professional program officers. Source: thepollinationproject.org (accessed 2026-09-05)

Why it matters for a small project
- You don't need to be a 501(c)(3). Individuals and unincorporated groups can apply — this is one of the few funders where a person with an idea and a plan is eligible.
- It's designed to be first money. Grantees often describe TPP as "the first outside funder to believe in us," and that credibility helps with later funders.
- Beyond the check: capacity-building workshops, mindfulness retreats to prevent burnout, and resource navigation to help the work reach tangible goals.
What they fund
Projects that create positive change in a community — environment, animal welfare, health, education, economic justice, arts, and more — with a clear plan, a realistic first-step budget, and a person accountable for it. Grants start at $1,000; larger amounts and follow-on "Impact Grants" go to projects that report back well.
How to apply
- Read the current guidelines and start an application at thepollinationproject.org — applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Describe the problem, your specific project, who it serves, and a line-item budget for the grant amount you're requesting.
- Applications are reviewed by grant advisors; expect several weeks. Grantees agree to a short report on how the money was used.
Example
Empowering 1 Million Women Entrepreneurs in Africa — Oluwaseyi Tolulope Kehinde-Peters founded the Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN) in 2020 and used a Pollination Project seed grant to prepare 450 final-year university students in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa to launch job-creating start-ups. "The Pollination Project is very dear to my heart because this is the first-ever external funding we would get and that is a great boost." Read more

"We're very grateful for the Pollination Project's support. This organization was the first (outside of our first supporters) to believe in our mission. As a result of this grant, we have gained credibility in the refugee community and will be able to continue to grow." — Linnie Pawlek, Financial Literacy For Refugees, Colorado
Sources
- The Pollination Project — home (accessed 2026-09-05)
- Empowering 1 Million Women Entrepreneurs in Africa (accessed 2026-09-05)