Unorthodox Philanthropy
  • Home
  • About
  • Searches
    • Search 0: Exploration
    • Search 1: Endgame with Finite Capital >
      • Overview
      • Awards
    • Search 2: COVID Response >
      • Overview
      • Response Grants
    • Search 3: Extraordinary Leaders Transforming a Field >
      • Overview
      • Awardees
  • Contact

 Search 1 Awards

UP's initial Search identified and supported compelling initiatives that had the potential to scale their impact using a finite of philanthropic capital.  Each of our awardees represents a different hypothesis about how to create sustainable social change.  We received nearly 1,000 submissions over the lifetime of the search, representing a diverse array of sectors, strategies, geographies, and stages of development.  We evaluated submissions from numerous perspectives, especially their potential breadth and depth of impact, plausible pathway to scale, absence of alternative funding, and the ability of a committed team to implement the idea.

UP continues to work with several of our awardees that are still implementing, in addition to engaging with past awardees to respond to catalytic opportunities for follow-on investment as they arise.

We are pleased to have supported the outstanding initiatives below:

TalkingPoints

Enabling School-Family Engagement Through a Multilingual Communication Platform
Learn More

Coming Clean

Campaign for Healthy, Local Food Procurement at Dollar Stores in the US
Learn More

Solar Soaker

Testing the Impact and Market for a Low-Cost Solar Washing Device
Learn More

Suyo

Unlocking the Economic and Social Value of Low-Income Families' Homes Through Property Formalization
Learn More

Ambercycle

A Breakthrough Closed-Loop Recycling Technology to Create New Materials Out of Waste Plastic
Learn More

No Means No Worldwide

Scaling an Evidence-based Rape Prevention Program for Adolescent Boys and Girls
Learn More

Breakthrough India

Scaling A School-Based Adolescent Program to Address Gender-Biased Sex Selection in India
Learn More

Development Media International 

National Scale-up of a Radio Campaign for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Survival in Mozambique
Learn More

Precision Agriculture for Development

Developing a High-Quality Advisory Service for 100 Million Farmers using New Technology Tools
Learn More

Saga Education

Fighting Educational Inequity Through the Power of Tutoring Relationships 
Learn More

Civil Rights Litigation Venture Fund

Using a Venture Fund Investment Structure to Finance Criminal Justice Reform Litigation
Learn More

Parsyl

Providing Actionable Insights to the Vaccine Market
Learn More

mRelief

Streamlining the Food Stamp Enrollment Process to Unlock Unclaimed Benefits for Low-Income Americans
Learn More

Honduras Safer Municipalities & Jobs Program

​Evaluating the Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on the Life Trajectory of Youth in High-Crime Contexts
Learn More

Optimizing Ventilation to Improve Health

 Developing Affordable Designs to Increase Household Ventilation and Improve Health in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Learn More

Graduated Reintegration

A New Model of Reentry to Reduce Mass Incarceration in the United States
Learn More

RCT of a Reformulated RUTF

Ensuring Cognitive Recovery for Malnourished Children
Learn More

StrongMinds

Treating Depression at Scale in Africa through Self-Perpetuating, Community-Based Interpersonal Therapy Groups
Learn More
  • Home
  • About
  • Searches
    • Search 0: Exploration
    • Search 1: Endgame with Finite Capital >
      • Overview
      • Awards
    • Search 2: COVID Response >
      • Overview
      • Response Grants
    • Search 3: Extraordinary Leaders Transforming a Field >
      • Overview
      • Awardees
  • Contact