The Weston Family Foundation is considering funding a single $5-$10-million-dollar project as a “Big Bet” through an invitational, competitive program.
The criteria for a “Big Bet” project is as follows:
- A $5-$10 million project that would achieve large-scale impact within an aggressive time horizon (impact or ‘line of sight’ impact demonstrated within 3 years);
- Either affect many Canadians (directly or indirectly), or provide tremendous impact to vulnerable communities or Canadian geographies;
- High chance of achieving tangible results at a significant scale within a short time horizon;
- Address an urgent aspect of biodiversity or healthy aging within Canada; and
- Be enduring with a high likelihood of continuing after Foundation funding.
The Foundation need not be the sole funder of the project and total costs may exceed $10M, however, all other funding must be secured or in process of being secured at the time of proposal submission to be eligible. A portion of the funding may be used to build capacity provided it is deemed appropriate and required for the proposed impact and not for the general growth of an organization. Impact can be achieved without a novel idea; this is not meant to test new ideas or theories.
If you are interest in applying please connect with zoe.campbell@ubc.ca for the Letter of Intent template that will be provided in mid-October (to be returned by late November). Applicants would be notified in January of 2024 if they are invited to submit a full proposal; award decisions are anticipated for July 2024.