Expand Grants serve the Brown community by encouraging student entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into new ventures. It is a project of the Social Innovation Initiative.
The purpose of Expand Grants are to support the continuation and/or expansion of testing, implementing or achieving critical milestones that will allow the project to reach a new level of impact and sustainability. Students may apply for as many Expand Grants as they need to develop their venture during their time at Brown, with a maximum of $5000 granted per venture.
Application Process
Eligibility:
To qualify for an Explore Grant you must meet these requirements:
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Have received either an Explore Grant or a Social Innovation Fellowship
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Have a vision of how the next phase of funding will support the development of the venture further.
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Be a Brown University undergraduate. Grants will be given individuals or teams with at least one founding member who is a Brown student.
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Expand Grants may be used to buy materials to build a prototype, conduct a pilot or develop a proof-of-concept, pay for web platforms and other technical needs, cover out of pocket costs for focus groups or market research
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Expand Grants may not be used to: pay for travel to business plan competitions, pay salaries or consulting fees, cover recurring operating expenses of the venture
Proposal Requirements:
The full application requires the components described below:
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A letter of support from an individual who is knowledgeable about the venture and/or the field in which the venture is focused. This person does not have to be affiliated with Brown.
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An online proposal on UFunds with the following:
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The names of all team members
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The name of the venture or project
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A description of what you learned in the previous phase of funding. Were your assumptions confirmed or denied?
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A description of what you hope to accomplish in this next phase and how it will continue to answer key questions about your venture and its viability.
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A detailed budget including the total amount of funding requested (up to $2,800)
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A detailed timeline for the work that would be supported by the grant
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Application Process:
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Before you apply for an Expand Grant, meet with Lizzie Pollock or Alan Harlam,You can find their office hours below:
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Next, fill out the Expand application on UFunds. Click on “Brown Venture Launch Fund” to find the Expand application.
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Expect to hear back from SII within two weeks. There are no follow up interviews so your application will either be accepted or denied immediately.
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The application for Expand Grants can be found on UFunds. We accept applications and award grants on a rolling basis.
We accept applications and administer grants on a rolling basis.
Expand Grants may be used to:
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Purchase materials to build a prototype
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Cover costs to conduct a pilot or develop a proof-of-concept
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Pay for web platforms and other technical needs to develop a prototype or launch a pilot
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Cover out of pocket costs for focus groups or market research
The Expand Grant may not be used to:
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Pay for travel to business plan or similar competitions
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Pay salaries or consulting fees
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Cover recurring operating expenses of the venture