Entrepreneurs are underrepresented in policy debates. Whether attributable to a lack of financial resources to advocate, a lack of time, pessimism, inadequate knowledge, or some combination of factors, this underrepresentation has left policymakers without a true understanding of the unique needs and challenges associated with entrepreneurship. Without information about entrepreneurship and new ideas for helping entrepreneurs, policymakers will continue to lack an important perspective. The focus areas for the 2021 Rebuilding Better RFP build upon the ideas in America’s New Business Plan, a four-part entrepreneurship policy roadmap that ensures anyone with an idea has equitable access to the opportunity, funding, knowledge, and support needed to turn it into a reality.
The Rebuilding Better RFP is intended to support activities that engage entrepreneurs in advocacy and educate policymakers of the challenges entrepreneurs face in America, thereby contributing to more supportive environments for entrepreneurs. The goal of this RFP is to identify and fund high-quality projects that will spur adoption of pro-entrepreneurial policies at the local, state, and national levels.
This 18-month grantmaking initiative has up to $3.5 million in funding available and is focused on soliciting proposals that demonstrate or meet the intended objectives of this program, including:
- Policy Engagement: Increasing policymakers’ understanding of entrepreneurship and the barriers to new business creation lays the groundwork for policymakers to take action.
- Entrepreneur Advocacy: When entrepreneurs’ voices inform policy debates, policymakers are more likely to understand the needs of entrepreneurs.
Proposals should include elements of either policy engagement or advocacy but do not need to include both.
Types of Grants
Funding awarded by this RFP will be used to support the following types of grants:
- Project or Program Grant: A grant to create, support, or grow a specific program, project, or activity that is tied to specific programmatic outcomes.
- Pilot Grant: A grant to establish an innovative project or program that will serve as a model, if successful, and may be replicated by others.
Funding Tracks
Applicants will select one of three funding tracks described in RFP documents linked to the right of this page.
The tracks are:
- Building Support for America’s New Business Plan
- Addressing Challenges Faced by Entrepreneurs of Color
- Advocating for Kansas and Missouri Entrepreneurs
Successful applicants should demonstrate an understanding of the role advocacy plays in policy change and a record of working with entrepreneurs. Successful projects will clearly articulate a plan for equipping entrepreneurs with the tools to become policy advocates (entrepreneur advocacy) or a plan for educating policymakers about the challenges entrepreneurs face at any level of government (policy engagement).
Interested applicants should upload the following documents in sequence in one PDF file (File name: Last name_RebuildingBetter_2021.pdf) no later than 4:00 p.m. on the internal submission deadline:
1. Cover Sheet(1 page, pdf):
- Descriptive title of proposed activity
- PI name, departmental affiliations(s) and contact information
- Co-PI's names and departmental affiliation(s)
- Names of other key personnel
- Funding Track
- Estimates on the race, ethnicity, and gender of the people they serve.
2. Project Description (no more than two pages, pdf)
For Building Support for America’s New Business Plan Track applications
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Identify the problem or need.
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In no more than two paragraphs, applicants must describe the problem, challenge, or need their organization is seeking to address. Make sure to tie into how America’s New Business Plan can help solve the problem and why the proposed solution is the best or most effective solution. Letters of interest that cite external or internal evidence (e.g., research, polling data, entrepreneur focus groups, etc.) that supports the need will receive higher scores.
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Describe the project, concisely.
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In no more than two paragraphs, describe the project seeking grant funding. Be sure to include how the proposed project will advance America’s New Business Plan, either in part (e.g., a pillar or specific recommendation made in America’s New Business Plan) or in whole, either through advocacy that brings entrepreneur perspectives to policymakers or through other educational efforts that will increase policymakers’ understanding and provoke action. Letters of interest that describe clearly defined goals that align with America’s New Business Plan will receive higher scores.
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Explain why this organization is best suited to carry out this work.
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In two to three short paragraphs, applicants must describe their organization’s prior experience engaging policymakers, either through advocacy or other educational initiatives. Be sure to demonstrate how advocacy efforts tie to the organization’s larger mission of helping entrepreneurs and describe some of the outcomes it has seen from these engagements. Letters of interest that describe the organization’s capacity to execute advocacy or other policy engagement initiatives, including through the description of staffing dedicated to these functions, will receive higher scores.
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For Addressing Challenges Faced by Entrepreneurs of Color Track applications
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Identify the problem or need.
- In no more than two paragraphs, applicants must describe the problem, challenge, or need their organization is seeking to address. Make sure to describe the community or population the project seeks to serve, how the community or population was included in the development of the project, and how policy change would reduce inequities. Letters of interest that cite external or internal evidence (e.g., research, polling data, entrepreneur focus groups, etc.) that supports the need will receive higher scores.
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Describe the project, concisely.
- In no more than two paragraphs, describe the project seeking grant funding. Be sure to include how the proposed project will advance the voices of entrepreneurs of color and how the proposed project will be designed through a lens of racial equity. Letters of interest that clearly identify a policy solution to the identified problem, challenge, or need and how the identified policy change will be pursued will receive higher scores.
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Explain why this organization is best suited to carry out this work.
- In two to three short paragraphs, applicants must describe their organization’s prior experience engaging policymakers or outline a plan detailing how the organization has the capacity to carry out new advocacy or policy engagement programming. Organizations should also describe their commitment to equity and diversity and may supplement their responses by uploading documents that show a diverse board of directors and staff, a stated commitment to diversity and inclusive practices, and/or at least one person whose primary function is to serve as a direct liaison to the community the organization is trying to impact. Organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity will receive higher scores.
3. 2-page CV's of Investigators
Formatting Guidelines:
Font/size: Times New Roman (12 pt.)
Document margins: 1.0” (top, bottom, left and right)
Standard paper size (8 ½” x 11)
The Office of Foundation Relations is available to consult on proposal narrative elements and answer other foundation-related questions. Applicants should please contact Sophie Penney, Ph.D., Director of Foundation Relations (swp2@psu.edu) for additional support.