Annual Awardee Application

Every year, the SIPS Fund awards tens of thousands of dollars to students and alumni ventures that are in pursuit of social impact and community service. These projects are based around the world in a diverse range of sectors. Annual Awardee applications are currently closed. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with additional information regarding this opportunity (News page).

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  • A current undergraduate student at Georgetown University OR a Georgetown University undergraduate alumnus/alumna who graduated in or after 2001. (Note: Projects run by graduate students who are partnered with an undergraduate student or undergraduate alumnus/alumna where the undergraduate student/alumnus/alumna is the primary touch point are eligible for funding)
  • Pursuing a not-for-profit project that relates to social innovation, public service, and/or environmental sustainability.

An ideal SIPS Project fulfills the following criteria:

  1. Impact on the student
  2. Impact on the community
  3. Sustainability
  4. Innovation

For a more detailed understanding of our criteria, please view our project criteria rubric.

  • Be willing and able to participate in all SIPS Programming! Throughout the year, we will hold periodic check-in meetings, workshops, and trainings to ensure your success and safety.
  • Be responsive in communication, and reach our proactively to address any project issues, with your Project Manager and the Managing Director.
  • Share project development updates with your Project Manager throughout the process and, when the time comes designing metrics for success for post-project evaluations.
  • Document your project by writing blogs or recording vlogs for SIPS throughout the lead-up, execution, and post-implementation stages of your project. We want to help you show the world how you took your project from idea to reality!
  • Share reflections and evaluations of how the project went relative to your expectations while providing honest feedback to the SIPS Executive Committee.
  • Upon your return, present your project and realist in an on-campus, symposium for the SIPS Board, our partners and fellow students

Interested in applying for an award? Here’s how!

Fill out the application form. The application includes an overview of the project and an initial estimate of the funding the project requires.

Every applicant is assigned their own Project Manager (PM) who will help develop the applicant’s project, as well as support the applicant through the SIPS process. After you submit an interesting statement your PM will be in touch to arrange a face-to-face, Zoom, or telephone meeting.

Your Project Manager will provide feedback and help develop your project using SIPS’s extensive network of former awardees, board members, professors, and practitioners.

If your project fits all four evaluative criteria (details on the four criteria are under the “eligibility” dropdown) you will be invited to complete a full application.

The full application will ask you to provide detailed information around the four evaluative criteria as well as an itemized budget for your project. Continue to meet with your PM – they are your point person during this process. Be sure that you submit your application by the deadline!

You will have the chance to present your application in front of the SIPS Executive Committee.

During our biannual board meetings, final award decisions are made by the Board of Trustees, a group of faculty, students, and alumni that oversee the SIPS Fund. Learn more about the Board and the Executive Committee here.

You will receive funding to complete your project and create an impact around the world. SIPS will maintain contact during this time to offer support. You will be expected to update the team on your project during implementation. Learn more about our awardee expectations and eligibility in the dropdowns above.

When you complete your project you get to share your experiences with the SIPS Executive Committee, peer awardees, and the greater Georgetown community. We look forward to showing everyone all the impact you have in your community. Check out the impact that past SIPS awardees have made here!

Visit our past awardees page for examples of previous projects and experiences we have funded. If you have any questions contact sipsfund@georgetown.edu.