Think Big for Kids grants are designed to spark innovative thinking and support bold ideas. We seek proposals that are ambitious, creative, and transformative—projects that have the potential to meaningfully improve the lives of children and youth in our community. 

Guidelines

In recent years, several community-wide master plans and needs assessments have identified significant challenges facing children and youth in our region and have issued clear calls to action. Think Big for Kids encourages proposals that use these reports as a starting point for a “big idea” and demonstrate how the applicant—either independently or in collaboration with others—will measurably contribute to addressing these challenges.

Additional Considerations

• Grant awards are typically in excess of $25,000.
• Grants can be multi-year.
• Proposed projects may be unproven or involve a level of risk.
• Funding is generally not intended for start-up organizations.
• Grants should impact a large segment of the target population and should reach beyond the children served by the organization.
• Grants are not intended to support traditional capacity-building projects or capital campaigns.
• Grants are not intended to fund the existing or expansion of a program.
• Organizations of any size may apply; however, small- to mid-sized organizations are preferred.

Eligibility

• The applicant is either an IRC 501(c)(3) public organization, has an IRC 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, or is a governmental organization.
• The application is for a project or organization(s) serving children or youth
• Impact on the St. Louis metropolitan area is a priority
• Regional or national scale of ideas are encouraged but viewed as secondary

Application Info

While Think Big for Kids accepts grant applications by invitation only, we welcome inquiries. Learn More>>