Who is eligible to apply for an ROI Micro Grant?
If you are an active member of ROI Community, you are eligible to apply. The ROI Community team has full discretion in approving any grant, and receipt of the grant is subject to further confirmation of eligibility.
How much money can I apply for under the ROI Micro Grants program in a given year?
ROI members are able to apply for up to $2,000 in Micro Grants per calendar year,* provided that:
- No single grant request exceeds $1,000;
- No funding request is below $250; and
- No more than $1,000 is used towards the same one project/opportunity.
* Starting from January of the calendar year that follows the year in which one took part in the ROI Summit. For the duration of the year in which one joins the Community, one is eligible for up to $1,000 in ROI Micro Grants.
How many times can I apply for an ROI Micro Grant in a calendar year?
You may request funding by way of ROI Micro Grants as many times as you need, PROVIDED you have not yet received an amount totaling $2,000 for such year AND you have not been granted the maximum of three grants per year.
In the context of ROI Micro Grants, what is the definition of “calendar year”?
A “calendar year” is January 1 to December 31 of any given year. However, please note that applications for ROI Micro Grants from the current year's funding pool must be submitted by November 30.
When should I apply for an ROI Micro Grant?
ROI Micro Grant applications are reviewed on a rolling basis between January 1 and November 30. You must apply at least 10 business days before your project's start date. If you apply with fewer than 10 business days to go, your application will be rejected automatically.
To help you avoid disappointment and plan properly, we encourage you to apply well in advance of your opportunity!
Can I use the total annual ROI Micro Grant allotment towards one project/opportunity?
Can I use the total annual ROI Micro Grant allotment towards one project/opportunity?
No. You may use a maximum of $1,000 towards any approved opportunity in a calendar year – i.e., the annual funding allotment must be used for at least two separate opportunities that further your development as an agent of positive social change and/or advance you on your Jewish journey.
Can an ROI Micro Grant cover the entire cost of my project/opportunity?
While not an absolute requirement, applications that demonstrate your intention to cover some of the costs of the opportunity with your own funds will be viewed favorably. We want to help you grow, but we also want to see that you value this opportunity enough to commit to it personally.
What kind of opportunities can ROI Micro Grants cover?
Note that for professional development and organizational capacity building Micro Grants, the opportunity must be directly related to your pursuit of positive social change in your field.
- Professional development — e.g., attend a skill-building course or conference, receive training or coaching, partake in a speaking opportunity.
- For speaking opportunities, you will be asked to provide a copy of the invitation to speak (or equivalent correspondence).
- If you're applying for a Micro Grant to pursue executive coaching, you must include a description of specific challenges you aim to tackle, your desired professional outcomes and how this will advance your social change work.
- Organizational capacity building — e.g., gain professional assistance or services, engage in a process of strategic planning, conduct market research.
- Jewish journey — e.g., attend Limmud or participate in Jewish learning classes.
What will ROI Micro Grants NOT cover?
This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some examples of what ROI Micro Grants will not cover:
- Any program or opportunity already subsidized by Schusterman or for which you already received a Schusterman/ROI grant of any kind
- Travel to self-organized meetings, even if related to your project/venture
- Overseas travel if a similar opportunity is available in your locale or if the benefits of the experience do not justify international travel
- Salaries
- Food
- General tuition costs (for example, to subsidize an MBA or PhD program)
- Event funding/sponsorship (for a potential funding option, see Grassroots Events)
- Transport and/or accommodation that is not directly connected to the Micro Grant opportunity
- Purchase of hardware, software or other equipment
- Book publication costs
- Ongoing business-related expenses (e.g., renting office space, long-term equipment rental, ongoing subscription fees for software, web hosting, association/membership fees, etc.)
- Another individual’s (e.g., a colleague’s) expenses
- Services that you are rendering to yourself, your organization or others (for example, grants cannot be paid for your time spent preparing for a presentation)
- Services provided by a spouse or close family member
- The development of a skill that’s not directly related to one of the three Micro Grant categories
- Reunions, festivals or other primarily networking events
- Legal work (for example, legal advice, litigation, etc.)
In addition, no aspect of the Opportunity may involve an attempt to influence legislation, the outcome of any specific public election, or support of any voter registration drive.
In what currency are ROI Micro Grants awarded?
All dollar amounts are in US Dollars.
If one of my applications is unsuccessful, can I still apply for another ROI Micro Grant in the future?
Sure! An unsuccessful application does not preclude you from applying again and will not reduce your annual dollar allotment.
What is the maximum allowable length of time for an ROI Micro Grant project?
ROI Micro Grant experiences must be completed within one year (in other words, the time between your project/opportunity start and end dates must not exceed 365 days).
Can I apply for funding for the upcoming year?
Yes. The opportunity to which an ROI Micro Grant request relates must either begin in the year in which the request is granted or in the calendar year that immediately follows the date the request is submitted. For example, you can apply in 2017 for a conference that takes place in 2018 but you cannot apply in 2017 for a conference that takes place in 2019. Additionally, you cannot use a following year's grant funds for an opportunity that takes place in the current year (e.g., you cannot apply to use 2018 grant funds for a conference that takes place in 2017).
When will I receive my grant money?
AFTER you have COMPLETED your ROI Micro Grant opportunity, you will need to submit the ROI Micro Grant report form via the unique link you received in your initial approval email. Follow the instructions on the report form to submit relevant receipts and additional information. Once your report is approved, we can process your reimbursement.
When is my report due and what happens if it is overdue?
Your report is due on the date noted in your approval email, which is 30 days following the project end date identified in the application. Following this time, grants will be forfeited and no longer reimbursable unless an extension has been explicitly requested and approved by the ROI Micro Grants team.
My ROI Micro Grant experience involved other ROI members. Can we submit a report together?
No. Each ROI member must submit a separate report on his/her experience, and craft his/her reflection individually.
What if my ROI Micro Grant report does not contain enough information about my experience?
You may be required to elaborate on your experience before your ROI Micro Grant report can be approved. In such a case, a member of the ROI Micro Grants team may be in touch with you to request more detail.