Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AboutWhat is the Google.org Impact Challenge?
The Google.org Impact Challenge (GIC) is an open call for submissions for funding from organizations
across the world who are empowering women and girls to advance in the economy. Google.org will
provide funding to selected organizations out of a US$25 million fund.
Why is Google hosting the Google.org Impact Challenge?
Twenty-five years ago, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action set an ambitious commitment toachieve gender equality, and in 2015, the UN made “gender equality and empowerment of all womenand girls” one of its Sustainable Development Goals. Despite these large-scale efforts, women and men
remain on unequal footing and the inequality has worsened in the wake of COVID-19: 55% of women,
compared with only 34% of men, reported income loss as one of the biggest impacts of the pandemic.
As the world rebuilds economies and societies anew in the wake of the pandemic, we see anopportunity. The Google.org Impact Challenge will provide a total of US$25 million in funding forprograms that advance economic empowerment for women and girls, and that will provide the tools,resources and opportunities they need to turn their ideas and economic potential into power.
When is the Google.org Impact Challenge?
We will accept applications from March 8 to April 9, 2021. The organizations selected to receive funding
will be announced in late 2021.
What will funding recipients receive? How big will the funding be?
Google.org will provide funding to selected organizations out of a US$25 million fund. We expect eachfund size may range from US$300,000 to US$2 million, but will ultimately be allocated based on projectneeds. We encourage applicants to submit budgets that accurately reflect the scope of their proposal.
Likewise, any additional resources provided will also be tailored to project needs. Organizations may also
receive customized post-funding support to help bring their ideas to life.
Why are there two stages to the application process?
We want to be mindful of the resources your organization spends on preparing for the Google.org
Impact Challenge. Through a two-stage application process, we hope to save you time by reducing thenumber of questions asked in Stage 1 and communicating the status of your application earlier.
Entry & eligibility
Who is eligible?
The Challenge is open to any not-for-profit charity, other not-for-profit organization, public or private
academic or research institution, or for-profit social enterprise company with a project that has anexplicit charitable purpose. We’re looking for innovators who understand the needs within both theirlocal communities and countries. Final discretion as to which organizations and which projects are
funded is up to Google.org. Your organization must have a registered office in your country ofresidence. Organizations located in Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, or Syria and projects in thosecountries are not eligible to apply. Unfortunately, individuals without organizational affiliation areineligible.
Can we apply if we’re a for-profit business with a social impact?
For-profit businesses that are registered or formed under the laws of one of the eligible countries may
apply if their suggested project has an explicit charitable purpose and they are willing to open source
any IP created (or distributed) with the funding.
Can my organization submit a joint application with another organization?
Only one organization may be the applicant of record, but we welcome and encourage collaboration especially between technical and social sector experts. The application allows you to specify partners
who will be critical to your work. If your application is selected to receive funding, the applicantorganization will be the sole recipient of the funding, but it may sub-fund or subcontract with otherorganizations to complete the proposed project as long as all organizations comply with the terms ofthe funding agreement.
In what language should I submit my application?
Applications must be submitted in English. We are able to work with organizations with varying levels ofEnglish ability throughout the review and selection process.
Can my organization submit more than one idea?
We encourage you to strongly consider which project best resonates with our submission criteria andyour organization’s strengths. However, if you have two unrelated projects that you feel would eachmake good candidates, please submit a separate application for each. We will review each project
independently. No organization may submit more than two applications, except as described below.
What if I work for a large organization, like a university, that has many departments - can we
submit multiple applications?
Large organizations like colleges and universities are permitted to submit multiple applications. In thecase of colleges and universities, we ask that each Principal Investigator submit only one proposal.
Please note, the Google.org Impact Challenge is not an opportunity to fund research proposals. We arelooking for projects with clear visions and action plans to create inspiring end impact.
Can I still apply if my organization indirectly supports the theme of women and girls economic
empowerment through tackling a root cause?
Yes. We recognize that successfully advancing economic empowerment for women and girls requires
many underlying enabling factors such as and not limited to education and digital access. As you submit
the application, please indicate clearly how your organization and its mission will ultimately enable
women and girls to turn their ideas and economic potential into power.
Confidential information / IPWill details of the project idea we submit be kept confidential?
No. Google.org will not treat your application as confidential or proprietary, and the details of yourproject may be shared with internal or external experts to evaluate your proposal: please do not submit
any proprietary or confidential information in your application. If your organization is selected to receive
funding, your project summary may be made available to the public on the Google.org Impact Challenge
website.
Who owns the intellectual property created by the funding recipients?
We believe that projects supported by our funding should be able to benefit everyone. If you areselected to receive funding, the standard funding agreement will require any intellectual property
created with funding from Google.org be made available to the public for free under a permissive open
source license. If your organization is selected for Stage 2, and you have a compelling reason why yourorganization needs to own the intellectual property created with Google.org funding, you will have an
opportunity to request an exception and provide support for your request.
Project info
What do you mean when you say “project”?
A project is your organization’s proposed concept and implementation plan for how you will create andenhance pathways to economic empowerment for women and girls. If selected as a recipient, funds will
be supporting the implementation of this project - so we need to know exactly how the funding will help
you realize your plan.
Can the project be in the idea stage? Does this have to be a new idea for my organization?
Yes - we’re happy to consider early-stage ideas with a clear and feasible plan for implementation thatwill clearly benefit the economic empowerment of women and girls. Ideas need not be brand new - infact, they may already be a work in progress. In all cases, we would like to hear exactly how funding willchange the trajectory of your progress toward implementation, scale, and impact.
If another organization is currently implementing a similar concept, can we still submit the idea?
Yes, but please note that projects will be evaluated in part on their innovative approach and potential toscale. Please tell us how and why your implementation is innovative for the community, why yourorganization is uniquely suited to implement the concept in a way that will be more successful, or how
you plan to partner with other organizations to achieve success.
What kind of support will Google.org provide to help me implement my project?
Organizations selected for funding may be invited to workshops and other support programs to help
progress their project, hosted by Google.org and external organizations. Google.org may also work withyour organization to scope pro bono support or employee volunteer engagements to help you withcertain aspects of your project. This type of support may include a UX Design audit, a marketing
consultation, coaching and mentoring support, and more. By submitting your project, you are agreeing
to arrange for senior staff members to participate in any support program (either virtually or in-person)
offered in relation to the funding.

Over what time period should the funds be spent?
We expect the funding to be spent over the course of 12 to 36 months.
Can the funding be used to fund overhead and staffing costs?
Yes, but the large majority of the award should be devoted to the implementation of the project.
For-profit organizations may only use funds for staffing and overhead directly related to the charitableproject. For universities and other academic institutions, overhead expenses should be limited to 10% of
the total budget or less. This maximum rate applies to the primary funding recipient, sub-grantees, andsub-contracts.
ProcessCan I get a copy of the application questions before I fill out the application?
Yes, you can find a copy of the Stage 1 application questions here and a preview of the Stage 2
application questions here. Please note that there may be additional questions in the Stage 2 application
process that are not included in the preview.
Can we include appendices or additional information to the application?
The application includes an opportunity to provide links to additional resources. Unfortunately, we are
not able to accept any attachments beyond those linked as additional materials in the application form.
Can I save a draft of my application on the site if I want to edit it later?
No. Applications can’t be saved for later completion, so we recommend drafting your responses in a
separate document first and only completing the application form when the entire application is readyfor submission.
How do I make sure my application is successfully submitted?
Make sure all required fields are populated and within the given word limits, then click the “Submit”
button. If the application has been successfully submitted, you will see a screen with a message
confirming that we received your application, and you will also receive a confirmation email sent to theemail address you provided.
I’ve submitted my application. What do I do now?
That’s great news - thank you for applying. No further action is required. We’ll reach out if we require any
additional information, and will announce the selected organizations when decisions have been made.
I did not move on to Stage 2, but can I submit a Stage 2 application anyway?
The Stage 2 application will be invite-only. Unfortunately, applications that did not move on to Stage 2 will
not be further considered for the Google.org Impact Challenge.
Do I need a Google account to apply?
No, you don’t need a Google account.
Will every single application be reviewed?
Yes, we will review all eligible applications received.

What if I still have questions after reading the FAQs?
Please contact us at womenandgirls-challenge@google.com.