LaunchNW’s Director of Research and Community Impact, Matt Bumpus, shares an exciting update on a new proposal for a grant which, if won, could shape our efforts in a major way.

Innovia and LaunchNW recently submitted a proposal in response to the MacArthur Foundation’s “100&Change” grant competition. This bold, innovative grant competition was open to organizations worldwide who have identified a proposed solution to one of society’s most critical and complex issues. MacArthur will award a $100 million grant to one organization. Our proposal addresses the need for youth engagement, mentoring, and mental health supports across our 20-county region.

Frankly, it’s pretty daunting to write a grant proposal in which we declare ourselves worthy of receiving $100 million in funding.

My first thought, to be honest, was “Why us? Why here, in Eastern Washington and North Idaho?” But as we look at the needs and opportunities across Innovia’s 20-county service area, and the importance of supporting both urban and rural youth and families across our region over the next several years, “why not us?” is maybe a better question.

This level of funding would be transformational for our entire region. We’re not counting on it, of course – MacArthur will fund a single proposal out of the many hundreds they received from all over the world – but in any event, the “big thinking” that we did in preparing the proposal will serve us well as we prioritize how to engage with communities throughout our region in the years to come.

-Matt Bumpus