Wider Reach Program
Helping high-need customer groups reach high-impact products and services.
How it Works
Through our new pilot program, Wider Reach, we will enable high-need organizations and communities to access products and services backed by the impact investing industry. Grants will support low-income, rural, or otherwise underserved and high-need groups in receiving innovative services in healthcare, education, financial wellness, climate resilience, and more.
Impact investor-backed business models are scaled and managed for their impact, but many are not yet reaching those most in need due to a range of commercial challenges and market failures. The Wider Reach Program aims to catalyze high-impact opportunities to reach underserved customer segments before they would otherwise be commercially feasible and, in demonstrating the value of these projects, support their long-term adoption.
Examples of potential projects include:
Providing college and career readiness technology to small, rural school districts
Installing climate adaptation solutions in low-income coastal areas and public housing
Deploying AI tools at rural health systems to overcome workforce gaps
Who is This For?
The SJF Institute is eager to collaborate with partners across entrepreneurship, impact investing, nonprofits and philanthropy.
Entrepreneurs
We want to collaborate with startups providing products and services that create positive impacts for their customers by solving challenges in healthcare, education, financial wellness, climate resilience, and related areas. If your company fits these criteria and you have a recommendation for grantees that may benefit from your services, please reach out using this form.
Potential grantees
We are looking for organizations that serve low-income, rural, or otherwise underserved and high-need groups, such as schools, hospital systems, community groups, public housing organizations, and beyond. If your organization requires subsidized access to a particular solution within healthcare, education, financial wellness, climate resilience, or adjacent areas, please reach out using this form and we will assess potential project opportunities.
Impact investors
The SJF Institute is looking to “widen the reach” of the impact investing industry. If you are an impact investor and want to partner with the SJF Institute to support your portfolio companies in reaching low-income, rural, or otherwise underserved and high-need groups please reach out using this form.
Project Criteria
Long-term Viability of Impact
Wider Reach grants are intended to be catalytic and thus should contribute to the long-term viability of the proposed project. The Institute cannot fund a project in perpetuity, so applicants should explain how this grant will support obtaining the necessary budget, data, proof of concept, etc. for the long-term implementation of the work.
Internal Champion
Applicants must demonstrate senior leadership buy-in on the project. To help ensure the long-term viability of these projects, grantees must provide an internal, senior-level sponsor to champion the project and provide ongoing input.
Impact Measurement
Applicants must agree to measure and report on impact. Impact measurement should provide the necessary data to promote the long-term viability of the proposed project. Budget will be allocated to funding the necessary data collection and the SJF Institute team will help manage an annual reporting process.
Additionality Bar
Grant funding must enable a high-impact customer segment that would not otherwise be able to access these services. The partnering social and sustainable enterprises must demonstrate that without the Wider Reach grant, it would not be commercially feasible to offer services to the grantee today.
