Karma Project Grant FAQ

How much funding may I request?

Our micro-grants range from $500 to $2500. You will be asked to present a detailed budget of how you intend to spend the funding.

What is the timeline for the application process?

The application window opens on November 1st. The application window closes on December 31st at midnight.

The applications will be reviewed by committee throughout January and February.

Finalists will be contacted in March for any additional or supplementary information.

Grants will be awarded in April.

How long do I have to complete the grant?

Grants are required to be completed within six months of receiving funding. On occasion, with good cause, the completion window may be extended.

How will United We Om determine if a project is successful?

Grantees will be required to provide metrics of success, as mutually defined by the grantee and United We Om, in the form of Narrative and Financial Progress reports at the mid-point and at the conclusion of the Karma Project.

Who is eligible to apply?

Currently, we accept applications from any US citizen living in the United States who is doing their service work in the United States. Individuals may apply directly or in partnership with a non-profit.

Non-profit organizations with budgets less than $10,000,000 may apply.

Who is not eligible to apply for a grant?

For profit companies are not eligible for a grant and our grants cannot benefit a for-profit company. As an example, a for-profit yoga studio cannot apply to have United We Om cover the tuition for a participant in their yoga training program.

Non-profits with budgets in excess of $10,000,000 annually, are not eligible.

Can I be paid for my work?

Yes, we allow grantees to be paid up to $50 per hour for your “instruction time,” which is defined as actively presenting information and/or completing your act of service (ex: leading yoga class, serving food for someone, etc). While we understand that the market rate for some services may be more than $50 per hour, compensation for your service work is not meant to assign a financial value to your work or to be competitive, but is an acknowledgment that we live in a modern society that sometimes requires monetary exchange for an offering to be sustainable.

What do you not allow funding to be used for?

We do not allow funding to be used for administrative work or staff salaries, legal or accounting fees, for tuition or tuition reduction, transportation costs or travel time, accommodations or preparation time, for software or tech updates.

What are some examples of projects you have supported in the past?

Please see our 2024 inaugural grantees for our most recent examples.

The committee is more likely to support projects that are in-process or on-going, rather than projects that are early on in the development stage or that do not have a previous track record of success.

How are grants selected?

Grants are selected by a committee of at least six individuals from our Board of Directors, who utilize a rubric of criteria, to assign a numerical score in the following eight categories:

• Relationship to United We Om’s vision and/or their community’s goals

• Demonstration of Need

• The Karma Project’s Feasibility

• The Karma Project’s Sustainability

• Innovation and Uniqueness

• Community Outreach and Engagement

• Success Markers

• What is the potential impact of the project?

What kind of support or assistance will United We Om provide? What is the responsibility of the grantee?

United We Om will provide all grantees with a representative to help ensure a successful project, however, grantees will have sole responsibility for the planning, management and implementation of their own Karma Project. Grantees will be responsible for maintaining their own books and records in a manner that will provide United We Om and/or the Internal Revenue Service, with sufficient detail to review your receipts and expenditures relating to the Grant.

How long will the application take to complete?

The process is different for each applicant and each project. Applicants with a well formulated idea and a pre-existing budget, on average will take about one hour to complete the application.

What are the reporting requirements?

Each project will have slightly different reporting requirements based on the logistics and specifics of the project. For most projects, grantees will be required to provide Financial, Data and Narrative Reports at the mid-point and conclusion of the project. United We Om will provide the framework for each of those reporting requirements.

Have another question?

Please email our Executive Director, Matt Jared at matt@unitedweom.org.