Funding, Grants & Awards

MIT Solve Grant Program Seeks Tech Solutions to Bring Equity to Distance Learning

The Equitable Classrooms Challenge, a program of MIT Solve, is seeking solutions that will help bring equity to students engaged in distance learning in the United States and around the world. Prizes for selected solutions range from $10,000 to $250,000.

According to MIT Solve, “All solutions selected for Solve’s five current Global Challenges will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve. Solver teams will be selected by a panel of cross-sector judges.”

In addition, a variety of prizes are being offered for solutions that solve specific problems. These include:

  • The American Student Assistance (ASA) Prize for Equitable Education will award $250,000 for “digital solutions tailored to U.S.-based primary and secondary classrooms that provide career exploration or experimentation,” with a preference for “solutions that are embedded as part of core curriculum, utilize project based learning, ensure equitable access, and have an emphasis on teacher professional development”;

  • The GM Prize will provide up to $150,000 apiece to up to six winners whose solutions “help create smart, safe, and sustainable communities around the world”;

  • The Innovation for Women Prize provides $25,000 apiece to three solutions “that use innovative technology to improve quality of life for women and girls”;

  • The AI for Humanity Prize will provide $200,000 in funding across multiple teams whose solutions leverage “data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity, as well as to those planning to utilize these technologies to amplify their impact”;

  • The Andan Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion will offer up to $100,000 to up to four solutions “that advance the economic, financial, and political inclusion of refugees.” Prizes will be awarded across various Solve challenges.

Other benefits include access to mentors, coaching and expertise; evaluation and guidance; networking; and in-kind resources, such as software licenses, from MIT Solve partners.

The program is open to anybody anywhere in the world, including individuals and teams. The deadline for entries is June 16. Solver Teams will be announced in August. Further information, as well as an entry form, can be found on the Equitable Classrooms program portal.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


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