Eligibility Requirements | Timeline & Process | FAQ

All requests must be project-specific and aligned with the Perception Box framework.

At Unlikely Collaborators, we support people and organizations who are helping others see something about themselves they couldn’t see before. Our work is grounded in the Perception Box, a framework developed by our founder, Elizabeth R. Koch.

The Perception Box is the internal lens through which each of us experiences the world. It is shaped by our beliefs, our past experiences, our identity, and the stories we carry, often without realizing it.

Most of the time, we don’t see this lens. We experience our perspective as reality. But when people begin to notice it, something shifts. There is often more curiosity, less certainty, and more openness to others and new possibilities.

We are not a fit for projects focused primarily on advocacy, external blame, or telling people what to think. We support work that helps people examine how they think.

What this looks like in practice

We are most interested in projects where participants are actively engaged in noticing and questioning their own assumptions. This might include:

• Structured experiences where people reflect on their beliefs and how those beliefs were formed

• Encounters with perspectives that challenge their existing worldview

• Moments of realization where someone recognizes their interpretation may not be the only one

• Practices that build curiosity, self-awareness, and the ability to stay open in the face of difference

The strongest projects do more than share information. They create conditions where people can’t help but see something new. That shift, however small, is what we care most about.

We look for people and partners who are working on problems they know from the inside, not just the outside. That proximity tends to lead to work that is more honest, grounded, and effective.

We start with the individual. When someone begins to see their own lens more clearly, it often changes how they relate to others. From there, the impact can ripple outward into relationships, communities, and larger systems.

Before you get started on your RFP grant application, here’s what to expect:

At Unlikely Collaborators, we support people and organizations that create meaningful shifts in how individuals see themselves.

We are not looking for surface-level awareness. We are looking for work that leads to a real moment of recognition, when someone begins to question their own assumptions, reconsider their perspective, or see others differently.

We prioritize leaders working from lived experience, not distance—people who understand the challenge from the inside and are translating that insight into something others can directly experience.

The strongest projects are designed to create these moments of reflection in a tangible way. They bring people together in environments that are thoughtful, human, and often unexpected, where insight is felt, not just discussed.

👉 Before you dive in: Please review the full application and required materials. You won’t be able to save your progress and return later.