We support work that creates a real shift in how people see themselves. The strongest projects create moments where participants begin to question their own assumptions, reconsider their perspective, or see others differently. We are not looking for projects that only share information. We are looking for experiences that lead to reflection and self awareness.

The Perception Box is the internal lens through which each of us experiences the world.

It is shaped over time by our beliefs, past experiences, identity, culture, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what things mean. This lens influences what we notice, how we interpret situations, and how we respond to other people.

Most of the time, we are not aware of this lens. We experience our perspective as reality, not as one possible interpretation.

For example, two people can go through the exact same experience and walk away with completely different conclusions about what happened. Each person is interpreting the situation through their own Perception Box.

When someone begins to notice this, even in a small way, something shifts.

They may realize:

• The story I am telling myself might not be the only way to see this

• My reaction is being shaped by something I am bringing into the situation

• Someone else’s perspective might make sense from where they stand

This does not mean they are right or wrong. It means they are becoming aware of how their perspective is formed.

That awareness often creates a small but meaningful opening. There is usually more curiosity, less certainty, and a greater ability to stay present with different perspectives.

This is the shift we care about.

We are not trying to tell people what to believe. We are interested in helping people see how they believe what they believe.

A strong application clearly shows what actually happens in your program, how those experiences lead to reflection or insight, and a specific moment where a participant begins to see something differently. We are looking for clarity, not polish. The best applications make it easy to understand how change happens.

This is a specific moment in your program where a participant begins to question or reconsider their own perspective. For example, someone might realize that the story they have been telling about a conflict is not the only way to interpret it. If you cannot clearly describe this moment, your project may not be the right fit.

Before submitting, ask yourself the following to see if you are strong fit

• Can I clearly describe a specific moment where someone sees themselves differently?

• Does our work help people examine their own thinking, not just learn new ideas?

• Are we creating an experience, not just sharing information?
  Does this feel honest and grounded, or are we using language we think you want to hear?

If you can confidently answer yes to these, your project is likely a strong fit. If not, it may not be the right cycle to apply.

The most common mistake is describing what you believe instead of what you do. Many applications talk about goals, values, or outcomes, but do not clearly show how a participant actually experiences a shift in perspective.

If we cannot picture what happens, we cannot fund it.

No. 

We do not fund advocacy, lobbying, or policy-focused work. There is important and necessary work happening in those areas. Our focus is different.

At Unlikely Collaborators, we support experiences that invite people to examine their own thinking, beliefs, and assumptions. We are interested in what happens internally when someone begins to see their own perspective more clearly. We are not a fit for projects that are primarily focused on changing others’ views, promoting a specific position, or telling people what to think.

If your work is centered on creating space for reflection, curiosity, and self-awareness, it may be a strong fit.

In order to help everyone differentiate between organizations, here are comparison examples of existing grantees:

Dougy Center, Prison Yoga, Street Poets

These three organizations are all doing Perception Box work, but through different entry points.

• Dougy Center works through relationships and shared emotional experience.

• Street Poets work through identity and creative expression.

• The Prison Yoga Project works through the body and nervous system.

Together they show that perspective shifts can happen emotionally, creatively, or somatically.

Case study- Perception Box work happens through 3 primary pathways

• Pathway: Relational / Emotional

• Org: Dougy Center

• How shift happens: “I’m not alone”

• Pathway: Expressive/ Identity

• Org: Street Poets

• How shift happens: “This is my story… or is it?”

• Pathway: Somatic/ Internal

• Org: Prison Yoga 

• How shift happens: “I can observe myself”

Here’s another comparative example for the team

Emory Purpose Project, Uncuffed, Mend Collaborative, Holistic Life Foundation

• The Emory Purpose Project works through structured inquiry into beliefs, meaning, and identity formation.

• Uncuffed works through storytelling and reflection, helping participants notice and reconsider the narratives they carry in real time.

• MEND Collaborative focuses on repairing the human relationship around harm, rather than reinforcing fixed identities of victim and perpetrator.

Together, they show that perspective shifts can happen through examining beliefs, becoming aware of personal narratives, and integrating those insights through relationships and lived experience.

Case study – Perception Box work happens through cognitive / belief-based pathways

• Pathway: Cognitive / Meaning-Making

• Org: Emory Purpose Project

• How shift happens: “Why do I believe this?”

• Pathway: Narrative + Reflection (Applied)

• Org: Uncuffed

• How shift happens: “That story I tell… is it true?”

• Pathway: Relational + Somatic Integration

• Org: MEND Collaborative

• How shift happens: “I can feel this, and choose differently”

• Pathway: Somatic + Emotional Awareness (Practiced)

• Org: Holistic Life Foundation

• How shift happens: “I can notice what I’m feeling before I react”

Relational, expressive, and somatic pathways

These examples show that perspective shifts can happen through examining beliefs, questioning personal narratives, and building awareness through lived experience.

No. We care about the experience you are creating, not the language you use.

When we review applications, we are not asking whether your work is important. We are asking how your work creates a moment of self awareness. The strongest applications make this easy to understand.

Helpful Guidance: Focus on what actually happens

1. Avoid general descriptions like “participants engage in discussion” or “we raise awareness.” Be specific about what participants do, say, feel, or notice.

2. Show the moment of shift by describing a real moment where someone begins to question their own perspective. If you can’t point to a moment, it likely isn’t clear in the design.

3. Connect activity to insight. Do not just list activities. Explain how those activities lead someone to see themselves differently.

4. Use real language, not performative language.  We are less interested in perfect wording and more interested in honest descriptions of your work. If something feels overly polished or abstract, it often lacks clarity.

5. Stay grounded in the participant experience. Write as if we are observing your program in real time. What would we actually see happening?

Common reasons include the project focuses on changing others rather than helping participants examine themselves, the proposal describes intentions but not what actually happens, there is no clear moment where perspective shifts, or the language sounds aligned but the experience itself is vague or abstract.

We fund United States based 501(c)(3) public charities or organizations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Organizations must have a sustained budget of at least 500,000 dollars.

Grants typically range from 50,000 to 250,000 dollars, depending on the scope and design of the project.

We look at the full project budget and how clearly the requested funding supports the core experience. Strong proposals show how our funding directly enables the moments of reflection and perspective shift described in the application.

Larger requests should reflect a clearly defined, well-developed program with the team and infrastructure to execute it. Smaller requests can still be highly competitive if the experience is focused, thoughtful, and clearly designed to create meaningful impact.

We do not prioritize scale alone. A smaller project that creates a deep, well-designed shift in perspective may be a stronger fit than a larger program with less clarity.

We encourage applicants to request an amount that is realistic for their project and aligned with their actual needs.

No. Funding is one time.

Yes. All requests are evaluated independently and must be project specific.

No. You will not be able to save your progress, so we recommend preparing your responses in advance.

If you can clearly describe how your work creates a moment where someone sees themselves differently, it may be a fit. If you cannot, it likely is not.