About Us
Discover New Potential
We create equitable access that enables Philanthropy to go beyond the familiar.
Lever for Change is a nonprofit that creates equitable access in the world of philanthropy, enabling donors to discover and invest in organizations with transformative potential.
Through our inclusive open call approach, we invite organizations of all sizes from around the world to showcase their big ideas, and receive donor funding and resources to make it happen. Our transparent and expert-led review process ensures that every participant benefits, and every donor finds confidence in something new.
To date, we have influenced over $2.5 billion in grants and worked with more than 500 organizations worldwide.
Our Mission
Lever for Change connects donors with problem solvers to find and fund bold, effective solutions to accelerate social change.
Our Values
We center our work on the core values of openness, transparency, equity, and inclusion. We take intentional steps to ensure these values are represented throughout the services we provide and in each of our open calls.
Our Vision
We envision a world where people with inspiring ideas have the resources they need to tackle society’s biggest problems.
Our Commitments
- Inclusive by design: We create open, transparent funding opportunities for ambitious problem solvers, allowing donors and their teams to invest in exceptional ideas.
- Confidence that’s shared: Our rigorous review process, expansive network, and grantmaking expertise accelerate donors’ and grantees’ progress towards their ambitions.
- Connections that grow: We connect powerful ideas with the relationships, funding, and guidance they need to flourish, today and tomorrow.
Our History
Lever for Change was born of the success of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change competition, which awarded its first $100 million grant in 2017 and leveraged an additional $511 million in funding, thus spurring the philanthropic sector to rethink its approach to achieving impact at scale.
Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change is now an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit that has influenced over $2.5 billion in grants to date and provided support to more than 500 organizations.