The Rising Tide Foundation has announced a call for applications for “Freedom in Practice”, they are interested in projects that go beyond theory, make a tangible change in the lives of real people, and promote greater freedom and prosperity.

Core Beliefs

The Foundation believes the market economy, in concert with limited government and rule of law, holds the greatest promise of freedom and prosperity for all. Markets enhance individual flourishing by coordinating diverse interests through voluntary and peaceful exchange.

Poverty, in the opinion, cannot be managed by redistributing a perceived finite pie of wealth, nor by gaining control over limited resources. Instead, prosperity is when society respects the dignity of each person and his or her right to act as a moral agent. They seek to unleash this potential by supporting projects that open networks of productivity and exchange to the previously excluded. They believe that individuals in poverty must see themselves as active agents, not passive victims. They must seek and be given empowerment, not paternalistic protection as the key to prosperity.

Personal freedom and the free market economy, as ideals, are continuously threatened by the power of big-government and big-business, intervening to enhance social justice, equity, or efficiency in markets. But these efforts end up leading to the kind of crony capitalism that is so prevalent today – a system that claims to help everyone but benefits only the few at the expense of the many; it is a system that manages rather than solves poverty.

Theory of Change

The Foundation believes that Freedom is the most important explanatory factor driving and shaping human wellbeing around the world and see a substantial contribution through projects that show tangible impacts in at least one of the following areas:

• Private Sector Solutions: Does the program develop private sector solutions to societal problems?
• System Change: Does the project offer solutions to the problems created by government and crony capitalist interventions and does the project offer strategies that make such intentions unnecessary and unattractive going forward?
• Empowerment of Individuals: Does the project enhance individuals' capacities for self-determination, individual choice, and peaceful, voluntary cooperation in society?
• Teaching Freedom: Does the project discover methods to teach freedom in new ways to untapped audiences?

Grant Duration Projects can last up to 5 years. Project activation is expected within 6 months after funding notification and direct beneficiary impact must be achieved within 3 years.

Geographic Focus

Preference is given to regions where the political infrastructure is robust enough to allow free market principles to expand and grow.

The Foundation does not Fund

The Foundation is unable to support the following funding requests:

• Unrestricted donations
• Direct grants to individuals
• Political campaigns or legislative lobbying efforts
• Projects that exclusively serve religious purposes
• Building projects or renovations, including construction materials and labor costs
• Payment of debts, living costs, travel bursaries or personal needs
• Organisations that are not tax-exempt
• Projects that do not fit the programmatic strategy
• Organisations that do not share the set of values and principles

Selection Criteria

• Impact to Society: They look for projects that address an important problem and that empower individuals to achieve social and economic autonomy. Projects should have the potential to create an impact within 3 years or less and solutions should offer exponential, sustainable and, if possible, scalable impact. After the grant term is complete, Rising Tide Foundation requires periodic (1-5 years) survey responses to gauge the long-term impact of its investment.
• Feasibility: The proposed approach, methodology, logistics and technologies should be sound and chosen in such a way that successful completion of the project is cost effective and feasible. Aims, outputs and outcomes should be measurable and likely to be achieved within the timeframe. Applicants should effectively anticipate difficulties and threats whilst considering alternative solutions.
• Innovation & Originality: Proposals should explore concepts, challenge existing paradigms that are applied in a new way, and/or employ innovative methodologies to improve an outcome. They should not significantly overlap or duplicate projects that already exist. Potential duplications and/or overlaps should be explained.
• Budget: Requested funds should be justified and reasonable. They don’t normally fund overhead costs. Requests for travel costs should be clearly defined, planned and justified. Reasonable travel costs are allowable only if such costs are an integral part of the project.

For more information, visit Rising Tide Foundation.