FAQ

What is Boundless San Francisco?

Boundless San Francisco is a competition that will award up to $150 million to organizations anywhere in the world with ideas for making San Francisco a better place to live. Up to three Awardees will receive between $10 and $50 million to bring their project to life.

The process has two stages. First, three to seven Finalists will be selected, each receiving a project development grant (the pool totals $1–3.5 million) and technical assistance to develop their proposal further. Then, in fall 2027, up to three of those Finalists will be selected to receive an Award of $10–50 million each to carry out their project.

The Competition launched on August 5, 2026.

Who is sponsoring this Competition?

This Competition is sponsored by Crankstart, a San Francisco-based family foundation devoted to bolstering the foundations of a just society. Since its formation, Crankstart has awarded over $1.8 billion in grants supporting wider access to quality education, jobs with prospects for advancement, housing security, the protection of civil rights, scientific research, arts and culture, and beyond, with over half this total directed toward the Bay Area.

What types of projects are you looking for?

This Competition seeks proposals that demonstrate a bold idea for San Francisco's future and a clear, compelling plan to build it and make it last. Rather than implementing short-term interventions, these proposals will present solutions rooted in community, built to endure, and capable of advancing innovative ideas in San Francisco. Projects will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Transformative Ambition: Strong proposals will meaningfully shift conditions for San Franciscans, going beyond delivering services to change systems, policies, norms, or opportunity structures, with a theory of change that is bold, coherent, and proportionate to the resources requested.
• Viability: Strong proposals will demonstrate a credible and specific plan for achieving results in San Francisco, reflecting an understanding of the city's context, the communities to be served, and the partnerships, relationships, or strategies needed to execute here. Applicants without an existing San Francisco presence will show a realistic and well-reasoned path to establishing that presence.
• Evidence of Results: Strong proposals will offer compelling evidence (quantitative or qualitative, internal or external) that the approach works or is working. For early-stage applicants, the theory of change will be grounded in well-reasoned logic and relevant analogous evidence, even where direct results data is limited.
• Durability: Strong proposals will generate lasting benefits beyond the grant period, with a credible vision for how results will be sustained — whether through financial sustainability, policy change, institutional adoption, community ownership, or other mechanisms — and a realistic plan for the five-year horizon and beyond.

For more information on how projects will be assessed, please reference the Evaluation Process page of the Competition website.

Who can participate?

Boundless San Francisco welcomes organizations worldwide to propose solutions, in any field, that primarily benefit San Francisco. We encourage you to assess your fit for the Competition by completing the Organization Readiness Tool.

Organizations eligible to serve as the Lead Organization must be based in the United States or U.S. Territories and be:

• An entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories that has received a tax determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) and a publicly supported organization described under section 509(a)(1) or (2) of the IRC, and which a tax determination letter is in effect.
• A nonprofit organization for a fiscally sponsored project, provided that the nonprofit organization is an entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories and has received an IRS determination letter that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and a publicly supported organization described under section 509(a)(1) or (2) of the IRC and which a tax determination letter is in effect (or meets the equivalency standards for entities organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction); fiscal sponsors must exercise discretion and control over the grant funds.
• An entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and is also classified as a Type I or Type II supporting organization described under section 509(a)(3) of the IRC, and which a tax determination letter is in effect.
• A public or private college, junior college, university, or other similar educational entity that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and is also classified as an educational organization described under sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) of the IRC and which a tax determination letter is in effect. The specific program must align with sponsored research guidelines.
• A private operating foundation based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS.
• A U.S. tribal government treated as a State pursuant to IRC Section 7871.
• An entity organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction which has received a tax determination letter from the IRS or has been determined to be the equivalent of a section 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1).
• Affiliates of national organizations as long as the affiliate is a separate 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) or (2) entity (or foreign equivalent) and has its own board of directors; legal liability rests with the local organization; affiliate’s tax-exempt status was not granted under a group exemption; affiliate makes decisions regarding overall mission, priorities, and strategies of organization and for day-to-day operations; and affiliate does not “fund” general activities of national organization.
• An entity that is recognized under the law of the applicable jurisdiction as a non-governmental organization, a charitable organization, a not-for-profit organization, or similar-type entity that is not a for-profit organization or government agency and that is engaged in charitable activities within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the IRC.
• A national, regional, or local governmental entity.
• A for-profit organization, including LLCs, benefit corporations, or hybrid organizations. Award funds granted to a for-profit Lead Organization are subject to expenditure responsibility under IRC IRC §4945(h); see "Guidance Related to Non-Charitable Activities" in Section 8 of the Rules for more information.

In addition, the Lead Organization must a) be in good standing in the jurisdiction under which it is organized, and (b) comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations in its completion and submission of an application and use of the Award funds.

Can a Lead Organization collaborate with partners on a proposed solution?

Yes. While multiple organizations can be involved in a proposed solution, one organization must serve as the Lead Organization — the single entity legally responsible for managing Award funds, overseeing the project, and handling all reporting requirements. The Lead Organization has full authority to select any partners, subgrantees, or contractors at its own discretion, and the involvement of those partners is not a condition of receiving an Award.

Must a project be implemented in San Francisco to be eligible for Boundless San Francisco?

The proposed project must primarily benefit the City and County of San Francisco, specifically those who live and work in the city, with no more than 25% of project activities aimed at benefitting the broader Bay Area outside San Francisco city limits (the counties of Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Sonoma, Napa, and Marin).

In the application, teams should clearly describe the communities they aim to impact in order to convey that the project would primarily benefit those who live and work in San Francisco. If selected as a Finalist, teams will have the opportunity to go deeper on the primary communities they aim to serve and how they plan to engage with and serve communities in the broader Bay Area outside San Francisco city limits.

Are current and past Crankstart grantees eligible to participate in Boundless San Francisco?

Yes, current and past Crankstart grantees are eligible to participate in this Competition in any capacity, whether as a lead organization, collaborator, contractor, or subgrantee.

How many Awards will be awarded through Boundless San Francisco?

Three to seven Finalists will be selected, each receiving a project development grant (the pool totals $1–3.5 million) and technical assistance to develop their proposal further. After submitting a revised proposal, up to three Finalists will receive an award between $10 and $50 million each to implement their solution.

Finalist proposals will be added to Lever for Change’s Bold Solutions Network, which offers ongoing learning and networking opportunities to strengthen the impact of their work, raise their visibility, and increase their potential to secure funding. We hope this process will also engage the public and the philanthropic sector to reimagine how to bring about meaningful, measurable change.

Can I request a Program-Related Investment in addition to grant funding in my application?

Applicants may include a request for a Program-Related Investment ("PRI") in their application if they determine that a PRI is necessary to the success of their proposed project. There is no predetermined cap on the amount of a PRI request; however, applicants must provide an honest and well-supported assessment of their actual financing needs. Submitting a PRI request does not guarantee that a PRI will be offered. If an application advances to the Finalist stage, the specific terms of any PRI — including amount, structure, and any expectation of repayment — will be determined at that time in the sole discretion of the Competition Sponsor.

Will only projects within Crankstart's traditional program areas be considered for an award?

This Competition is intentionally designed to be broad and to welcome projects that go beyond Crankstart's existing program areas. Organizations of all types and from all places are encouraged to apply and share their strongest ideas.

What is the project development grant, and how should it be used?

Between $1 and $3.5 million in project development support will be divided among three to seven Finalists. The project development grant will be provided as general operating support to Finalists, but its intended use is to strengthen and refine their proposed projects before final review.

How will submissions be assessed?

Once the initial application submission deadline passes, the Boundless San Francisco team will perform an administrative review to confirm that each submission meets the Rules and application requirements before advancing to the required Participatory Review.

During Participatory Review, each applicant organization will review the applications of four peer applicant organizations using the Evaluation Rubric that outlines four criteria: Transformative Ambition, Viability, Evidence of Results, and Durability. Top-scoring applications from Participatory Review will advance to the Evaluation Panel, where they will receive additional review and comments from four Evaluation Panel Reviewers. During the Evaluation Panel Review, applications will be assessed using the same Evaluation Rubric.

The Boundless San Francisco team will review the top-scoring submissions and may request additional information as needed to select between three and seven Finalists based on considerations that may include, but are not limited to, Evaluation Panel resulting rank order, transformative potential, organizational capacity, and impact on San Francisco. Crankstart will make the final determination of up to three Awardees, who will each receive an award between $10 and $50 million.

How can we use the Award from Boundless San Francisco?

Award funds must be used for the solution described in the application and must be used exclusively for tax-exempt purposes. Prohibited uses of Award funds include:

• For non-charitable purposes, i.e., to undertake any activity for any purpose other than one specified in Section 170(c)(2)(B) of the IRC.
• For the purpose of lobbying, including to carry on propaganda or otherwise to attempt to influence legislation.
• To fund political organizations and political work (such as the work of 527s and certain types of work in which Section 501(c)(4) organizations may engage).

Funds may be subgranted from a Lead Organization to other subgrantees or contractors to implement the proposed solution, and not for general funds used for broader purposes. The Lead Organization will retain full discretion and control over the selection of any subgrantee or contractor.

What is the overall timeline of Boundless San Francisco?

Please review the Timeline here.

• Interested organizations must register before 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time on Friday, September 11, 2026.
• Registered organizations must submit an application. Complete applications are due by 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time on Friday, October 9, 2026.
• All applications meeting the eligibility criteria for the Competition will be assessed by peer applicants during Participatory Review between November and December 2026.
• After Participatory Review is complete, organizations that were top-rated by peers will advance to the externally recruited Evaluation Panel made up of individuals from across sectors with relevant experience.
• Applications will then be assessed by Evaluation Panel Reviewers between January and March 2027.
• Informed by the results of Participatory and Evaluation Panel Review, Crankstart will select Finalists by June 2027.
• Selected Finalists will submit a comprehensive investment prospectus in summer 2027.
• Awardees will be selected and announced in fall 2027.

What does applying for Boundless San Francisco entail?

Organizations applying to the Competition will be asked to do the following as part of the application process:

• Register (15 minutes). Answer a few short informational questions.
• Submit an application (~10+ hours). Provide an overview of your organization and work.
• Complete Participatory Review (~2.5 hours). Assess the applications of four, and if necessary, up to six, other applicants using the Evaluation Rubric that outlines four criteria: Transformative Ambition, Viability, Evidence of Results, and Durability.

How will I learn about updates for Boundless San Francisco?

Following submission of a registration form, participants can expect to hear status updates about Boundless San Francisco through the Submittable platform. Updates will be sent to the email associated with the Submitter account through which registration was submitted.

Who is part of the Evaluation Panel?

The Evaluation Panel for Boundless San Francisco is composed of local and global practitioners and experts with experience in key subject areas relevant to the Competition, including economic mobility, housing, and public health. Panelists range from professionals with direct experience working in and around San Francisco to global experts in scaling and implementation who can assess the growth potential of proposed solutions. Given the Competition's broad scope, welcoming bold and transformative proposals across subject areas, the panel is intentionally designed to evaluate ideas that are community-rooted, built to endure, and capable of driving meaningful innovation in San Francisco. You can view the list of Evaluators here. Please note that evaluator recruitment for the Competition is ongoing; the panel will be periodically updated in the gallery as we confirm additional evaluators.

A member of my organization is serving on the Evaluation Panel. Does this make my organization ineligible to apply for Boundless San Francisco?

If you are the head of the lead organization, or on the lead organization’s project team, for an application that advances to the Evaluation Panel stage, you must recuse yourself completely from the Evaluation Panel.

If you work at the lead organization but are not the head and not on the project team, you do not need to recuse yourself from the full panel. You only need to recuse yourself from evaluating your own organization’s application.

If you are affiliated with a partner organization on an application, including if you are the head of that partner organization or on its project team, you do not need to recuse yourself from the full panel. You only need to recuse yourself from evaluating the specific application or applications that involve your organization. If your organization partners on more than one application, this applies to each of those applications individually.

If a family member or close friend of yours works at, invests in, advises, or serves on the board of an organization involved in an application, whether as the lead organization or a partner organization, you must recuse yourself from evaluating that specific application.

Please let us know if you have questions about this policy; it is intended to ensure fairness.

Can multiple projects of a single fiscal sponsor apply to Boundless San Francisco?

Yes. Even if multiple projects share the same fiscal sponsor, each project may submit its own application, provided the projects are genuinely distinct from one another. Applicants should ensure they complete the designated sections of the registration and application forms with information about the fiscal sponsor where requested, and all other applicable sections with information about the fiscally sponsored project. If your project is selected as an Awardee, the fiscal sponsor organization will be named in the grant agreement for grantmaking purposes.

Can multiple centers, departments, or programs housed within the same parent organization each apply to Boundless San Francisco?

Yes. Regional or location-specific branches of larger organizations, as well as departments, schools, and centers within or based in a college/university, can register and submit separate applications as long as the proposed solutions are different and separate. As long as each application is submitted by a different team member with a unique email address, some overlap in team members on different applications is permitted. Lead Organizations, though, are encouraged to select a single project that best represents its ability to deliver a solution that meets the Evaluation Criteria. Overlapping membership of boards and advisory boards among different applicants is also permitted.

If I have a specific question or need the most up-to-date information, where can I reach out?

For any specific questions, and to ensure you have the most accurate and up-to-date information about this Competition, please reach out directly to boundless-sf@submittable.com. Our team is here to help.

Where do I apply?

Visit boundless-sf-apply.leverforchange.org/submit to register and begin your application. The application opened on August 5, 2026. Initial registration must be completed by Friday, September 11, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time. Complete applications must be received no later than Friday, October 9, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time. Applicants must register to participate.

How do I apply?

First, take the Organization Readiness Tool to confirm that your organization meets the eligibility requirements.

After reading the Competition Rules carefully and taking the Organization Readiness Tool, you can either sign in with your existing Submittable account or create a new one to access the registration and application. Signing up with Submittable is free and is required to submit an application to Boundless San Francisco.

All correspondence related to the Competition, including deadline reminders and status updates, will be sent through the Submittable platform by the Boundless San Francisco Team. This correspondence will be directed to the Submitter whose account is associated with the application. For this reason, it is recommended that the desired Primary Contact creates a Submittable account and completes the application from this account. This will ensure that they receive all relevant correspondence and updates.

Once you are signed into an account, you will need to accept the Rules and then complete the initial registration. Be sure to register by Friday, September 11, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time. Once you have completed the initial registration, you will receive an email invitation with a link that you can access to complete your application by Friday, October 9, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time.

Take some time to review the information provided on this website, particularly the application questions and Evaluation Rubric. Sign up for our Applicant Q&A webinar on Tuesday, August 18 - click here to learn more. If you’re unable to attend the webinar, we will be posting a recording afterward. Please direct any questions to boundless-sf@submittable.com.

A draft of your application will automatically save every few minutes. If you exit the application before completing it, your previous answers will be saved. To view your draft and continue working on your application, return to the application page, sign into your Submittable account, click Saved Drafts, and choose Continue. Be sure to complete and submit your application no later than Friday, October 9, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time.

Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email from notifications@email.submittable.com. Please be sure the email address you used to sign up for your Submittable account is one that you check regularly.

How do I make sure I do not miss email updates from the Boundless San Francisco team?

To ensure you don’t miss any critical messages, we recommend that you enable safelist notifications.

Who from my organization should create a Submittable account for use in submitting our application?

The desired Primary Contact at your organization should create an account and be the Submitter on your organization’s application. All correspondence related to the Competition, including deadline reminders and status updates, will be sent through the Submittable platform by the Boundless San Francisco Team. This correspondence will be directed to the Submitter whose account is associated with the application. For this reason, it is recommended that the desired Primary Contact at your organization creates a Submittable account and completes the application from this account. This will ensure that they receive all relevant correspondence and updates.

If the Submitter/Primary Contact changes at any point during the Competition, please immediately notify the Competition team at boundless-sf@submittable.com with the updated contact information to ensure receipt of time-sensitive information.

How do I sign into my Submittable account?

You can sign into your Submittable account at manager.submittable.com/login. If you’ve lost or forgotten your password, follow the instructions here.

Where is my submission draft?

To view your submission draft and continue working on your application, sign into your account at manager.submittable.com/login, click Saved Drafts, and choose “Continue”.

Will I receive a notification that my application has been received?

Yes, you will receive an email confirmation from notifications@email.submittable.com once your application is submitted.

To ensure you don’t miss any critical messages, we recommend that you enable safelist notifications.

Will I be able to edit my application after submitting should I make an error?

No. Please ensure all information you provide is accurate before you press the “SUBMIT” button. Submitters can withdraw an active submission at any time. To withdraw an active submission, follow the steps found here.

Can I delete my Submittable account?

Yes, Submittable is committed to protecting data security and privacy, and that includes our full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

To proceed with a request to delete your personal Submittable account, please fill out this form.

You will be notified of progress as the various steps are taken to remove your information from our system.

How do I withdraw my submission?

Submitters can withdraw an active submission at any time. To withdraw an active submission, follow the steps found here.

How do I get technical assistance, and how can I find out more information?

If you need technical assistance, please email boundless-sf@submittable.com. Submittable’s Customer Support team is available and will respond to inquiries Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time.

Find more technical information in our Help Center.