Our Nonprofit Innovation Grants program, launched in 2013, awards $10,000 USD to employee-championed organizations looking to launch or scale new, unique programs. We're thrilled to announce our fourth round of 25 finalist organizations and their employee champions.

1. NONPROFIT
INNOVATION GRANTS
R O U N D 2 , 2 0 1 4

2. ENABLING LINKEDIN
EMPLOYEES TO CHAMPION
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
TESTING NEW, INNOVATIVE
IDEAS FOR SOCIAL IMPACT.

3. WE’RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE 25
NONPROFIT INNOVATION GRANT
SELECTIONS AND THEIR EMPLOYEE
CHAMPIONS FOR ROUND 2, 2014.

4. T E A M K E N Y A
“ B Y I M P R O V I N G A G I R L ’ S L I F E , S H E
C A N B R E A K T H E C Y C L E O F P O V E R T Y ,
A N D T E A M K E N Y A I S G I V I N G H E R T H E
T O O L S T O D O I T . ” – N A T A S H A
G O W A N S , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Taking practical action to allow women in
Ndhiwa, Kenya, to fulfill their potential

5. M E N S T R U P E D I A
“ M E N S T R U A L H E A L T H A D V E R S E L Y
I M P A C T S M I L L I O N S O F L I V E S .
M E N S T R U P E D I A W I L L E N A B L E P A R E N T S
A T S C A L E T O T E A C H T H E I R D A U G H T E R S
A B O U T T H I S T O P I C I N A W A Y T H A T
W O U L D O T H E R W I S E B E T A B O O . ”
– G U N J A N J U Y A L , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Empowering parents and teachers to educate
young girls about menstruation at the right time
and in a fun and entertaining way

6. T H E C H O R D O M A
F O U N D A T I O N
E V E R Y L I F E M A T T E R S A N D E V E R Y
D I S E A S E D E S E R V E S A T T E N T I O N . – A L I S O N
D O R S E Y , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Improving the lives of those affected by
Chordoma and leading the search for a cure

7. T H E G L O B A L
N O M A D S G R O U P
T H E G L O B A L N O M A D S G R O U P C R E A T E S
U N F O R G E T T A B L E E X P E R I E N C E S F O R
T H E W O R L D ’ S Y O U T H T H A T I S
R E D E F I N I N G W H A T I T M E A N S T O B E A
G L O B A L C I T I Z E N . – J E S S I C A L A U ,
E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Fostering dialogue and understanding among youth
by creating exchange programs that promote
empathy, peace and 21st century workforce skills

8. S P R I N G W A T E R
M E D I A
“ T E C H N O L O G Y F O R C H I L D R E N W I T H M O T O R
D I F F I C U L T I E S U S U A L L Y F O C U S O N M I T I G A T I N G
T H E I R D I S A B I L I T Y I N A V E R Y F U N C T I O N A L W A Y .
E Y E C A N T O U C H I S P L A Y F U L , C R E A T I V E , A N D
A L L O W S D I S A B L E D C H I L D R E N T O E X P R E S S
T H E M S E L V E S L I K E A N Y O T H E R K I D . "
– L A U R E N C E B R E T - S T E R N , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Providing opportunity for social interaction and self
expression to children with severe neurological challenges

9. E C O - S F
“ B E F O R E V O L U N T E E R I N G , A N Y T H I N G I A T E W A S
F R O M A G R O C E R Y S T O R E O R R E S T A U R A N T . W E ’ L L
E N A B L E S T U D E N T S T O H A V E A B E T T E R
U N D E R S T A N D I N G O F H O W T H E F O O D T H E Y E A T
C O N T R I B U T E S T O T H E I R H E A L T H A N D W E L L N E S S . "
– M A R C U S W O N G , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Demonstrating sustainable living skills such as urban farming,
natural building, rain catchment and soap making to students

10. W A V E
H O S P I T A L I T Y
“ I ’ M P A S S I O N A T E A B O U T W A V E B E C A U S E
T H E I R M I S S I O N A L I G N S C L O S E L Y W I T H
L I N K E D I N ’ S A N D T H E I R D E E P
U N D E R S T A N D I N G O F W E S T A F R I C A N
Y O U T H . ” – L I Z L I , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Building a job-matching app for talented underserved
West African youth in high growth entry level jobs

11. “ G R O W I N G U P W A T C H I N G M Y C O U S I N B A T T L E
C Y S T I C F I B R O S I S , A S W E L L S E E I N G A T E E N A G E
G I R L F R I E N D D I E F R O M T H E D I S E A S E A T 2 4 ,
M O T I V A T E D M E T O A P P L Y . " – P H I L W A T S O N ,
E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
C Y S T I C F I B R O S I S
I R E L A N D
Creating inspirational videos meant to
support those living with Cystic Fibrosis

12. B R I C O L A G E A C A D E M Y
“ E V E R Y D A Y A T B R I C O L A G E S T U D E N T S Q U E S T I O N ,
D I S C O V E R , C O L L A B O R A T E , C R E A T E , T A K E R I S K S ,
F A I L A N D I T E R A T E . W E A R E S C A L I N G T H I S
I N N O V A T I V E F O R M O F L E A R N I N G T O T H E B R O A D E R
N E W O R L E A N S C O M M U N I T Y . " – H I L L A R Y D E N S E N ,
E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Advancing educational equity by
preparing students to be innovators
who change the world

13. A P E X R E H A B I L I T A T I O N
C E N T R E
“ S I S T E R M A J O R I E , M Y K I N D E R G A R T E N
P R I N C I P L E , I S L E A D I N G A P R O G R A M T O
I N S T I L L A S E N S E O F B E L O N G I N G , P R I D E
A N D P U R P O S E B A C K I N T O T H E E L D E R L Y . "
– S E A N Y E O , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Providing day care rehabilitation to
the frail and disabled elderly and
enhancing their quality of life

14. B A Y E S I M P A C T
“ B A Y E S I M P A C T I S H E L P I N G C I V I C A N D
N O N P R O F I T O R G A N I Z A T I O N S M A K E
D A T A D R I V E N D E C I S I O N S I N A
S C A L A B L E A N D H I G H L Y I M P A C T F U L
W A Y . " – N I C K V A N W A G N E R , E M P L O Y E E
C H A M P I O N
Optimizing the placement of
ambulances throughout San Francisco

15. I R I S H N A T I O N A L
S I G H T L O S S A G E N C Y
“ T H E N C B I H A S H A D S U C H A H U G E
I M P A C T C H A N G I N G T H E L I V E S O F T H E
V I S U A L L Y I M P A I R E D . ”
– M I C H E L L E H Y L A N D , E M P L O Y E E
C H A M P I O N
Starting a loan program to enable more
visually impaired individuals get the
equipment they need to gain independence

16. G I F T O F L I F E
“ H A V I N G T H E O P P O R T U N I T Y T O S A V E A
S T R A N G E R ' S L I F E H A S H A D A N E T E R N A L
E F F E C T O N M Y O W N . " – L I S A D E A V E R &
S A M M O R O V A T I , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N S
Creating a student ambassador program
to help children and adults find bone
marrow transplants

17. S K A T E I S T A N
“ I T ’ S I N C R E D I B L E H O W T H E S I M P L E
S P O R T O F S K A T E B O A R D I N G C A N H A V E
S U C H A W I D E R E A C H I N G I M P A C T . "
– C H R I S J O N E S , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Building educational skateparks to
advance educational outcomes in
Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa

18. M A K I R A F O R E S T
B U S H M E A T I N I T I A T I V E
“ H U M A N , A N I M A L A N D E N V I R O N M E N T A L
H E A L T H A R E I N T E R C O N N E C T E D .
T O G E T H E R W E C A N C R E A T E C A S C A D I N G
E F F E C T S O N T H E H E A L T H O F A N E N T I R E
C O M M U N I T Y . " – D O N N A M A C D O N A L D ,
E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Improving child nutrition, human livelihood
and endemic wildlife populations

19. F E E D I N G M O U T H S
F I L L I N G M I N D S
“ C U L T I V A T I N G S U S T A I N A B L E F O O D
S O U R C E S I N L O C A L C O M M U N I T I E S H A S A
D I R E C T I M P A C T O N H E A L T H , E D U C A T I O N
A N D E C O N O M I C S . "
– A N D R E W S E I D L , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Ending childhood hunger by building self
sustaining food supplies for schools,
orphanages and communities around the world

20. T H E I M A G I N E
B U S P R O J E C T
“ I M A G I N E B U S H A S B E E N A B L E T O
S U C C E S S F U L L Y U S E A R T T O H E L P
Y O U T H T R A N S F O R M T H E M S E L V E S A N D
T H E I R C O M M U N I T I E S , C H A N G E T H E I R
P E R S P E C T I V E A N D R E A C H T H E I R F U L L
P O T E N T I A L . " – L A R R Y O G R O D N E K ,
E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Enabling incarcerated youth to successfully
re-enter their communities

21. I S L A N D C R E E K
O Y S T E R F O U N D A T I O N
“ T H R O U G H T H E L E N S O F L I N K E D I N ’ S
V I S I O N , I B E L I E V E T H E I C O F W I L L
P R O V I D E E M P O W E R I N G E C O N O M I C
O P P O R T U N I T I E S T O W O R K E R S A C R O S S
T H E G L O B E . " – B R A D R O S E , E M P L O Y E E
C H A M P I O N
Enabling global workers to start
sustainable tilapia farms as a solution to
the global issue of food production

22. F A M E A F R I C A
“ F A M E ’ S M I S S I O N A N D S O L E A G E N D A
I S T O A D V A N C E P A T I E N T - C E N T E R E D
C A R E , A N D T H E Y A I M T O
D R A M A T I C A L L Y C H A N G E T H E L I V E S O F
P E O P L E S U F F E R I N G F R O M E P I L E P S Y
I N A N A R E A W I T H A L M O S T N O
K N O W L E D G E O F T H E D I S E A S E . ” –
C H R I S P R U E T T , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Committed to creating healthier communities in
rural Tanzania

23. S I R U M
“ R E D I S T R I B U T I N G M E D I C A T I O N G O E S
B E Y O N D T H E C O S T S A V I N G S . I T ’ S A B O U T
G I V I N G P E O P L E I N N E E D A N D T H E I R
L O V E D O N E S M O R E Q U A L I T Y T I M E W I T H
O N E A N O T H E R . " – S E B A S T I A N L O B O ,
E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Saving lives by connecting unopened,
unexpired medication to patients in need

24. W E L L P L E D G E
“ I ’ M E X C I T E D A B O U T W E L L P L E D G E ’ S V I S I O N
T O I M P R O V E T H E L I V E S O F P E O P L E A N D
F A M I L I E S W I T H C H R O N I C H E A L T H
C O N D I T I O N S . ”
– R O B E R T W O Z N I A K , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Improving chronic health conditions while
driving charitable giving

25. O R G A N I Z A T I O N F O R
F R I E N D S H I P I N D I V E R S I T Y
“ O F G W I L L L A U N C H A P R O G R A M W I T H T H E A I M O F
S U P P O R T I N G T H E I N T E G R A T I O N O F I M M I G R A N T
C H I L D R E N I N T O E U R O P E A N C O U N T R I E S
S U P P O R T E D B Y P I C T U R E S O F R E A L L I V E S . ”
– F R A N C E S C O C O S T A N Z O , E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Building relationships amidst
diversity to combat racism and
stereotypes

26. R I S I N G
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
“ G I V I N G S O M E O N E T H E G I F T O F
E D U C A T I O N A N D S E E I N G W H A T T H E Y
C A N A C C O M P L I S H I S O N E O F T H E M O S T
S A T I S F Y I N G E X P E R I E N C E S I ’ V E E V E R
H A D . ” – L A U R E N H I P S C H M A N , E M P L O Y E E
C H A M P I O N
Empowering women to rise out of extreme
poverty

27. V T S E V A
“ I H A V E J O I N E D H A N D S W I T H
T H O U S A N D S O F V O L U N T E E R S W H O H A V E
M A D E A M A T E R I A L D I F F E R E N C E I N T H E
L I V E S O F B L I N D C H I L D R E N , E D U C A T I N G
T H E R U R A L P O O R A N D P R O V I D I N G
M E D I C A L T R E A T M E N T T O T H E
U N D E R P R I V I L E G E D . ” – R A J E S H B I N D U ,
E M P L O Y E E C H A M P I O N
Volunteering together in service of the
underprivileged