a call for.

HOW IT WORKS

A Call, from start to grant.

Start a Call. Back a Call. Answer a Call.

THE PLATFORM, IN PRACTICE

Four views of the same Call.
a call for.PRODUCT PREVIEW · SAMPLE DATA
YOUR CURATOR WORKSPACEDraft Call

LET’S MAKE YOUR CALL

What deserves
more backing?

Try editing the title. Changes stay in this preview.

PUBLIC CALL PAGEOpen funding page

A CALL FOR

The next
discovery.

Bold questions. First experiments.
Room for discovery.

What we’ll back

Independent researchers testing ambitious ideas, with funding to turn a promising question into a first experiment.

Grant sizeUp to $20,000
SelectionCurator-led

The Curator
A researcher with an eye for original questions.

ANSWER A CALLOpen submission page

A FEW GOOD QUESTIONS

What would you do?

A walkthrough only. Nothing is sent.

CURATOR WORKSPACE

Applications

The next discovery

3 applications 1 shortlisted
APPLICANT 01To review

A sensor anyone can build

$3,000 requested · Environmental science

Reading briefAI-assisted

An open-source air-quality sensor, tested against an existing reference instrument, with designs that others can reproduce.

A starting point for your review. Check the original.

Read original application
The proposal

I want to build and compare three low-cost air-quality sensors with a reference instrument. The grant would cover components, access to testing equipment, and time to document the results. I would publish the designs, measurements, and limitations so other people can improve them.

What a grant would cover

Components: $1,200. Reference testing: $800. Analysis and documentation: $1,000.

A QUESTION TO FOLLOW UP

How will you check the accuracy of the sensors across different conditions?

You make the decision.

Try selecting an application or changing its shortlist status.

Start with your conviction. Set the purpose, grant size, and who makes the decisions.

01 / DEFINE YOUR CALL

Start with what
you want more of.

Name what deserves more support. Set a grant range and selection criteria, on your own or with co-Curators.

Shape your Call

You don’t need to fund everything. You need a clear conviction and enough knowledge of a field or community to spot promise.

Give the Call a name, explain who it serves, and set a grant range, criteria, and review schedule. Work alone or with co-Curators. If several people share decisions, make that process explicit.

EXAMPLE CALL

A Call for
the next discovery.

Support independent researchers testing bold ideas. Look for a clear question, a practical experiment, and a willingness to share what they learn.

02 / FIND YOUR BACKERS

Give people
something to believe in.

Explain your conviction and invite people to back it. Fund the Call yourself, with others, or both.

Explore the funding page
Funding and responsibilities

Your Call page explains what you want to fund, why you’re equipped to choose, and how you’ll report back. Backers can decide whether they share your conviction and trust your judgment.

A Curator can supply all the funding, invite others to contribute, or combine the two. Backers support the Call’s grant budget. They are not buying equity in Grantees or voting on individual awards.

Before accepting funds, a Call needs clear terms covering its budget, any fees, unused funds, decision authority, and reporting commitments.

03 / FIND PROMISING PEOPLE

Design for your time.
Leave room for surprise.

Use applications, nominations, or both. Keep the process short and the intake manageable.

Keep the door open

Choose a bounded application window, a nomination process, or a mix. Ask only for information that helps you make a decision: what someone wants to do, why it matters, what they’ve tried, and what a grant would unlock.

Set intake limits and a review rhythm that fit your life. The goal is more people making grants, not an endless stream of applications for the same few Curators.

  • Keep eligibility and selection criteria clear.
  • Accept evidence of ability beyond credentials.
  • Allow referrals and unconventional paths into consideration.

04 / EXERCISE YOUR JUDGMENT

AI helps you read.
You decide.

AI organizes applications and highlights questions. You review the source material and make every final decision.

Explore the application inbox
The safeguards

AI support is designed to reduce preparation work: organize applications, draft summaries, highlight missing information, and surface questions to investigate. A summary should lead back to the source material.

The Curator weighs the evidence, asks follow-up questions, and selects recipients. A polished application is not proof of talent. An unusual one is not a reason to dismiss it.

  • No automatic rejection based on an AI score.
  • Access to every original application.
  • Human review beyond the suggested shortlist.
  • Clear conflict disclosures and recorded decisions.

These are the principles guiding the review tools we’re building. AI should make more room for attention, not replace it.

05 / TURN A DECISION INTO A GRANT

A yes should
lead somewhere.

Turn a yes into funding. Payment and compliance support is being built to help with checks, documentation, and delivery.

From selection to payment

Once selected, an Applicant becomes a Grantee. Confirm the amount, purpose, payment details, and any agreed expectations so both sides know what comes next.

Payment and compliance support is part of the platform we’re building: recipient checks, grant documentation, payment coordination, and a clear record of each award.

Selection and payment are separate steps. Grants still need the applicable checks. Available countries, payment methods, fees, and legal arrangements depend on the program; tax deductibility is not assumed.

06 / SHARE WHAT HAPPENED

Close the loop.
Open the next door.

Ask for short updates. Tell Backers what happened. Use what you learn to make the next Call better.

Reporting that respects everyone’s time

Ask Grantees for short, useful updates: what they attempted, what changed, what surprised them, and what comes next. A worthwhile experiment can teach something even when it doesn’t work.

Tell Backers where support went and what you learned. Keep reporting proportionate to the size of the grant, agree what can be shared publicly, and protect information that should stay private.

Over time, these decisions and updates help a Curator build a track record and make the next Call better.

A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Clear roles.
Room to make it your own.

Is this crowdfunding?

The defining choice is who makes the grant decision. Backers support a Curator’s judgment through a Call. The Curator selects recipients. Applicants do not compete for donor votes.

Can I be both a Curator and a Backer?

Yes. You can fund your own Call, bring in other Backers, or do both. A Call can also have multiple Curators with an agreed decision process.

Who is this for?

People with expertise, taste, or trusted relationships: researchers, editors, artists, founders, community leaders, and experienced grantmakers. The important question is what potential you can see that others might miss.

What stays with the Curator?

The purpose of the Call, selection criteria, relationships with Applicants, and final grant decisions. Shared tools should reduce administration while keeping those responsibilities clear.

How do I get involved?

Tell us about your Call, the kind of Curator you’d like to back, or your experience running grants. The contact form starts a conversation; it does not take a payment or submit a grant application.

YOUR POINT OF VIEW. SOMEONE ELSE’S FIRST CHANCE.

What’s your
Call for?

Bring a field you know, a possibility you see, or a grant program you wish existed.

Tell us about your Call