Thank you for your interest in the work of the Sozosei Foundation. A spirit of creativity imbues the Foundation’s culture and approach.
Throughout the year, the Foundation will make open calls for proposals across our program areas. To be sure you do not miss opportunities to apply for funding please sign up for our newsletter here.
In between our open calls, we welcome the opportunity to hear from you if your organization meets the criteria for our decriminalization of mental illness or resilient communities program areas and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code (or has a fiscal sponsor that has 501(c)(3) status). To share an idea or concept, please send a brief overview of your idea (no more than 600 words) to [email protected] and include: a statement of need/the problem to be addressed; the target population to be served and how they may benefit from your organization's efforts; and a timeline for implementation of your work. All inquiries will be reviewed within 30 days of their receipt.
Please note that we do not accept applications for our disaster philanthropy program.
Closed October 7, 2021
Open Call for PechaKucha Presentations
From December 13 - 15, 2021, the Sozosei Foundation will host the Second Annual Summit to Decriminalize Mental Illness, in Philadelphia, PA. This year, the focus of the Summit is the implementation of 988 – the new national mental health hotline – and building the crisis care continuum as 988 goes live in July 2022. With this focus, the arc of the Summit’s three days will follow an examination of past, present, and future considerations for 988 and crisis care.
The Foundation sought "PechaKucha" concepts from creative, curious, and innovative nonprofits and individuals whose work shows particular promise for effective 988 implementation and a robust crisis care continuum. You can read more about PechaKucha style presentations here and see examples from the 2020 Summit here.
Closed July 19, 2021
Sozosei Solutions Fund
The Sozosei Solutions Fund represented a new funding opportunity to support evidenced-based programs and innovative new ideas with the potential to disrupt current systems that result in the criminalization of mental illness and/or to accelerate access to community-based mental health care.
Based on the outcomes of our recently convened Sozosei Solutions Lab, the Foundation accepted Statements of Interest related to the four areas of focus listed below. Click here to read the full Solutions Lab report.