A new
Sprout Fund initiative,
Spark, hopes to ignite a youthful exuberance for technology in the region, making Pittsburgh one of the best places on earth to be a kid.
Spark provides funding for projects and initiatives that will energize children ages birth to eight in the creative use of technology and the media. Individuals, organizations, teachers, startups, artists—everyone, actually—will be challenged to think about early childhood education and technology in a new,exciting way.
“We want to use technology to empower and engage children and promote interaction between kids and the adults in their lives,” explains Jocelyn Horner, Sparks program manager.
Projects need not be technically daunting, she adds. It can be something as simple as finding a new way to use digital cameras in a preschool class. “We want to turn technology on its head and use it in a powerful way for kids.”
Spark offers support through two funding streams, Micro Sparks and Super Sparks. Micro Sparks provides $500 to $15,000 for small-scale, first time projects; Super Sparks are once-a-year, up to $50,000 awards to support broader initiatives.
The initiatives may involve health and wellness, recreation and environment, arts and culture, school and learning, and out-of-school and family time. All should be transforming and affect a lasting change around the challenges and opportunities that face children.
The three-year program is supported by the Grable Foundation. The program kicks off with a launch at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on March 3rd. The deadline for applications is April 3rd.
Writer:
Deb SmitSource: Jocelyn Horner, Sparks, The Sprout Fund
Image courtesy The Sprout Fund