Proposal Parameters

Students form teams of up to 4 people to create an initial presentation for a non-profit (which can refer to the organization as a whole or a particular program or project by the organization) of their choice. Teams must make a business, cultural, and social case for the $25,000 investment from J.P. Morgan.

The non-profit must fit into one of the following three areas:
a.Microfinance
b.Providing education to underserved populations
c.Community engagement

In selecting the finalists, teams will be judged based on the quality of the submissions provided, given the parameters outlined below. J.P. Morgan reserves the right to make all final decisions.

Teams that are chosen for the finals may be given direction for additional information that will need to be included in their presentation during the final event.

Teams are expected to provide responses that answer the following questions:
1.Why the non-profit can be trusted to put the money to good use
2.Why the investment matches J.P. Morgan’s culture and philosophy for philanthropy
3.Why the non-profit’s mission is beneficial

Teams should submit the following documents for review:

1. PowerPoint presentation, limited to 10 slides (including appendices). Only the first 10 slides of the presentation will be reviewed.

2. An executive summary of up to five pages (including appendices) with 1 inch margins and 10, 11 or 12 point font. There should be a cover page with each team member's name, college or university, graduation date, e-mail, mailing addresses, and phone number. The cover page will not count against the five-page limit. Only the first five pages (excluding the cover page) will be reviewed.

3. One document that includes personal statements from each member of the team (limit 200 words) describing what motivated him or her to enter this competition.

4. A one-page résumé/cv for each team member.

All PowerPoints must include the following information:

  • 1.        Background information (can be the organization as a whole or a particular project or program)
               30% final score
    • a.
      Non-profit name
    • b.
      Non-profit’s address (Street; City, Country, State, Zip/Post code; Telephone; Fax number; Organization’s website)
    • c.
      Non-profit’s Tax ID #
    • d.
      Non-profit’s mission
    • e.
      Project/program within non-profit (if applicable)
    • f.
      Brief description of the organization’s history (including programs, services and recent accomplishments)
    • g.
      The role the organization plays in the community in which it is located, and the audiences it serves
    • h.
      Non-profit’s structure
    • i.
      Non-profit’s total revenues and expenses for the most recently completed fiscal year
    • j.
      The total cost of the program/project (if applicable) as well as the additional sources involved in its funding
  • 2.        Information on where the requested funds will be used
               30% of final score
    • a.
      Non-profit area (must fit into one of the following three areas)
    • i.
      Microfinance
    • ii.
      Providing education to underserved populations
    • iii.
      Community engagement
    • b.
      The primary purpose of the non-profit
    • c.
      The population served by and the geographic reach of the non-profit
    • d.
      How the mission of the non-profit will be implemented
    • e.
      The specific outcomes expected from the funding of this request
  • 3.        Information on the Social Return On Investment and a detailed budget
               40% of final score
    • a.
      The tools that the non-profit has in place to measure success and where possible a brief evaluation of the expected Social Return On Investment (SROI)
    • b.
      A detailed budget for the uses of the $25,000 investment is strongly suggested. Where possible please provide financial support and analysis illustrating the following. In cases where this is not possible, please provide a detailed explanation.
    • i.
      The itemized expenditure of the grant's funds over the expected investment horizon
    • ii.
      The expected recurring cash inflows directly resulting from expenditure of the grant's funds
    • iii.
      Will the expenditure of the funds result in financially sustainable activity?
    • iv.
      Quantify the scope of impact resulting from investment of the grant's funds in terms of the number of people affected, quantity of services/products delivered, or any other appropriate unit of measurement in the context of the non-profit's mission.