FAQs

Individuals, ages 18 and up, may apply on behalf of a nonprofit, NGO, institution or collaboration across multiple entities. Organizations and initiatives should have an annual budget of at least $2M.

Please be aware that this survey is an expression of interest and organizations need not submit the form multiple times or for each cycle.

The Audacious Project attempts to address a major frustration faced by the world’s change-makers. Without access to venture capital or stock markets, social entrepreneurs have to pitch donors one-by-one, a very inefficient process that can detract from the work itself. The Audacious Project invites change-makers to dream bigger and bolder, and works with them to shape their wildest ideas into viable multi-year plans that are ready for action. The Audacious Project then works with the organizations in presenting these ideas to groups of donors and shares them at the annual TED Conference, inspiring supporters to come together and make them a reality. By removing the barriers associated with funding and exposure, The Audacious Project lets social entrepreneurs take on the world’s biggest and most urgent challenges in the way only they know how.

The 2025 Cycle Cohort has been selected.‍

As of June 15, 2025, we are no longer setting a deadline for upcoming cycles. Idea submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Due to the high number of submissions that we receive, we are unable to respond to each. We thank you for your interest in The Audacious Project.

We consider all issue areas. The big ideas that are part of The Audacious Project vary widely — from global health to ocean exploration to social justice to education. Learn more about our projects on our website or social media.

The Audacious Project looks for timely ideas that are that magic combination of deeply inspiring and convincingly credible. That means ensuring your idea balances the ability to change the way people look at an issue, with a deliverable plan that will make that vision come to life. The emotional appeal and personal connection should be met with a logical approach and a track record of your teams' relevant successes. For a complete list of our criteria, visit our Apply page.

Yes, absolutely — one of our most powerful ideas in 2018 came from two separate, yet mutually supportive organizations: Last Mile Health and Living Goods. We encourage teaming up with like-minded organizations for increased impact.

At this time, our system does not allow for changes to ideas submitted via our open idea survey portal. Please review your form before clicking the submit button.

There are no restrictions on the project funding requests. Funding varies widely, depending on the needs, requirements and possibility of each project. Each budget should be realistic and align with the project activities, proposed timeline, and reflect feasible and sustainable growth trajectories.

Financial commitments come from both the public and a pool of well-resourced donors. A list of our philanthropic partners who have provided resources, can be found on our About page.

While The Audacious Project is housed at TED, TED itself does not provide funding for grantees. TED’s role is one of curation, ideation and community development.

We review submissions on a rolling basis and may contact a small number of survey responders to submit an application. Please note that given the volume of submissions, we are unable to respond individually, schedule follow-up calls or offer feedback.

There are multiple ways to support an idea that intrigues you. You can join our support community by signing up for updates, and follow us on social media for regular updates and information on our grantees’ work

Sharing the idea is an incredibly powerful thing to do. Tell your friends, family and colleagues why this issue matters to you, and the potential you see in this solution. On each grantee's page, you’ll see social media sharing icons. Use them and power the idea forward.

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By signing up for updates via our newsletter or following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Youtube. If a project intrigues you, we also recommend following the organization on social media.

Send an email to audacious@ted.com! We are happy to answer your questions and will respond as quickly as feasible.