The Transformational Partnerships Fund: Catalytic Grants

The Transformational Partnerships Fund: Catalytic Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: ECMC Foundation
Amount: Up to US $100,000
Last Updated: March 08, 2026

Summary

The Transformational Partnerships Fund offers catalytic grants of up to $100,000 for colleges and universities to explore innovative partnerships. These grants aim to enhance student success by facilitating collaborations that can significantly change institutional operations. Priority is given to partnerships involving diverse student populations and those expected to yield better outcomes. This opportunity supports institutions in assessing transformative possibilities, making it an essential resource for educational advancement.

Overview

NOTE: Grant applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Here is the additional grant that is associated with this opportunity - Seed Grants page. The Transformational Partnerships Fund The Transformational Partnerships Fund supports colleges and universities interested in exploring partnerships and collaborations that could fundamentally transform the way they operate — centering students in solutions that deliver stability and success. Catalytic Grants Catalytic grants (up to $100,000 per exploration) can be used to engage third-party technical assistance providers knowledgeable in law, finance, governance, communications, human resources, and other related fields. Grants can also be used to pay per diems to faculty or other staff working outside of their normal contracts to explore a partnership. These grants may support the exploration of partnerships in many forms — ranging from shared administrative services or consolidated academic offerings on one end of the spectrum, to full mergers on the other. Criteria TPF will prioritize partnerships based on the following criteria: One or more of the participating institutions serve a student population where 40 percent meet the financial criteria for Pell eligibility or is otherwise importantly focussed on under-served populations; One or more of the participating institutions deem the partnership to be transformational and that, if completed, it would make a material difference to the operations of the institution(s); The partnership, if completed, is expected to produce materially better outcomes for current and/or future students of the institution(s).

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Partnership explorations supported by TPF must involve two or more degree-granting institutions of higher education. These can include private nonprofit colleges, public universities or systems, community colleges, and (in exceptional situations) for-profit institutions or nonprofits that are not degree-granting institutions.TPF’s grants support the out-of-pocket, one-time, external costs of exploring of new partnerships; they are not available for allocated internal costs other than in exceptional circumstances.TPF will only consider supporting the exploration of a partnership involving one academic department (e,g. nursing) if (i) it is the first stage in a broader institutional partnership discussion and/or (ii) would involve a meaningful number of students (250+).TPF only supports partnerships predominantly serving undergraduates.

Ineligibility

TFP will not consider grants to single institutions, to support the implementation of partnerships where the decision to proceed has already been made, to expand or restructure existing partnerships, or to support ongoing programs even if they involve two or more institutions.TPF will not support the exploration of a partnership that extends the activities of a pre-existing multi-institution collaborative/membership group/network. However, TPF will consider pre-exploration “seed” grants for the membership group to convene participants to explore the level of interest in exploring a proposed standalone partnership. TPF will also consider the exploration of standalone partnerships whose participants have been introduced by/or are members of such groups.TPF does not support partnerships involving only faith-serving (in contrast to faith-based) institutions.TPF does not support partnerships involving institutions located outside the United States.