MAPP Alumni Grant Program: We Have Lift Off!

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The MAPP Alumni Grant Program launched in 2017, based on the belief that by investing “seed money” in alumni passion projects, the MAPP Alumni Association could both help move alumni forward and accelerate positive impact in the world. After four years, the MAPP Alumni Board of Directors and the Grant Committee gathered in early 2021 to take a look back at the grant program and the impact it is having within our alumni association and around the world. I have to say, we were positively shocked! And, we would like to share the good news with you here so you can be shocked as well!

Where We Started

We started by looking at the data at hand. In four years, we have granted $53,000 to 34 projects. These seed money grants range from $500 - $3500 with the average grant about $2000. Over 80% of grant applications meet our stated grant criteria and are funded at some level. Just about all MAPP classes have participated in the program. If you have followed the grant program for a while, you’ll know that we have helped to fund books, research, programs, start-ups, scholarships, and more.

We then turned to our grant recipients to help us tell the rest of the story. From these 34 projects, 92 alumni have participated in projects, making this one of our most engaging programs in the Alumni Association. Over 5000 people around the world have been impacted to date: schoolchildren, university students, new mothers, caregivers, wellbeing professionals, law school faculty, underserved populations around the world, medical residents, general populations in Southeast Asia, remote workers, women, people with chronic/degenerative diseases, fire-rescue responders, and MAPP alumni. We were so excited to hear that many grant recipients reported that their projects are gaining momentum and are on the precipice of a huge impact.

Why It Matters

In listening to the stories from our grant recipients, they consistently noted three key benefits of MAPP Grants:

  • An endorsement from a reputable group has helped them open doors for additional support.

  • The impact of community support has been that extra push, a vote of confidence, to get them through the hard times and know that others see their project as worthwhile.

  • And, while the money is not huge, it has helped them keep their project rolling or get “unstuck.”

These great stories are best told by the grant recipients themselves:

“It is the psychological and social effects of the grant that matter most, not the dollars. These can be a game changer when struggling against the seemingly Sisyphean task of starting/running a pro-social organization.” - Sid Efromovich (C’15)

“I think our board should fundraise to make these grants even more money. This is really the only thing our alumni community has to put the A in MAPP and there are so many of us who have brilliant business ideas and the ability to make these business ideas a reality with the financial and social support of the alumni community.” - Sophia Kokores (C’17)

“I can tell you with certainty that I would not have gotten this far without the grant and all it has meant. The MAPP alumni grant program has the power to help MAPP-sters to massively intervene upon a world that certainly needs positive psychology. I encourage and urge the committee to continue to invest in and sustain this program.” - Karen Warner Schueler (C’13)

“A little seed money can go a long way for MAPP students (alumni). It is hard getting new things off the ground, and lowering the barrier of cost prohibitive issues will help many more evidence-based tools and programs get out there.” - Jackie Gaffaney (C’17)

When we graduate from MAPP, many of us have a dream of changing the industry we belong to, for the better. But some of these dreams involve a radical shift. One that involves writing that book, starting that non-profit, creating that workshop, or developing that board game. It involves bringing positive psychology to the world in unexpected ways. But starting these projects requires you to believe in this dream enough to believe in yourself. And then asking someone else to believe in you, too. This is where the MAPP Grant program shines.

Who Is Involved

MAPP Grants could not exist without the hard work of the MAPP Grant Committee. The Committee is staffed by Alumni who forgo the opportunity to compete for their own grant to be in service to their peers. Some have been with the Committee from the beginning, some for a shorter time. Some joined the Committee after having received MAPP Grants of their own, so they could help other alumni benefit from the grants program. Each grant applicant is assigned a “shepherd” from the Grant Committee. The shepherd’s role is to have an in-depth conversation with the applicant. It is easily one of the best parts of being on the Grant Committee. We get to hear the passion, determination, stories, and thoughts behind the applications. We then answer any questions our fellow Committee members might have on behalf of our applicant. Sometimes a conversation has more impact than an exchange on a computer screen, and this step is so important for that reason. A special thanks to all our Grant Committee members: Kathryn Britton (C’06), Andrew Brady (C’15), Jen Corey (C’15), Rosie Hancock (C’13), Tricia Fox Ransom (C’15), Chris Major (C’13), Karen Warner Schueler (C’13), and Katie Snyder (C’13).

Our Grant committee has been together since 2016. Most of us have stayed with the program though its growing pains, including the newest program expansion that involves fundraising. But as grant committee member Tricia Fox Ransom states, “We can’t let this program go. It is too inspiring and too important. I’ve been moved to tears almost every grant season from pure awe in my fellow MAPP alumni. No two projects are the same, and each project has the potential for a major positive impact on the world. And we get to support them. It’s truly awe-inspiring. I think the more MAPP alumni know about the projects, the more they would want to support the program too.”

Where We Are Going And How You Can Contribute

The MAPP Board and Grant Committee voted unanimously in 2021 to continue the Grant Program and pursue growth through expanded fundraising, including accepting donations from outside the MAPP alumni community.  Grant recipients also stated they thought it was important to continue the program and help others in our community bring the benefits of positive psychology to the world. Here is where we ask for you to help put the A (for “Applied”) in MAPP. Our MAPP Grant program has decided to level up and support even more of our amazing alumni community.

We raised $20,000 for 2022 to double our impact.  We now look forward to granting even more funds in 2023. A full 100% of the proceeds go to MAPP alumni, who dream of making an impact and just need that extra support. We can give them that support! If you are as inspired by these amazing MAPP alumni as we are, please consider donating today and watch the many ways your dollars change lives.

Make a donation to the MAPP Grant program using this link: https://mappalum.org/MAPP-Grant-Donations 

You can find summaries of all previous awardees’ projects here. 

If you are an author or run a business that utilizes positive psychology, we also have sponsorship opportunities available. The link https://mappalum.org/MAPP-Grant-Donations includes an application for sponsors.

Tricia Fox Ransom is a Singer-songwriter, recording artist, and Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a dual citizen with the United States and the United Kingdom. With over four years of experience facilitating one-on-one and group songwriting sessions that foster a sense of self-worth and catharsis, Tricia is a thought leader on lyrics and wellbeing. Tricia has traveled domestically and internationally as a singer/songwriter of original music. Her latest album, The Gathering, can be found anywhere you stream music. Tricia currently lives in Austin, TX, with her husband and their two children.

Tricia’s website is https://www.triciafoxmusic.com/

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Tricia Fox Ransom (C'15)

Tricia Fox Ransom is a singer-songwriter, recording artist, and Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a dual citizen with the United States and the United Kingdom. With over four years of experience facilitating one-on-one and group songwriting sessions that foster a sense of self-worth and catharsis, Tricia is a thought leader on lyrics and well-being. Tricia has traveled domestically and internationally as a singer/songwriter of original music. Her latest album, The Gathering, can be found anywhere you stream music. Tricia currently lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and their two children.