Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria Information for Applicants

A. Eligibility

For your entry to be considered, the following statements must be true:

1. You are over 18 years of age.
2. The application is in English.
   • We welcome submissions that have been translated from another language using an online tool. Entries will not be penalised for errors in grammar or vocabulary.
3. The entry clearly responds to the topic of nature-society focused systems change and the five evaluation criteria.
4. The entry is submitted using the online portal.
5. You are an innovator with an early-stage idea already in motion at the intersection of environmental and societal challenges, who is likely navigating uncertainty or actively shaping your direction.
6. You are not currently employed or contracted by Unearthodox.
7. If successful, by accepting the grant, you would not be breaching any law, contract, or third‑party obligation.
8. You are not in a country where international sanctions restrict us from sending funds. See the FAQ for more information.

B. How we will evaluate applications

The Exploration Co-Lab Edges of Possibility open call seeks ideas and innovators that align with the five evaluation criteria listed below. Our aim is to identify innovators with an idea in motion that reimagines what’s possible, creating space for thriving living systems for the natural world and the people within it. These criteria draw from the principles of systems change and our recent research with the Post Growth Institute, Nurturing Innovation: Weaving containers with care and courage for collective change. The reflection prompts are here to help you think deeply about your idea and how you could benefit from taking part.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of jurors composed of experts across a range of environmental and social spheres, members of the previous Exploration Co-Lab cohort, and Unearthodox partners, to provide a diverse set of perspectives and experiences.

We recognise and celebrate the many, diverse ways of thinking, knowing, and being. Sometimes, the most transformative ideas begin with a subtle shift in how we see or connect things. That’s the kind of boldness we welcome. So please share your ideas and applications, even if you’re unsure whether they fit perfectly.

1. Systems Orientation — 25% 

An idea that addresses root causes and systemic patterns, not symptoms.

Reflection prompts:

• What future is your idea helping us to push towards? And away from?
• If your idea unfolds as you envision, what do you anticipate the larger, systems-level change to be? How does it matter to those most impacted by the problem?
• What exterior conditions might this transformative work need in order to flourish? For example, policy change, societal practices, changing belief systems, and so on. 
• What is the scope of the change you are aiming to achieve? One that will last a cycle of government? A decade? A generation?

2. Nature-Society Vision — 25%  

Clearly linking ecological outcomes with human wellbeing, social justice and rights-based approaches.

Reflection prompts:

• How does your idea contribute to the health of a whole living system without creating harm elsewhere?
• How is your work grounded in the ecological flows, indigenous knowledge systems, relationships, and/or needs of the communities and places it serves? 
• How does it help rebalance unfair systems or avoid repeating patterns of exclusion or exploitation of people or the living systems around them?

3. Boundary-Pushing — 25%

An idea that proposes radical shifts, not incremental tweaks. 

Reflection prompts:

• How does your idea challenge current systems and norms to help all life on Earth thrive together?
• How does your work encourage people to see, act, connect, or live in new ways?
• What already exists and how does your idea complement the current landscape, rather than replicating what is already there?
• How or where is it already having an impact? What support would help you to further your impact?

4. Transformational Intent — 15%

Readiness to engage in deep allyship with those whose work and desire for change flows across conventional boundaries.

Reflection prompts:

• What deeper purpose connects you and others working in this space, on this type of problem?
• How do you usually respect, represent, learn from, and give back to the people you engage with?
• What is your readiness to learn from and collaborate with others working in spaces beyond your current area of focus?

5. Edge-Walking  — 10% 

Approach to embracing risk and taking the road less travelled. 

Reflection prompts:

• Why do you consider yourself to have an unconventional approach to change-making?
• What risks have you taken that others around you have been unwilling to take?
• If you have found yourself falling through the cracks of current support systems, what feedback do you frequently receive about your idea that you wish you would never hear again?
• Who or what has informed your worldview and approach to change?

Want to get in touch?

Email the project team at colab@unearthodox.org.