Philanthropy Lab Grant Awarded to Well Aware

This past school semester, a group of bright UT students were tasked with researching a nonprofit inside and out in hopes of awarding them a grant from the Philanthropy Lab. Once Well Aware was chosen as the focus organization for this group, these students interviewed many people on our team to understand our project processes, marketing strategy, revenue plans, and long term growth plan. After spending a majority of the semester researching our organization and putting together a pitch, they competed with their fellow classmates and won, resulting in a $20,000 grant towards our clean water work.

Because their pitch of Well Aware won on the university level, Morgan Locke brought it to the Ambassador’s Conference in Fort Worth Texas last weekend, competing against 38 groups from various universities. Well Aware won 1st place, resulting in an additional $50,000! (Our team is currently in Kenya, hence the video call acceptance.)

“After much deliberation and collaboration, our board made the decision to award the grant to the exceptional Well Aware brought by Locke. Well Aware is a non-profit that stands out for its innovative approach to implementing sustainable clean water systems in East African communities. What truly resonated with our board was how Well Aware embodied the five values we prioritized in our decision: innovation, integrity, compassion, commitment, and community. Their commitment to the communities they serve, even after the installation of water systems, is evident in their ‘The Well Beyond App ‘. This app allows community members to stay connected with water system diagnostics, project reporting, and expert support from the Well Aware team, most of which live in Kenya. It was this holistic strategy that set Well Aware apart for our board.” Samantha Gomez, member of the Philanthropy Lab Advisory Board.

We are so thankful to have been recognized for our approach to clean water, because it is different, and we work hard to make sure our systems do not fail. We are honored to not only have won this grant, but also to have been picked as this group’s focus organization. A huge thank you to all involved. 2,500 more people will now have access to clean water for life.