About
GWupstart is GW's central hub for social innovation training, mentoring, and funding. It builds on GW’s strength as an institution that fosters the next generation of citizen leaders. In addition, we provide mentorship and support to students to turn their ideas into practical action that makes a measurable, sustained difference.
The projects must be aimed at solving an issue, need gap or disadvantage in the community beyond GW through innovative social solutions. Projects designed to impact only GW students or limited within the GW Campus are not eligible. They must be beneficial to the community in some way beyond just the GW student body.
The Nashman Center defines social innovation as creative approaches to addressing social problems. Our goal is to support and nurture projects that facilitate meaningful and sustainable impact to create more inclusive and equitable communities. All projects supported by GWupstart strive to be ethical, creative, systematic, sustainable, and created in reciprocal partnerships with community organizations and the community members who will be affected by the project.
How Does it Work?
Step 1: Have a project idea, social issue or a community need off-campus you want to address.
Step 2: Set up a meeting by sending an email to upstart@gwu.edu
Step 3: Submit the project proposal for your selected grants/fellowships by the deadline. APPLY HERE!
Log in using your Single Sign On (SSO) or George Washington University username and password
Step 4: If approved, implement the project by working closely with the Nashman Center, community partners and faculty advisors.
CONTACT UPSTART@GWU.EDU FOR QUESTIONS AND MEETING REQUESTS!
The Nashman Center currently has six social innovation grant programs through GWupstart that GW students can apply for:
The deadlines to apply for the 2024-25 academic year are:
Public Service Grant Commission
The Public Service Grant (PSGC) is awarded in 4 cohorts, across 4 deadlines each academic year.
PSGC I (Fall 2025): September 7, 2025
PSGC II (Fall 2025): November 2, 2025
PSGC III (Spring 2026): February 8, 2026
PSGC IV (Spring 2026): March 8, 2026
*You must have a community partner onboard and the projects must be primarily based in the DC-metropolitan area beyond the GW campus .
Eco-Equity Challenge
Deadline: November 2, 2025
Projects for Peace
Deadline: November 2, 2025
Knapp Fellowship for Entrepreneurial Service-Learning
Deadline: May 23, 2026
Julian Clement Chase Prize for Community Impact
Deadline: May 15, 2026
Nashman Center MicroGrants
Rolling Deadlines. APPLY TODAY!