Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund (Challenge) is a competition for universities to apply for grants that further public interest technology with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The Challenge is an initiative by the left-of-center New America Foundation that has provided grants on social justice, global warming, DEI, curriculum, and teaching.

The Challenge receives funding from left-of-center nonprofit organizations, including over $6.1 million in support from the Ford Foundation.

History

The Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund’s Challenge began in 2019 as a challenge for universities to submit applications for grant funding for projects furthering public interest technology. ¹ The Challenge is an initiative by the left-of-center New America Foundation’s Public Interest Technology’s program Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN). ²

The Challenge is a small grants competition that awards funding for the development of new public interest technology. ³ Only network members may apply for the Challenge and new academic institutions may apply yearly to become a member. ⁴ As of 2023, at least 59 universities in the United States, Europe, and Brazil were PIT-UN members. ⁵

Grantmaking

The Challenge requires that all successful grant recipients have a strong diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens applied to work. ⁶ In 2022, 18 grant recipients received money for projects involving teaching and curricula development, career development, experimental learning to advance social and racial justice, global warming, cybersecurity, data equity, and human rights. ⁷

Six grants were awarded for DEI and three for fighting global warming including Miami-Dade College receiving a grant looking at global warming on minority communities; Ohio State University receiving funding examining minority student data, analytics, and thinking considering inclusion, diversity, equity, and access; and the University of California-Santa Cruz receiving a grant looking into expanding human rights digital investigations to support environmentalists. ⁸

In 2021, the Challenge awarded grants to 31 projects including Carnegie Mellon University developing a community-led and equity-focused public interest technology curriculum; Case Western Reserve University for a graduate certificate program in data sciences that encourage students to undertake community projects that advance equity and social justice; Pennsylvania State University funding a program to address digital equity and access to Native Americans; and San Jose State University to assess digital inequity in California and assign digital equity scores to communities in the state. ⁹

Finances

The Challenge grants are funded through grants from the Ford Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Mastercard Impact Fund, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the Raikes Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and the Siegel Family Endowment. ¹⁰ Since 2019, the Ford Foundation has granted over $6.1 million to the Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge through the New Venture Fund. ¹¹

In 2022, the Challenge awarded $2.29 million to 18 universities to “bolster their efforts to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion in technology development.” ¹²

Leadership

Andreen Soley has worked for New America’s Public Interest Technology program since 2018. ¹³ From 2018 to 2020, Soley was a project manager for public and private partnerships, director of the Public Interest Technology University Network from 2020 to 2022, and has been the director of Public Interest Technology since 2022. ¹⁴ From 2006 to 2018, Soley was a principal at Soley Consulting Services performing marketing development for universities, preparatory schools, organizations, and unions. ¹⁵ Prior, Soley directed educational programs at the City University of New York and worked for AmeriCorps. ¹⁶

1. “Network Challenge Grantees.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/challenge/; “PIT Network Challenge 2023.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/active-network-challenge/.
2. “Our Team.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://pitcases.org/about-us/.
3. “What is the PIT-UN Challenge?” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/faqs-contact-us/.
4. ^[1] “Frequently Asked Questions.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/faqs-contact-us/.
5. “PIT-UN Members.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/members/.
6. “PIT-UN Network Challenge 2023.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/active-network-challenge/.
7.  “2022 PIT-UN Network Challenge.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/challenge/.
8. “Public Interest Technology University Network Announces the 2022 Network Challenge Grantees.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/network-challenge-grantee-reveal/.
9. “2021 Network Challenge Grantees.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/2021-network-challenge-grantees/; “Educational Offerings.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. 2021. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/2021-challenge-educational-offerings/.
10. “The Network Challenge.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/challenge/.
11. “Grants Database.” Ford Foundation. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/awarded-grants/grants-database/?search=Public+Interest+Technology.
12. “The Network Challenge.” Public Interest Technology University Network Challenge Fund. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://pitcases.org/challenge/.
13.  “Andreen Soley.” LinkedIn. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreen-soley-94005432/.
14. “Andreen Soley.” LinkedIn. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreen-soley-94005432/.
15. “Andreen Soley.” LinkedIn. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreen-soley-94005432/.
16. “Andreen Soley.” LinkedIn. Accessed August 20, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreen-soley-94005432/.