About you
Hello changemaker. We’re so happy you found us.
Investment process
From sourcing to scaling, we back changemakers driving real impact. Our process is designed to identify and support those advancing inner health and embedding inclusion, equity, diversity, and belonging into their work.
Here’s what to expect when applying for funding:
1
Application
We identify high-potential solutions through applications and targeted outreach. Our process captures key details to match your organization with the right funding type — equity, grants, or hybrid.
2
Alignment
We assess mission alignment, thematic fit, geographic scope, impact potential, and scalability. A clear growth plan and execution capacity are essential for moving forward.
3
Introduction
If your application progresses, we’ll meet to understand your mission, team, and role within the broader ecosystem. This helps determine whether we’re a strong fit for partnership.
4
Due diligence
We conduct an in-depth review of your impact, scalability, accessibility, and sustainability. This includes reference calls and data analysis. To prepare, be ready to share key insights, metrics, and references.
5
Investment committee
Our committee evaluates alignment and readiness in a two-step process. If approved after an initial review, organizations move to deeper due diligence before a final investment decision.
6
Contracting & closing
Once approved, we formalize the partnership through tailored agreements and impact goals — setting the foundation for meaningful collaboration.
7
Portfolio management
As a portfolio organization, you’ll join a network of changemakers. We provide strategic guidance, connections, and bi-annual gatherings. To support leadership well-being, we also offer an inner health stipend for founders and CEOs. Together, we scale impact and prepare for key milestones.
8
Follow-on or exit
As your organization grows or transitions, we continue to support your impact journey. For those scaling, we explore follow-on funding and strategic guidance. If an exit occurs, we stay connected, ensuring ongoing collaboration and knowledge-sharing within our network.
Equity
Are you using business as a force for good, creating measurable impact while driving revenue? Our rolling equity program supports solutions with proof of concept, a strong growth potential and roadmap to scale, and a clear focus on improving inner health, with a focus on emerging adults. If this aligns with your mission, we’d love to connect.
Grant
Do you have a bold vision to transform the inner health of emerging adults? Our annual open call provides unrestricted, multi-year grant funding to help innovative solutions take root and flourish. Whether applications are open or not, we encourage you to reach out and connect with us.
Collaboration
Are you making strides in inner health? Enthusiastic and excited to dive into the complexities and solutions of the social crisis? Great! We live and breathe collaboration. By uniting across disciplines, sectors, and geographies, our collective impact knows no limits. Together we achieve more than ever before.
Our collaborators
Alone we move stones. Together we move mountains.
Inner health requires a holistic system working together. That’s why we actively collaborate with changemakers, investors, grant-givers, academics, public officials, and community builders. All working together to create lasting impact.
By seeding into an ecosystem of change, we go farther and faster than we would alone.
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“We are deeply grateful and proud to be part of such a bold, values-driven community, and we look forward to building the next chapter together with The Inner Foundation”
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Adriana Preda
Executive Board Member
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“There are a lot of funds you meet that discuss the importance of making an impact in the mental health space – there are few that mean it in the way the Inner Foundation does.”
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Matthew Stefanko
Co-founder, MANUAL
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“As donors, The Inner Foundation offers us tremendous trust. We are equals working towards the same end goal.”
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Sean Mayberry
Founder & CEO
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“We feel incredibly lucky to call The Inner Foundation investors, partners, and friends on this journey. They’re as interested in our challenges as successes, wisely guiding us when we ask for it.”
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Tiffany Boswell
Co-founder, Meela
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“Partnering with The Inner Foundation strengthens our mission to provide holistic care for women, expanding reach and deepening long-term impact on emotional and physical well-being.”
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Lydia Graflund
CEO, EsterCare
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“The Inner Foundation’s commitment to creating positive impact aligns perfectly with our mission, and we are confident that their partnership will significantly enhance our vision.”
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Helene Lassem Nørlem
Co-CEO & Co-founder
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“Through The Inner Foundation, we have found an investor who shares the same belief system as us, and who continues to push us forward when we most need it.”
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Hermine Bonde Jahren
Co-founder & CEO
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“We are beyond grateful for the support from the Inner Foundation, which allows us to significantly strengthen our work with establishing our work in Ukraine.”
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Trine Hammershøy
Director
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“Partnering with The Inner Foundation marks an exciting new chapter—opening doors to invaluable resources, meaningful collaboration opportunities, and greater impact.”
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Ivan Dimov
Founder & Chairman
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“The support from The Inner Foundation is a turning point for our organization. It empowers us to strengthen a model that places dignity, empathy, and accessibility at the core of support.”
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Razvan Popa
Founder & President
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The Inner Foundation’s generosity has directly protected more children, and we are deeply grateful to have them among our partners.
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Mary L. Pulido
Executive Director
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“The Inner Foundation’s support has meant a lot to us, as we feel that we are part of a larger ecosystem and have access to an international network of people who want to do social good.”
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Cem Celepli Atci
Co-founder & CEO
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“Being part of The Inner Foundation community has been eye-opening. They genuinely support founders—through values-driven engagement, convenings, and meaningful backing.”
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Danish Munir
Partner & Co-founder
We support…
..these incredible changemakers.
Their work in the world is making real inroads in the world of inner health. We are invested in their urgent missions.
The inside scoop
What types of funding does The Inner Foundation offer?
We use a flexible financial toolkit to support impact-driven organizations, tailoring our funding structure based on need. This includes:
- Equity
- Grants
- Blended capital approaches
- Limited partnerships in funds
How do you decide what type of funding to offer?
Our approach is driven by impact rather than organizational structure. We work closely with each organization to determine the best financial mechanism — investment, grant funding, or hybrid models — to accelerate their growth and long-term sustainability.
How do I know if I should apply for equity, a grant, or a collaboration?
Equity investment: When you are running a mission-driven business, generating revenue, and looking for strategic investment to scale.
Grant investment: When you are a social entrepreneur with a bold vision to transform inner health and need unrestricted, multi-year grant funding.
Collaboration: When you are actively working in the field of inner health and looking to exchange knowledge, explore co-funding opportunities, or build strategic partnerships and joint initiatives.
How long does the application process take?
Timelines vary by funding type:
- Grant funding through our annual Open Call takes several months, ensuring a thorough review and meaningful support.
- Equity investments and other flexible funding mechanisms are reviewed on a rolling basis, typically taking 2–6 months.
We balance efficiency with a patient capital approach, supporting long-term impact while ensuring thoughtful decision-making.
What happens if my application is not accepted?
We receive many strong applications and, while we can’t fund everyone, we’re committed to building a more connected ecosystem for inner health.
Our investment decisions are guided by clear criteria: we support solutions that focus on inner health—particularly mental wellbeing among emerging adults (ages 18–30)—across Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and North America. We look for teams with a deep understanding of the problem, a clear roadmap to scale, early indicators of impact, and models grounded in evidence or lived experience.
If your work aligns with our mission but isn’t selected this time, we’d still love to stay connected. Join our mailing list to hear about future open calls, community events, and opportunities to engage. We often revisit past applications as new possibilities arise.
Do you offer follow-on funding?
Yes. We recognize that impact takes time, and our approach reflects a patient capital mindset — balancing long-term commitment with measurable progress.
For organizations demonstrating continued impact, strategic growth, and alignment with our mission, we offer follow-on funding through additional investments, grants, or blended capital. Our goal is to ensure that high-potential solutions have the time and resources needed to scale sustainably while maintaining their core mission.
What kind of support do portfolio organizations receive?
Beyond funding, we provide:
- Strategic guidance to navigate scaling and impact growth
- A network of changemakers for peer learning and collaboration
- Bi-annual gatherings to deepen connections
- An inner health stipend to support leadership well-being
In the limelight
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What if research travelled faster?
Read more: What if research travelled faster?Research on emerging adulthood is growing. But knowledge alone does not create change. At EARA 2026 in Utrecht, The Inner Foundation, Center for Social Sustainability (CSS), Karolinska Institute (KI), and the Royal…
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Our support of Single Step Foundation
Read more: Our support of Single Step FoundationEmpowering LGBTQI+ youth through community and psychological support.
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Our support of Centrul Social de Phisoterapie
Read more: Our support of Centrul Social de PhisoterapieSacling digiphysical mental health support across Romania
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Our support of The Social Incubator
Read more: Our support of The Social IncubatorIntegrated support for youth transitioning out of care.
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Launching: Emerging Adults’ Right to Wellbeing
Read more: Launching: Emerging Adults’ Right to WellbeingMental health crisis among emerging adults in Nordics demands action.
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Our Open Call in Eastern Europe – The grantees
Read more: Our Open Call in Eastern Europe – The granteesBacking four organizations transforming mental health for emerging adults.
