FAQ | Survival and Flourishing Fund

Last updated: March 4th, 2026

Eligibility

Who does SFF recommend funding to?

In terms of eligibility, SFF can only recommend grants to registered non-profit/charity organizations and for-profit entities in select countries. SFF can only recommend funding to for-profits in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. SFF can recommend funding to non-profits in most countries, but not in nations declared as foreign adversaries of the US.

SFF may be able to recommend funding to for-profits outside the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. However, in order to do so, stricter commitments to open-source development, or other legal restrictions, to ensure responsible expenditure of funds from the perspective of US charity laws and norms is likely.

SFF doesn’t target a specific type of organization. The S-Process utilizes hits-based giving to delegate to Recommenders’ judgment, so the outcome of each round varies based on who reviews it. For a sense of what SFF has recommended historically, check out the past recommendations page.

I am an individual/independent researcher without a fiscal sponsor. Can SFF recommend funding to me?

No. SFF cannot recommend funding to individuals/independent researchers who do not have a fiscal sponsor. If you are an individual/independent researcher, you must have an agreement with a fiscal sponsor prior to submitting an application.

If SFF can’t recommend funding to me, can you give me a suggestion of an organization that will?

We do not provide individualized guidance, or advisory support for direction on alternative funders.

Applying

How do I submit a funding request or application?

Application instructions can be found on our website. Any proposals, project descriptions, or funding requests submitted by email or outside of the above pathway will not be reviewed.

Will SFF recommend funding to “x” idea/project?

We do not provide answers/guidance to questions of this nature, please feel free to apply to a grant round if you wish to do so. To get an idea of previous recommendations made by Recommenders, check out some of the past recommendations we have announced.

What are the reporting requirements for any funding that is recommended by SFF?

Since SFF is not the grantmaking entity, there are no reporting requirements or follow-ups needed by SFF once a recommendation is made. Any specific reporting requirements/follow-ups will be communicated to you by the grantmaking entity that disburses the funding. In general, SFF does not track grantee activity after a grant.

Can SFF provide feedback on my application?

SFF offers feedback only to grantees who have been recommended funding in an S-Process Grant Round. SFF does not provide feedback of any kind to applicants who have not been recommended funding.

I need money quickly! Does SFF have a process for that?

SFF Speculation Grants are expedited grants organized outside of the S-Process, with applications reviewed and funding recommended on a rolling basis. Detailed information and how to apply can be found by reviewing our Speculation Grant program details.

After You’ve Applied

It’s been “x” amount of time, and I haven’t heard back whether my Speculation Grant request was approved or not. When can I expect to hear back?

You will be contacted at most two weeks after the current round deadline if your Speculation Grant request was approved. If you receive a Speculation Grant, this will make you guaranteed eligible for consideration in the current grant round. However, since Speculation Grant requests are accepted and approved on a rolling basis, there is still a small chance that your request could be approved and be considered eligible for the next round. Though reapplying after the current round is over will give your organization a better chance of visibility to the Speculators reviewing applications. Generally you have the best chance of receiving an approval if an active S-Process Grant Round is announced.

When will I hear back regarding a decision on my S-Process application?

S-Process Grant Rounds generally take around six to eight months to complete from announcement launch to recommendation announcement.

The general cadence of an S-Process Grant Round is:

S-Process Grant Round Timeline

Announcement Launch

Open application period

~2 months

Application Deadline

Speculation window

2 weeks

Speculation Grant Deadline

S-Process evaluation

3–4 months

Recommendation Announcement

Disbursement processing

1–3 months

Funding Disbursed

You will be contacted regarding the outcome of your application once the recommendations for that round have been announced.

When will I hear back regarding a decision on my Speculation Grant request?

Since Speculation Grants are received and approved on a rolling basis, there is no deadline that you can expect to receive an update by. Once the current round’s Speculation Grant deadline has passed, all applicants who applied for a Speculation Grant but were not awarded will be notified. If you are approved for a Speculation Grant, you will be notified by SFF admin.

However, since Speculation Grant requests are accepted and approved on a rolling basis, there is still a small chance that your request could be approved and be considered eligible for the next round. Though reapplying after the current round is over will give your organization a better chance of visibility to the Speculators reviewing applications.

Generally speaking, most applicants hear back within a few weeks to one month from submitting a request, however that is not always the case.

My Speculation Grant was approved. When will I receive the funds?

After approval, SFF admin will contact you with next steps. For charity grants, funds are typically disbursed within ~20 business days, though DAF due diligence can extend this upwards by 1–3 months.

For for-profit grants, disbursement follows a due diligence process that includes background checks that can take 1–3 months.

Where can I find my application ID?

Upon submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email from Google Forms that contains an application ID.

Can I make changes to my application?

Yes, the confirmation email you receive from Google Forms after submitting your application includes a link that allows you to make any necessary edits or updates to your application.

I didn’t get funding this round… should I even bother to apply again in a different round?

Yes! We incorporate new Recommenders into each annual S-Process Grant Round, with different viewpoints and perspectives from the last. Applying again in a different round means you’ll likely be seen by different people, and could have a chance at a recommendation. We also frequently introduce new opportunities or changes to the process that alter how each round operates. Meaning, a future round could potentially contain better-suited opportunities for your organization.

When is an appropriate time to apply for the next round?

Applicants can only submit one application per round, so a good time to reapply if you want to be considered for the next round is after recommendations for the current round are announced. Since applications are accepted on a rolling basis, you may submit another application at any time—regardless of whether a new grant round has been announced or not.

SFF Basics

When will another S-Process Grant Round be announced?

Upcoming S-Process Grant Rounds are announced on our website and via our newsletter. To stay up to date you can sign up for our newsletter.

What is the relationship between SFF and SFC?

SFF is a website that facilitates and organizes materials for donations to organizations concerned with the survival and flourishing of humanity. SFF is not a grantmaking entity; it publishes recommendations from S-Process Grant Rounds, but it doesn’t distribute any grants.

SFC is a Public Benefit Corporation engaged in philanthropy to support the survival and flourishing of humanity and other sentient beings, with the primary client being Jaan Tallinn. SFC distributes non-dilutive grants to for-profit companies based on recommendations from SFF’s S-Process and Speculation Grants program.