Tufts Entreprenuership & Innovation Fund (EIF)

Funding project expenses for student-led entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives

Applications for 2024-2025 will reopen on September 1, 2024.

What is EIF?

The Tufts Entrepreneurship & Innovation Fund (EIF) provides modest funding to individual students, teams or student clubs to support them in their entrepreneurial initiatives. Eligible funding requests are in the $200-$2000 range. Students can apply for EIF funding in three tracks:

  1. Student clubs and organizations that need supplemental funding for entrepreneurial training and experiences
  2. Travel expenses in support of innovation and entrepreneurship training and initiatives
  3. Project related expenses that support student-led new venture creation (startup, small business, or non-profit) 

Dates and Deadlines

EIF applications will be processed on a rolling basis through May 1, 2025 or until all available funding has been distributed. We will review applications in the order that they are received.

Application Process

Application submission:

Teams submit a written application with a 1-minute video pitch outlining the following:

  • Quick overview about their venture
  • Total dollar amount applied for, and a rough description of use of funds
  • Why you need the money now

Screening and deliberation:

  • A funding committee will review the applications. Where appropriate, the funding committee may reach out to individual teams for additional information.
  • The funding committee will deliberate and decide whether the team will receive funding – and if so, whether they will receive the full amount applied for or a subset thereof.

Notification & award distribution

  • Teams will be notified of their application status within 2-3 weeks of the application submission date.

How to apply

  1. Review the application questions and prepare written answers
  2. Record a 1 minute video pitch summarizing your project and your funding “ask”
  3. Develop an itemized budget supporting your proposal on a linkable platform (Google Spreadsheet, Excel file hosted on Box, Dropbox or Google Drive, etc)
  4. Apply!