Unity opens call for applications for Unity Humanities Grants

Unity has launched a call for submissions for its Unity for Humanity grants, which support social impact causes. And musician Jewell will serve as the show’s celebrity judge.

To date, Unity has donated more than $8 million in grants to creators.

Today, Unity opens a call for submissions for the Unity for Humanity Grant – an annual campaign to fund the projects it supports. 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The company will have its own celebrity judge.

Previous judges have included actress Rosario Dawson and musician Common. Unity made the announcement ahead of the Unite conference for game developers.

„We’re always inspired by the innovative ways creators are using real-time 3D (RT3D) to create a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world. Today, the Unity for Humanity 2024 Grand Opening opens to continue our support of social impact creators and their important work,” said Jessica Lindell, Vice President of Social Impact at Unity. said in a blog post.

In 2024, one of the grants will be awarded to award-winning singer-songwriter, NYT best-selling author and mental health pioneer Jewell. Together, Unity 2024 will select an RT3D project that directly addresses themes of health as one of the grantees, Lindel said.

For more than 20 years, Inspiring Children’s Foundation (ICF) – founded by guest grand judge Jewell – has transformed lives through a whole-person approach to physical, emotional and mental health.

ICF’s comprehensive suite of tools, including Jewel Never Broken (a free online community and curriculum), integrates mental health behavioral resources with excellent social support. These trusted and proven tools form the foundation of Innerworld, a growing Metaverse-based psychic platform. Both ICF and Innerworld have helped countless young people expand their self-capacity to create meaningful connections, learn mindfulness, heal, grow, and thrive.

A look at past grants

For application inspiration, Lindell offered a look at some of the amazing stories of past Unity for Humanity grantees.

Origen is a narrative XR piece designed to connect users to the environment through the stories of indigenous communities that have protected the land of the Amazon rainforest for centuries. While underscoring the importance of intergenerational storytelling, Origen guides the audience to consider the land steward and their role in the cause-and-effect relationship we have with the earth.

Emilia Sánchez Ciquetti and the Presencias group were awarded a 2021 Humanitarian Environment Grant to support the development of Origen. Since then, the group has completed the Venice Biennale College and showcased the experience at the 2023 Venice Immersive Festival.

Teaching language and customs through song

Songs of Cultures, a 2022 Unity Imagine Grand Winner for Humanities, is an app that uses AR to transform familiar environments into fantastical musical worlds, facilitating the social integration of children and immigrant families. Binh Minh Herbst and her company A.MUSE, an interactive design studio founded by women, developed the project in collaboration with educators and parents.

With an emphasis on fun, Songs of Cultures encourages children to learn about cultural differences, appreciate their own roots, and expand their horizons through the joy of music.

Revolutionizing mental health with a virtual self-care pet

A 2023 Unity for Humanity Community Grant winner, Amaru is an app that provides users with a virtual self-care pet to help them develop new habits and practices for mental health. Originally launched in May 2021, Amaru was specifically designed to address the growing mental health crisis by providing tools and resources to improve focus, manage anxiety and alleviate depression.

Downloaded over 700,000 times and rated 4.8 out of 5.0 on Google Play, Amaru has won endorsements from mental health and nonprofit video games such as Take This, Guardians Mental Health, and Global Game Jam, as well as awards for NC IDEA and Unity. Humanity. Amaru has raised money for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and has been the focus of several studies showing that sports help.

While Amaru is currently only available in English, the team is campaigning to localize the app in more languages ​​to aggressively expand its reach and impact. Check it out today on your iOS or Android device.

If you are ready to apply for the grant, please submit the application by 11:59 PM on January 5, 2024.