Levy Inspiration Grant Program

Inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs 

At Kellogg, we believe that one of the best ways to support student entrepreneurs is getting them into the world to investigate problems with their own eyes. In this spirit, we offer two experiential programs under one entrepreneurial umbrella: the Levy Inspiration Grant Program and Levy Spark Treks. Each funded by a generous gift from Larry and Carol Levy, these programs share a goal of moving beyond online and secondary research and allowing students to speak directly with experts, researchers, founders, and potential customers in the hopes that they'll be inspired to build a business and solve big, gnarly problems across the globe.

The Levy Inspiration Grant Program provides up to $5,000 for students who want to be an entrepreneur to immerse themselves in on-the-ground, in-market research. Rather than studying a problem from afar, we want you to experience it firsthand. As the name implies, the core tenets of this program are inspiration, exploration, and immersion. What you immerse yourself in and where you do it is completely up to you. With a Levy Inspiration Grant, we want you to go see for yourself. 

When students return from their perspective-altering trips, they share their knowledge with the Kellogg community and are asked to sit down with the Entrepreneurship at Kellogg team for an interview to reflect on their experiences, recounting impactful stories and takeaways from their adventure. These interviews are distilled down into episodes for the Levy Inspiration Grant Program podcast, allowing us to compile an ever-growing archive of student-driven knowledge. 

Ready to apply?

As you consider building your application, please know that we expect to see some level of entrepreneurial involvement during your time at Kellogg so far, such as classes, co-curriculars, clubs, or participation in other Northwestern entrepreneurial programs.

Application deadlines vary depending on your intended travel dates. If you are approved for an Inspiration Grant, your travel must take place within the current or next quarter from when you have applied and all travel must be completed by graduation. 

In addition to the application form, students will also be asked to participate in a brief 20-minute interview during the application process. 

Application Deadlines:

For the 2024-25 academic year, the application deadlines are as follows:

• For travel during November/December, the deadline to apply is September 30, interviews will take place by October 11, and decisions will be shared by October 16. 

• For travel during March/Spring Break, the deadline to apply is January 5, interviews will take place by January 17, and decisions will be shared by January 22. 

• For travel outside these parameters, the deadline to apply is 2 months prior to your anticipated travel start date.

For students who apply well in advance of the deadline, interviews are likely to be scheduled earlier and decisions communicated in advance of the dates specified here.

Before submitting an application, we recommend taking a thorough look through the Program Guide below to learn about the ins-and-outs of the program, including application tips, deliverables, and other important details.

View Program Guide

Apply Here

A word about the difference between Levy Inspiration Grants and Levy Spark Treks, deciding which is right for you, and the possibility of participating in more than one...

Both Spark Treks and Inspiration Grants are intended for students who want to be founders and are looking for inspiration beyond secondary/online research. A Spark Trek is a small group experience led by a faculty member around a particular topic in a particular location, and an Inspiration Grant is for you (with possibly one other person) to design an itinerary around nearly any topic in any location.

Due to the interest/demand for Spark Treks, once you participate in one, you will not be eligible for future treks. You should therefore carefully prioritize the trek that best supports your entrepreneurial journey when choosing to submit an application.

Additionally, if you are approved for an Inspiration Grant trip, it would be extremely unlikely that you would be invited to join a Spark Trek after that. Conversely, it would be rare, but possible, to be approved for an Inspiration Grant after having participated on a Spark Trek -- if continuation of your entrepreneurial explorations is evident, this will be considered.

Feel free to reach out to the Entrepreneurship at Kellogg team if you have questions about whether an Inspiration Grant or Spark Trek makes the most sense for you.

Questions?

For any questions that aren't covered in our Program Guide, please reach out to entrepreneurship@kellogg.northwestern.edu to learn more.