The Call Me Maybe Challenge is a $500,000 funding initiative from Young Futures seeded by Pinterest and supported by Pivotal, a group of organizations founded by Melinda French Gates, and the Susan Crown Exchange. The challenge calls for innovative, student-led solutions to help schools navigate phone use in ways that are practical, effective and support positive tech habits for young people–going deeper than simply issuing blanket bans and restrictions.
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- For over a decade, cell phones have created distractions, harmed learning outcomes, reduced in-person social connection, and strained relationships between students, teachers, and parents. With the launch of the Call Me Maybe Challenge, Young Futures, in partnership with Pinterest (supported by Pivotal and Susan Crown Exchange), offers a unique opportunity to fund and help scale innovative and sustainable solutions that empower students, educators, and families to navigate the complexities of phone use in schools.
Research conducted by Young Futures in collaboration with challenge partner In Tandem highlights a critical need for more nuanced, student-centered approaches to phone policies: 88% of teens surveyed reported attending schools with phone policies, yet these policies were rated only 5.7 out of 10 for effectiveness.
The Call Me Maybe challenge, a rapid-response funding initiative, comes at a critical moment as schools are actively shaping phone policies that will shape student experiences for years to come.
"What we've found in our research with young people and educators is that schools take vastly different approaches to phone policies—some have full bans, others rely on student devices due to lack of funding for Chromebooks, and some fully integrate technology into their pedagogy," said Katya Hancock, Executive Director of Young Futures. "What's consistent across the board is that educators need support in shaping and enforcing policies, and young people need a seat at the table in designing them. When students are involved, policies are more practical, more effective, and more likely to be followed. This challenge is about helping schools create solutions that actually work."
The challenge invites applications from nonprofits, including schools, to develop solutions that strike the right balance between learning, safety, and connectivity. It is informed by insights gained from Young Futures' Youth Listening Tour, which included interviews with high school students and confirmed the urgent need for actionable, community-driven solutions.
The Call Me Maybe Challenge emphasizes youth-led collaboration to create solutions that align with their experiences and needs and is seeking solutions that:
- Address key challenges related to gaining community buy-in or resourcing policy enforcement.
- Are co-designed with or led by students to ensure their needs are prioritized.
- Address the challenges phones pose as a learning distraction and/or a disruptor of social connection
- Consider the developmental needs of students across grade levels.
"Teenagers are immersed in an ever-present world of technology – and we need to find a way for them to balance healthy engagement with technology that doesn't avoid it altogether," said Kelsey Noonan, Adolescent Mental Health Program Director at Pivotal. "This funding challenge creates a space for teens, educators, and families to design lasting solutions together—ones that are practical, effective, and built with everyone's voice in mind. Pivotal looks forward to seeing the evidence-backed solutions and resources that will support young people and the people who care for them in the digital era."
"At Pinterest, we believe that in the hands of students, smartphones should be tools, not distractions," said Alise Marshall, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs at Pinterest. "As phones grow more prevalent in our nation, we have an opportunity to proactively shape a future where young people learn to engage with technology in safe, responsible ways. This challenge empowers students and schools to find solutions that work for them."
Grant recipients, or Young Futures Innovators, will join the Young Futures Academy, a five-month program designed to help scale their impact through funding, mentorship, and a nationwide network of like-minded leaders. Up to 10 solutions will receive funding, with a goal to enhance learning environments and address the growing tension between technology use and student well-being.
Key Dates:
- Application Period: March 20 – April 4, 2025
- Prospective Applicant Info Session: March 31, 2025
- Finalist Interviews: April 28 – May 9, 2025
- YF Innovators Announced: July-August 2025
- YF Academy Programming: October 2025 – February 2026
For more information or to apply, visit https://www.youngfutures.org/funding-challenge/.
About Young Futures
Young Futures (YF) is a nonprofit seeking to make the digital world an easier place to grow up. YF provides a social compass for teens and families navigating the tech-driven world by supporting emerging nonprofits working tirelessly to help young people and their families not just survive but flourish as a team when navigating the uncertainties of the digital wilderness. Young Futures is a project of the New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. Its principal sponsors include Pivotal Ventures, Susan Crown Exchange, and The Goodness Web.
Media Contact
Brooke Messaye, Young Futures, 1 (323) 240-6653, [email protected], https://www.youngfutures.org/
SOURCE Young Futures
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