In 2008, BYU professor Aaron Miller had a big idea: give students real experience advising clients in philanthropic giving. With help from Todd Manwaring and Jeffrey Thompson, Miller founded Grantwell, a student-run organization unlike anything at other universities.
Since then, hundreds of students have teamed up with clients to solve real problems and advise thousands of dollars in grants. Dozens of organizations have benefitted from BYU’s Grantwell teams. Some have been small nonprofits seeking one-time assistance to design evaluation tools or improve processes. Other large organizations rely on Grantwell to advise grants each semester. All are impressed with the quantitative skills BYU students use to evaluate criteria and provide recommendations.
More than 300 students have participated throughout the years and many have said their Grantwell experience is among the reasons they were hired after graduation. Organizations hire Grantwell alumni with real-world experience in philanthropic giving.
In just 10 years, Grantwell’s ripples have traveled far and wide. The first-of-its-kind organization has worked with dozens of clients to grant nearly $40 million worldwide. While slight adjustments have been made over the years, Grantwell has stayed true to its original vision of guiding, giving, and growing.