Help fund sustainable, student-driven change
Since 2015, the Pay It Forward grant fund has supported sustainable development projects in our community engagement program locations around the world. Students can choose to donate $5 during the payment process in their student portal, and 100% of those donations go directly to our local community partner organizations.
Your contribution helps fund real projects that create lasting impact. From building community gardens to launching mobile libraries and creating sensory spaces for kids with disabilities, Pay It Forward allows students to support the communities that welcome them.
How it works
Our students help bring this initiative to life by contributing to their host communities. While abroad, students collaborate with their host organization, community leaders, and our team to submit grant proposals that address local needs. These projects are shaped by research, creativity, and compassion—and give students valuable experience in grant writing and social impact work.
Thanks to this unique model, Pay It Forward has been nominated twice for the GoAbroad Innovation in Philanthropy Award.
Bringing Nature Indoors with Asprodes
2025 Pay It Forward Grant Recipient
During her Community Engagement program abroad, Miiru G., a student from Soka University, volunteered with Asprodes, a nonprofit in Salamanca, Spain dedicated to supporting people with intellectual disabilities and those facing social exclusion. Through our Pay It Forward initiative, Miiru proposed a project to enhance the center’s Aula Verde—a workshop space that fosters connection with nature and sensory well-being.
With support from the Pay It Forward grant, Asprodes transformed their leisure and community center into a vibrant green space. Thanks to her initiative, the space now features a variety of indoor plants selected and cared for by both program participants and staff. These additions promote relaxation, emotional regulation, and sensory engagement through sight, smell, and touch. The project not only benefits the individuals who participate in daily programming but also supports the professionals working at the center—creating a calm, welcoming environment for the entire community.
Want to pay it forward?
When you pay for your program in our student portal, simply select the Pay It Forward donation option to contribute $5—or more if you choose.
Every dollar goes directly to a student-proposed, locally driven project that matters.