A record-breaking number of nonprofit organizations applied to Schnitzer Cares during the 2025-2026 Public Submission Window. 306 nonprofits submitted 1,951 applications – a 15% increase from the previous year!

With fewer student groups overall, this presented a significant challenge for our teens and teachers. The answer? Teamwork! Divide and conquer. 

Step 1: Create a system for reviewing applications based on shared values (easier to do with your group's mission statement as a guide). 

Step 2:  Hold your teammates accountable for reviewing their portion of the applications and trust their judgement about which nonprofits to advance to the final round (not as easy as it sounds).

Winter application review forces groups to delegate, communicate, and follow through on their shared vision. There's no time to waste, with interview season on deck and final decisions following shortly thereafter. 

To close out their grantmaking process, students will have to conduct 243 interviews this spring! Congratulations to our student groups on their creativity, patience, and resolve. Thank you to the nonprofit finalists who are passionately representing their organizations. 

Students tackle another year of record applications