Not-for-profit Quest Alliance receives grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

BENGALURU: Quest Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation based in the city, which focuses on building 21st-century skills and empowering young learners, has announced that it has received a significant trust-based grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The unrestricted grant marks a milestone for Quest Alliance and gives it a much-needed impetus to focus on increasing impact.

The grant comes at a critical juncture for Quest Alliance as it embarks on re-imagining its work with young people amidst disruptions like climate change, technology, rising inequality and rapidly changing nature of the future of work. The grant will give Quest Alliance the flexibility to invest in building its internal capacity, technology solutions and innovate to drive deeper systemic change in the school to work ecosystem, a statement said.

MacKenzie Scott’s philanthropy has been significant in the way it has shifted the dialogue towards more trust-based and flexible funding which enables organisations to solve the most complex development problems with a long-term vision. With this grant, Quest Alliance will continue its mission of transforming the learning experience for young people, equipping them with the skills they need to succeed and thrive in the 21st-century workforce, the statement said.

Highlighting the significance of the grant, Quest Alliance CEO Aakash Sethi said, “This grant has given us a sense of stability, allowing us to focus on driving impact that is long-term and sustainable. It has given us the flexibility to take risks, experiment with innovative approaches, and a safety net to be more creative while solving critical problems. Support systems like these are instrumental in enabling organizations like ours to make transformative changes and play a vital role in shaping the future”.

Since its establishment in 2008, Quest Alliance has devoted the past 15 years to empowering learners and young people by revolutionising learning ecosystems through innovative use of education technology, capacity building and collaboration, the statement said.

Supported by various partners, including CSR organisations of global technology and financial services companies, Quest Alliance will leverage this grant to make critical investments in leadership development and research. In addition to this, the grant will also be used to drive technology-based innovations and personalised learning, to ensure that young people have access to better job opportunities and can successfully navigate the school-to-work transition, Quest Alliance said in the statement.