Time Out Grant ← Grants & Fellowships ← Alum Resources ← Vassar Alums ← Vassar College

A person wearing a safety helmet wearing a yellow shirt and carrying a hoe smiles at the viewer in front of burnt vegetation.

Take Time Out to Change the World

Time Out applications will open October 10, 2025. Please check back for the link to the application form at that time.

Established in 1998, the Time Out Grant seeks to inspire Vassar alums to pursue an original, bold interest, project, or business that could innovate the world around them.

Proposals can be in any field including science, business, education, the arts, human services, environment, or others.
The project can take place over a minimum of 12 months and may extend for up to 2 years.
The Awardee is not required to leave their current job to accept the award.
Any Vassar alum 35 years or older by June 30, 2026 can apply for the grant.
The Time Out Grant of $150,000 is awarded every other year.
The proposals do not need to be related to the applicant’s current career.
At Vassar’s discretion, the proposed venture can be funded with complementary grants, provided the Time Out Grant is the lead funding source.
The grant will be awarded in the spring of 2026.

Questions? Reach out to us at timeoutgrant@vassar.edu.

Application Information

Applications will open October 10, 2025. All applications must be submitted via the online application form.
The application form will ask for:
- a brief summary of your Time Out Grant project proposal;
- a description of the project’s purpose, scope, and goals;
- how you developed the project including the background, inspiration, or prior work that informed it;
- an estimated project timeline with key milestones; a high-level budget;
- and how the opportunity will impact your life and benefit others.
Applications will close December 19, 2025 at 5 p.m. ET. No applications will be accepted after this deadline.
Round One applications will receive notification at the end of January 2026 if they have moved on to the second round of review.
Round Two applications must include additional project information: a more detailed proposal (with budget and photos, not exceeding four pages) and a resume.
The finalists for the grant will be asked to participate in a short phone discussion with the selection committee.
Selection of grant awardee will be made by the beginning of April 2026.
The grant will be awarded at the beginning of June 2026.
We will keep applicants informed as we review their submissions.

Update on the 2024 Time Out Grant Project: Wildland Firefighter Training App

Since being awarded the 2024 Time Out Grant, Samantha Orient ’05 has been making significant progress on her project to develop a mobile app that teaches wildland firefighters to operate and troubleshoot portable water pumps. Recent developments in the firefighting landscape have underscored the urgency of this work. With unexpected layoffs in federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, and a wave of early retirements among experienced fire personnel, the need to preserve and share institutional knowledge has never been greater.

At the same time, Waterax has launched its first new water pump model in 65 years—a lighter, more efficient version of the long-used Mark 3 pump. Firefighters nationwide are beginning to transition to this new equipment, making Samantha’s interactive 3D training tool especially timely. Her app will allow users to virtually disassemble and explore the pump, providing a practical, visual way to understand and maintain this critical piece of gear. By combining her background in wildland firefighting with her expertise in 3D modeling and animation, Samantha is creating a resource that will equip the next generation of firefighters with essential skills and help bridge the gap caused by workforce changes in the field.

Meet some previous
Time Out Grant recipients

Each of these Vassar graduates, and many others over the past three decades, was able to realize a dream that encompassed their own lives and the lives of others, thanks to the Time Out Grant, funded by an extraordinarily generous, anonymous Vassar alumna.