Name the situation
Define the problem, the people affected, the existing context and the assumption that needs testing.
06 / XTF programs
Room to test. Support to continue.
Programs are tools inside the Foundation’s wider mission. XTF is being built to support early work through incubation, people and networks, and knowledge that remains useful beyond a single cohort.
01 / Common program method
One standard. Different routes.
Every confirmed XTF program is designed to make the work more legible: what is being investigated, how it is tested, what changed and what the next responsible step is.
01Frame
02Investigate
03Make
04Review
05Document
06Continue
02 / Inside the method
Move from an answer to an investigation.
The program method is a sequence of questions, not a promise that every project will follow the same timeline or reach the same outcome.
Build a research path
Find relevant work, identify sources and decide what evidence would strengthen or revise the idea.
Turn learning into form
Create an experiment, prototype, system or public piece that makes the question testable.
Expose the reasoning
Invite critique of the method, not only reaction to the presentation.
Separate evidence from ambition
Record what was observed, what remains uncertain and how the work changed.
Choose a responsible next step
Identify whether the work needs more research, development, collaboration, publication or a deliberate pause.
03 / Flagship pathway
XTF Incubation.
Designed for early work that has a meaningful question but still needs research, testing, critique or technical development.
Question to evidence. Evidence to prototype.
XTF Incubation is the Foundation’s core pathway for giving early work a clearer research and development structure.
Each confirmed cycle publishes its focus, format, selection criteria, responsibilities and support package before applications open.
No public XTF Incubation application cycle is currently listed on this website. New opportunities will be published on the Get Involved page.
Explore XTF Incubation04 / What the work should show
A visible method is more useful than a polished claim.
Program outputs vary, but the record of the work should help another person understand what was attempted and why.
Question
A specific problem or opportunity, placed in enough context to examine.
Sources
The existing work, people, evidence and assumptions that informed the approach.
Method
The observation, comparison, test or making process used to learn.
Prototype
A form appropriate to the question—not a requirement to imitate a finished product.
Limits
The uncertainty, risks and claims the current work cannot support.
Next path
A realistic proposal for what should be investigated, built or decided next.
05 / Program transparency
Know what you are considering.
Every active program page must state who it is for, what participation requires, what support is confirmed and how decisions and data are handled.
Eligibility
Age, geography, stage and individual or team requirements.
Dates & duration
Application, review, participation and completion dates.
Support included
Mentorship, facilities, technical resources or financial support—only when confirmed.
Selection
Criteria, process, decision roles and conflicts handling.
Rights & data
Intellectual property, publication, privacy, consent and safeguarding.
Open or archived
A single, unambiguous application state and a clear source for any update.
06 / Foundation program portfolio
Three institutional pathways.
The Foundation’s program architecture separates long-term support from periodic opportunities. Each route has a different role, but all share the same standard for clarity, evidence and participant responsibility.
01 / Core pathway
Research-to-Impact Incubation
Structured investigation, testing, critique and documentation for early work that needs a credible next path.
Framework in development / no public callExplore incubation 02 / People & communityFellows & Mentor Network
Stage-matched critique, peer learning and longer-term development centred on the people carrying the work.
Model in developmentSee the people standard 03 / Knowledge & ecosystemResearch, Learning & Field Building
Methods, tools and public learning that strengthen practice beyond one project, programme or cohort.
Publishing framework in developmentExplore research & methodsLayered record
Process, product, observation, impact claim.
Keep four layers separate so an early project cannot be narrated as a finished outcome. No funding totals, endorsements or unnamed legal entities are added here.
Process
What was framed, investigated, made, reviewed and documented — including stops.
Product
The artefact that exists now: note, dataset, prototype, critique, or decision record.
Observation
What changed in the work or in understanding, with source (project-reported, documented, reviewed).
Impact claim
Only what the current evidence can support. If no impact report exists, say that the layer is empty.
07 / Programs FAQ
The program page is the source of truth.
General information helps visitors understand the model. Only a confirmed program call defines participation.
Who can apply?
Eligibility differs by program. Age, geography, project stage and team requirements will appear on the relevant active program page.
Is an application open now?
No public XTF application call is currently listed. The opportunities section is the place to check.
Does XTF provide funding?
No general funding promise is made. A confirmed program will state any financial or in-kind support, together with the relevant conditions.
Is a finished product required?
Not as a general rule. A program may begin with a question, research, an experiment or a prototype. The required stage will be stated in the call.
How are projects reviewed?
A confirmed program will publish criteria, review stages, decision roles and conflicts handling before applications open.
What happens after a program?
The project record should identify a responsible next path. Any further XTF support depends on a separately confirmed program or agreement.