SONY ELECTRONICS’ 2024-2025 CREATE ACTION GRANT PROGRAM

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. OPEN TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES HAVING A 501(c)(3) STATUS WITH IRS, OTHER THAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, WHO HAVE RECEIVED NO MORE THAN $500,000 USD IN ANNUAL DONATIONS PER YEAR FOR 2022 AND 2023 AND ARE WITHIN THE 50 U.S. AND D.C. (EXCL TERR) AT TIME OF APPLICATION AND AWARD. PLEASE NOTE THAT ORGANIZATIONS WITH LARGE OPERATING BUDGETS, NOT EXCEEDING $3M, ARE INVITED TO APPLY AND MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING IF THEY MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. A PURCHASE WILL NOT ENHANCE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. THIS GRANT PROGRAM IS INTENDED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE U.S. AND DC (EXCL TERR) ONLY AND WILL BE GOVERNED BY DELAWARE LAW. DO NOT ENTER IF YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE AND LOCATED IN THE US AND DC (EXCL TERR) AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AND/OR DO NOT AGREE TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES.

1. THE GRANT PROGRAM: Open and offered only to non-profit organizations in the United States having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than educational institutions, who have received no more than $500,000 USD in annual donations per year for 2022 and 2023 and are within the 50 United States and D.C. (excl territories) at time of entry and award (“Organization”). Sony Electronics’ (“Sony”) 2024-2025 Create Action Grant Program (“Grant Program”) consists of ten (10) Grants for the most compelling submissions as more fully set forth below. This Grant Program starts July 1, 2024 at 12:00:01 P.M., Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends September 30, 2024 at 11:59:59 P.M. PT (“Participation Period”). ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 11:59:59 PM PT on September 30, 2024. Sony’s computer is the official clock for this Grant Program. Void in Puerto Rico, US territories and where prohibited by law.

2. HOW TO ENTER – INTERNET ACCESS REQUIRED: To enter this Grant Program the Entrant must complete the following steps.  “Entrant” shall mean a duly authorized representative of the Organization and the Organization itself.

STEP 1: Enter this Grant Program via the “Apply Now” button at https://alphauniverse.com/createaction, which will redirect Entrant to www.commongrantapplication.com (“Website”) to complete the application.

STEP 2:Entrant must complete the application and submit the following information (collectively “Submissions”) on the Website during the Participation Period:

Entrant must submit in the application the following with regard to an Action Plan (defined below), including the Entrant’s pursuit of the cause of social justice, subject to Rule 3 and the terms of this Grant Program.

A. COMPLETE THE APPLICATION:   Entrant Organization, address, URL, etc.

B. VERIFICATION: For Entrant Organizations, verification that the Organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization as defined by the IRS by Entrant uploading the Organization’s latest W-9 and IRS determination letter. 

C. ORGANIZATION MISSION STATEMENT: The Organization’s official mission statement.

D. COMMUNITIES THE ORGANIZATION SERVES: List the communities, groups, or individuals that the Organization primarily serves. 

E. ACTION PLAN DESCRIPTION: A description (up to 3000 characters) of (i) the Organization’s plan of action to address or contribute to social justice causes (i.e., service to underserved and under-represented communities) over the next twelve months (“Action Plan”) via photography, videography, filmmaking or a related field; (ii) how the Organization will utilize creatives and creators, including the next generation of creatives and creators, to implement its Action Plan; and (iii)  what specific parts of the Action Plan will be supported by Grant funds.  The Action Plan can be the Organization’s plan, a new plan and/or an expansion of the Organization’s existing mission.

F. ACTION PLAN IMPACT: Please provide the approximate number of individuals who will be directly impacted by the Action Plan and the size of the community indirectly impacted by the Action Plan (i.e., If you have a program that entails the participation of a specific number of individuals, that is the expected number of individuals directly impacted. If these individuals belong to a community that will benefit from the result of your program, that is the number indirectly impacted). The maximum length of the Action Plan Impact is 1000 characters.

G. BUDGET FOR ACTION PLAN: A bulleted list (not an essay) of overarching needs that the $50,000 USD Grant would fund with a clear description of each bulleted item, the budget assigned to it, and the purpose it serves for the Action Plan.

H. SONY ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT NEEDS: A list of specific audio-visual needs and a description of how they will serve the Action Plan. 

Please find a comprehensive list of available Sony Electronics equipment here: https://electronics.sony.com/.  

Please note PlayStation products are not included in product options for the Grant and Sony no longer manufactures tablets or VAIO computers.  

I. EXPERIENCE (OPTIONAL): Provide proof and/or examples (such as URLs to local news coverage, newspaper coverage, press releases, videos, etc.) of past programming where the Organization performed in furtherance of their social justice mission and netted results.

3. SUBMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS: Submissions: (i) must be in the English language; (ii) must be the exclusive original work of the Entrant; (iii) may not be inappropriate, libelous or defamatory, pornographic, sexually explicit, unlawful or plagiarized, as determined by Sony in its sole discretion; (iv) must not be harassing, abusive, threatening, harmful, vulgar, profane, obscene, excessively violent, racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable or offensive in any way, as determined by Sony in its sole discretion; (v) may not violate or encourage others to violate any applicable law, statute, ordinance or regulation; (vi) may not defame or invade publicity rights or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person’s personal or property rights or any other third party rights; (vii) may not contain commercial or corporate advertising, other than those relating to Sony Electronics Inc.; (viii) may not include any website URLs, viruses, worms, corrupt files, Trojan horses, or other forms of corruptive code or content that may harm or compromise the proper conduct of this Grant Program or Sony; (ix) may not use any watermarks or distinguishing artist marks (such as signatures); and (x) if found to be in violation of these Official Rules will be disqualified and therefore removed from this Grant Program. By submitting an application, Entrant represents that (i) they have the unrestricted right to submit the application, including as a duly authorized representative of the Organization; and (ii) the Submission does not infringe upon any third party’s proprietary or other rights. No damaged, incomplete, forged or appropriated Submissions or applications will be accepted.

Entrant may enter a maximum of one (1) application for the Participation Period.

4. IMPORTANT DATES FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS GRANT PROGRAM: Sony will judge all eligible applications received during the Participation Period according to the judging criteria set forth in Rule 6 and will announce the ten (10) Grant winners between November 1, 2024 and February 16, 2025 (“Award Period”). Grant winners will be notified via email in two stages: Five (5) winners will be notified between November 1, 2024 and December 15, 2024 and five (5) winners will be notified between January 1, 2025 and February 16, 2025. Application is via Internet only.

5. SELECTION OF GRANT AWARD WINNERS: Sony will judge all eligible applications received during the Participation Period based on the judging criteria in Rule 6. All potential winners will be notified by phone and email within the Award Period.

6. JUDGING CRITERIA: All eligible applications will be judged by Sony, in its sole discretion, based on the following criteria.

• Action Plan Relevance to the Grant Program’s mission to focus on social justice causes (i.e., service to underserved and under-represented communities) and how the Organization will utilize creatives and creators, including the next generation of creatives and creators, to implement the Action Plan over the next twelve (12) months via photography, videography, filmmaking or a related field: 25%

• Action Plan proposed Impact: 15% 

• Effectiveness of Budget Plan: 40%

• Sony Electronics Products Needs Description: 10%

• Application Clarity and Cohesiveness: 10%

In the event of a tie of the total amount of the judging criteria score, the judges will re-evaluate the tied applications according to the above criteria until the tie is broken.

7. GRANT AWARD WINNERS’ DELIVERABLE: The Grant winner will provide the following Deliverables:

• The Organization shall collaborate with Sony’s photographer/videographer to create a video/photographs to promote the Organization, its Action Plan and the Grant Program on a timeline defined together with Sony. 

• The Organization shall disclose to Sony a detailed report on how the Grant Award impacted the Organization and their served community (i.e., impact metrics and data) six (6) months and twelve (12) months after the Grant is awarded to the Organization.

8. GRANT AWARDS AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUES (“ARV”): TOTAL OF TEN (10) GRANT AWARDS: Each Grant winner will receive:

• $50,000 USD to use for the Grant winner’s Action Plan (payable in U.S. Dollars by check); and

• $50,000 USD worth of Sony Electronics products selected by Sony according to Grant winner’s Submission.

ARV of each Grant Award for each Monthly Period winner is: $100,000 USD. Total ARV Grant Program package is: $1,000,000 USD.

All federal, state, and local taxes and fees associated with the Grant receipt and/or use, if any, are solely the responsibility of winner. The ARV represents Sony’s good faith determination. That determination is final and binding and cannot be appealed.

IMPORTANT: Sony has no responsibility for a winner’s inability or failure to accept or utilize a Grant as described herein. Except for the cash award, the other components of the Grant are not redeemable for cash. All components in the Grant are nontransferable, non-assignable and non-substitutable except that Sony may, at its sole discretion, substitute a Grant or any component thereof with one of equal or greater value. The potential winners of the Grant will each be required to sign and return within five (5) days of notification or attempted notification of being a potential winner, an Affidavit of Eligibility/Compliance or Winner’s Release (including, as applicable, EIN Number/information as required for tax reporting purposes) & Publicity/Liability Release (where permitted by law), or the Grant will be forfeited in its entirety and, time allowing, an alternate potential winner(s) will be selected. Additionally, winners will each receive a Form 1099 or other document in the amount of the actual value of the Grant, as required by law. Persons under the age of 18 (19 in AL and NE) (as of the date of application) are not eligible to enter or win a Grant, including on behalf of an Organization.

If a potential winner is found to be ineligible, is not in compliance with these Official Rules, does not respond to the phone call or e-mail within five (5) days of notification, is disqualified or forfeits Grant for any reason, declines to accept the Grant, or if the Grant notification or Grant is returned as undeliverable, Sony reserves the right to award the Grant to an alternate Entrant who will also be selected per the judging criteria from all remaining non-winning applications received during the Participation Period. If after a good faith attempt Sony is unable to award or deliver a Grant, the Grant will not be awarded.

9. ELIGIBILITY: This Grant Program is open only to nonprofit organizations in the United States (excluding territories) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than educational institutions, who have received no more than $500,000 USD in annual cash donations per year in 2022 and 2023 and are within the 50 U.S. and D.C. (excluding territories) as of the date of application and award. Please note that organizations with large operating budgets, not exceeding $3M, are invited to apply and may be considered for funding if they meet eligibility requirements.  Officers, directors, and employees (and members of their household and of their immediate families, i.e., parents, children, stepchildren, spouse, siblings, “step” of each and persons residing in the same household of such immediate family members) of Sony, its subsidiaries, affiliates, sales representatives, distributors, advertising/Grant/web design agencies and/or their affiliates, assigns or representatives; and all other persons or entities associated with the development, administration, Grant, execution of, or supply to this Grant Program (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Sony & Others”) are prohibited from entering or winning hereunder.

In the event of a dispute as to any registration, the authorized account holder of the email address used to register will be deemed to be the Entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Each potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder and/or that the authorized account holder is a duly authorized representative of the Organization.

10. RELEASE: By acceptance of a Grant Award, the winner (i.e., the Entrant and Organization) releases Sony & Others, from and against any and all liability and claims or causes of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property with respect to all aspects of this Grant Program, including those arising out of participation in this Grant Program, any Grant Program related activity whether sponsored by Sony & Others or third parties, use and/or misuse of Sony’s products, or the acceptance or possession or use and/or misuse of a Grant or any component of a Grant.

11. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY/INTERNET: Sony & Others are not responsible for interrupted or unavailable network server or other connections, miscommunications, failed telephone or computer transmissions or jumbled, scrambled or misdirected applications or transmissions, or for phone, electrical, network, computer hardware or software or program malfunctions, failures or difficulties or for other errors, omissions, interruptions, or deletions of any kind whether human, typographical, mechanical or electronic or for any damage to any person’s computer related to participating in this Grant Program. Sony & Others are not responsible for illegible, unintelligible, late, lost, undelivered, misdelivered, stolen applications or incorrect or inaccurate application information, whether caused by Internet users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Grant Program or by any technical, typographical or human errors which may occur in the processing of any applications in this Grant Program. Any Entrant who attempts to interfere with the proper play of this Grant Program will be disqualified from participation in this Grant Program. Persons found tampering with or abusing any aspect of this Grant Program, as solely determined by Sony, will be disqualified and may be subject to prosecution. If in the judgment of Sony, this Grant Program is compromised by viruses, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes beyond the control of Sony, which corrupt the administration, security, fairness or proper play of this Grant Program, Sony reserves the right, in its sole discretion to discontinue, modify, suspend or terminate this Grant Program and proceed in a manner it deems fair and reasonable, including the selection of winners from among eligible applications received prior to such discontinuation, modification, suspension or termination. Any personally identifiable information collected during an Entrant’s participation in this Grant Program will be collected by Sony and used by Sony and its agents solely for purposes of the proper administration and fulfillment of this Grant Program as described in these Official Rules or as stated in Sony’s Privacy Policy at https://electronics.sony.com/privacy-policy.  Entrant shall also review terms and conditions, including the privacy policy, of third party Common Grant at www.commongrantapplication.com.

ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS GRANT PROGRAM IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SONY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) OR ORGANIZATION(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. 

SONY MAKES NO WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, MERCHANTABLE QUALITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NONINFRINGEMENT.

12. GOVERNING LAW & DISPUTES: Issues concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Grant Official Rules shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to conflict of laws principles.

Should a dispute or claim arise related to this Grant Program (“Dispute”), Entrant and Sony agree that the Dispute shall be resolved exclusively through binding arbitration. ENTRANT UNDERSTANDS AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT BY AGREEING TO ARBITRATION, ENTRANT IS GIVING UP THE RIGHT TO LITIGATE (OR PARTICIPATE IN AS A PARTY OR CLASS MEMBER) IN ANY DISPUTES IN COURT. ENTRANT ALSO AGREES THAT ANY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDING WILL ONLY CONSIDER ENTRANT’S INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS, AND SONY AND ENTRANT AGREE NOT TO HAVE ANY DISPUTE HEARD AS A CLASS ACTION, REPRESENTATIVE ACTION, CONSOLIDATED ACTION, OR PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ACTION.

If any part of this arbitration provision, other than waivers of class action rights, is deemed or found to be unenforceable for any reason, the remainder shall remain enforceable.

Arbitration Instructions. To begin arbitration, either Entrant or Sony must make a written demand to the other for arbitration. The arbitration will take place before a single arbitrator. The arbitration will be administered in keeping with the Expedited Procedures of the Commercial Arbitration Rules and the Supplementary Proceedings for Consumer-Related disputes (“Rules”) of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), when applicable and in effect when the claim is filed. Entrant may get a copy of AAA’s Rules by contacting AAA at (800) 778-7879 or visiting www.adr.org. The filing fees to begin and carry out arbitration will be shared between Entrant and Sony, but in no event shall Entrant fees ever exceed the amount allowable by the special rules for Consumers Disputes provided for by AAA, at which point Sony will cover all additional administrative fees and expenses. This does not prohibit the arbitrator from giving the winning party their fees and expenses of the arbitration when appropriate pursuant to the Rules. Unless Entrant and Sony agree differently, the arbitration will take place in the county and state where Entrant Organization’s primary office is located, and applicable U.S. federal or Delaware state law shall govern the substance of any Dispute during the arbitration, as applicable. The U.S. Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 1, et seq. will govern the arbitration itself and not any other law on arbitration. The seat of arbitration for Entrant Organizations will be Delaware or San Diego, California. The arbitrator’s decision will be binding and final, except for a limited right of appeal under the U.S. Federal Arbitration Act. Any judgments or awards shall be limited to actual incurred out-of-pocket expenses (excluding legal or attorneys’ fees) associated with participation in this Grant Program and shall not include any indirect, punitive, incidental and/or consequential damages.

13. GENERAL: By participating in the Grant Program, Entrants agree to these Grant Official Rules and the decisions of Sony, which are final and binding in all matters and all respects relating to this Grant Program. This Grant Program is void in U.S. territories and wherever else prohibited by law.

By participating in the Grant Program and providing the Submissions to the Sony in connection with the Grant Program, each Entrant shall retain all right, title and interest (including copyright) in and to the Submission. Entrant acknowledges that Submissions will not be returned to Entrant. Acceptance of a Grant Award constitutes the winner’s consent to the use the Organization’s name, its members’ biographical information, photographs, likenesses, Submissions, applications, and/or Deliverables for advertising and publicity purposes as determined by Sony or its designees without further review, approval and/or compensation, except where prohibited by law.

14. WINNERS LIST: For the name of the winners, check the Alpha Universe website at https://alphauniverse.com/createaction/ or, no later than June 30, 2025, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Sony Electronics’ 2024-2025 Create Action Grant Program Winners List, 16535 Via Esprillo, San Diego, CA 92127.

Common Grant Application does not sponsor or endorse this Grant Program.  Use of www.commongrantapplication.com/ is subject to Common Grant Application’s own terms and conditions. 

Sponsor: Sony Electronics Inc., 16535 Via Esprillo, San Diego, CA 92127.

Sony Electronics’ 2024-2025 Create Action Grant Program Grant Official Rules may not be reprinted or republished in whole or in part without the prior written permission of Sony Electronics Inc.

Copyright 2024 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved.