grassroots organizing
National Grant Program
The National Grassroots Organizing Program offers two-year flexible, general operating support grants of up to $30,000 per year, with an average grant size of $20,000 per year, to small, non-profit grassroots constituent-led organizations throughout the United States and its territories and that are not located in the state of Vermont.
The guiding principle behind this program is our belief that people most affected by a problem are in the best position to determine the solutions. We will consider proposals from grassroots, base-building organizations that are working to help themselves and their communities create broad systems change through community organizing campaigns and movement-building efforts.
We prioritize organizations that are led by and center the leadership and agency of Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color that approach their work using anti-oppression values – consciously striving to dismantle systems of oppression and the legacies of white supremacy culture in this country while working toward a more just and equitable society.
We define grassroots organizing as building people power to confront entrenched power. It involves collective action from the bottom up. It challenges the status quo, demands changes in policy and practice, educates communities about root causes of their problems, and advocates and agitates for systemic and just solutions. True progressive change occurs only when underlying, systemic forces are understood and addressed. We firmly believe that grassroots, constituent-led organizing is among the most effective means to create social change.
NOW ACCEPTING PRE-APPLICATIONS FOR 2023.
Rolling Process. Pre-Applications are open January through November.
Requirements
TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING, EACH APPLICANT ORGANIZATION MUST:
While our broad goals are to further racial equity, social justice, and environmental justice, our primary purpose is to support the grassroots organizing strategies and activities of our grant partners, rather than any specific issues the organizations are addressing.
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING Strategies
WE RECOGNIZE THE FOLLOWING PRACTICES TO BE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING EFFORTS
Note: Successful applications will deeply embody all of these strategies. Definitions expand for more detail.
Areas Not funded
Unfortunately, we cannot consider requests for:
ApplicAtion Process

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Eligibility Requirements
TAKE NOTE OF ALL THE ITEMS LISTED ABOVE




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PRE-APPLICATION
Rolling process for Pre-Applications


Complete APPLication
When invited, a specific deadline is indicated in the invitation email.
Deadlines
The Pre-Application has A ROLLING PROCESS. it is open January – november.
We close the Pre-Application in December for program evaluation and updates.
A Due Date is provided for organizations that are invited to submit a Full Proposal.
Frequently asked Questions
Grant Partner Highlights





PAST Grant Partners
The documents below feature lists, by year, of the organizations we’ve funded in the past. Not only is it inspiring to see all of the impactful work happening all over the country, reading through these brief descriptions is a great way to better understand the types of organizations we support.