grassroots organizing
National Grant Program
Our goal is to further racial equity and social and environmental justice by supporting organizations working at the community level to dismantle discriminatory systems to make way for a more just and inclusive society for all.
The National Grassroots Organizing Program (NGO) offers two-year unrestricted, general operating support grants of up to $30,000 per year, with an average grant size of $20,000 per year, to small (budgets under $350,000), constituent-led grassroots organizations throughout the United States and its territories.
APPLICATIONS FOR 2024 ARE OPEN.
As a rolling process, you may submit anytime throughout the grant year.
“Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble. Necessary trouble.”
— John Lewis
Funding CONSIDERATIONS
OUR APPROACH TO FUNDING
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.
We believe that the people most affected by a problem are in the best position to determine a solution. We look for proposals from organizations led by people working to help themselves and their communities create progressive change through organizing campaigns and movement building efforts aimed at dismantling systems of oppression and the legacies of white supremacy culture.
Some examples of the grassroots organizing strategies we look for may include, but are not limited to:
Expand to see definitions.
AREAS NOT FUNDED
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CANNOT CONSIDER REQUESTS FOR:
- Direct services to individuals, i.e. food pantries, job training programs
- Internationally oriented programs
- Organizations with an annual operating budget over $350,000
- Discretionary or emergency support
- Donations or sponsorships
- Public or private schools, colleges or universities
- Activities to elect specific candidates for public office
- Individuals, fellowships or scholarship programs
- Research, litigation or legal expenses
- Capital or endowment campaigns
- State agencies or government programs
- Businesses or business associations
- Religious activities
- Arts or Media programs that are not linked to a clear grassroots organizing campaign
- Other foundations or regranting organizations
Requirements
TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING, EACH APPLICANT ORGANIZATION MUST:
- Have an annual operating budget under $350,000
- Use grassroots, base-building organizing campaigns as the primary strategy for creating social change
- Be a non-profit with 501(c)3 status, or have a fiscal agent with this status
- Be U.S.-based and U.S.-focused
ApplicAtion Process
CAREFULLY REVIEW THE
Considerations, Restrictions & Requirements
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF ALL THE ITEMS LISTED ABOVE
CREATE AN ACCOUNT
OR LOGIN TO YOUR EXISTING ACCOUNT (bottom-left)
COMPLETE THE
APPLICATION
Participate In Conversation
If Committee Members are interested in learning more, your organization will be contacted to schedule a video conversation with our Committee.
Deadlines
THE REVISED APPLICATION PROCESS FOR 2024 IS OPEN FOR THE YEAR.
Our new rolling process for applications is now open. The process remains open for 2024 through October, when we pause to update our forms and details for the upcoming year.
Frequently asked Questions
BEFORE YOU APPLY
ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONNAIRE
APPLICATION
AFTER YOU APPLY
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.