Foundation For A Just Society

Foundation for a Just Society (FJS) operates from a deeply trust-based, movement-centered philanthropy model that inverts many conventions of traditional grantmaking. Rather than responding to applications, FJS proactively identifies and invites organizations whose work aligns with their mission — specifically organizations led by or intentionally centering women, girls, and LGBTQI people who face the greatest injustice. This model reflects a principled rejection of application processes that impose burdens on under-resourced grassroots groups.

FJS's theory of change holds that enduring transformation requires supporting people who face injustice to be their own leaders, strategists, and agents of change. Unlike foundations that fund measurable outputs (service delivery, beneficiary counts), FJS explicitly funds long-term structural change and power-building — including grassroots organizing, narrative change, strategic litigation, and collective advocacy. They do not fund organizations that provide direct services without a broader transformative vision.

Their grantmaking is geographically concentrated in four areas: Francophone West Africa, Mesoamerica, South and Southeast Asia, and the US Southeast, plus a small number of grants in New York City. This focus reflects a deliberate strategy to resource movements that are often overlooked by larger institutional philanthropy. FJS is explicitly committed to resourcing emerging and under-the-radar organizations alongside more established ones, giving them credibility as a discoverer of early-stage movement organizations.

Beyond financial grants, FJS provides grantee-driven accompaniment — particularly in strategic communications and holistic safety and collective care. This signals a funder that sees itself as a partner in organizational capacity, not just a check-writer.

FJS prioritizes multi-year general operating support as its default grant type — an intentional policy that gives grantee partners maximum flexibility to respond to emerging needs, recover from setbacks, and avoid the administrative burden of project-specific reporting. This is among the most grantee-friendly funding models in international and domestic philanthropy.

Grant sizes are not publicly disclosed, but based on asset size ($1.29 billion), estimated annual grantmaking (typically 5% of assets = ~$64 million/year), geographic reach (four global regions plus NYC), and multi-year commitments, individual grants likely range from $100,000 to $500,000 annually for most partners, with strategic partners potentially receiving $1 million or more per year over multi-year periods.

FJS does not have a publicly posted grant deadline or annual grant cycle. Decisions are made on a rolling basis as FJS identifies aligned organizations through its own field-scanning, peer networks, and input from existing grantee partners. The absence of a public portal means that organizations cannot apply; visibility through field networks and peer foundations is the primary pathway.

FJS does not place restrictions that they consider needlessly complex or exclusionary — a signal that they welcome organizations that operate in informal or less-formalized structures, as long as the organization holds 501(c)(3) equivalent status internationally.

Foundation for a Just Society occupies a distinct niche within feminist and LGBTQI-focused philanthropy. Its closest peers in terms of model, focus, and geography are:

FJS is substantially larger than most women's/LGBTQI foundations (Global Fund for Women, Astraea) but operates with a similarly activist orientation and invitation-only model. Compared to OSF or Ford Foundation, FJS is far more movement-centered and less focused on traditional institutions. FJS's explicit focus on Francophone West Africa and Mesoamerica makes it nearly unique among foundations of this asset size — most large feminist funders concentrate on East Africa and Latin America more broadly.

FJS has maintained a consistent strategic focus with no major recent pivots publicly announced, which reflects their long-term partnership model. Key recent signals include:

• Memorial tribute published for Cohi Elyasaf (1967-2022), a senior staff member, reflecting the organization's small, tight-knit team culture and the relational nature of their work.
• Published piece "We Must Trust Young Feminists" signals continued emphasis on youth feminist leadership, next-generation movement building, and ancestral knowledge alongside contemporary strategies — a potential signal for grant priorities in younger or emerging organizations.
• Multilingual website (English, Spanish, French) directly reflects the three linguistic zones of their geographic focus (US/global English, Mesoamerica Spanish, Francophone West Africa French) — demonstrating genuine integration with grantee communities.
• As of 2026, FJS continues to operate in all four core geographic areas with grantee-driven accompaniment programs in strategic communications and holistic safety.
• The reference to "Transparency in Coverage Rule" health documents in their footer indicates they are an active employer with formal HR infrastructure, consistent with a ~$64M/year grantmaking institution.

1. You cannot apply — build field presence instead: FJS does not accept unsolicited proposals. The only pathway is to be noticed by FJS staff or recommended by existing grantee partners. Publish your work, present at feminist and LGBTQI philanthropy convenings, and build relationships with organizations in FJS's existing grantee ecosystem.

2. Demonstrate leadership by and for those most affected: FJS is explicit that organizations must be led by — not just serving — women, girls, and LGBTQI people who face the greatest injustice. Governance composition, executive leadership, and board membership all matter.

3. Operate in their geographic priority areas: If your work is in Francophone West Africa, Mesoamerica, South or Southeast Asia, or the US Southeast, you are in FJS's geographic wheelhouse. Work in other regions is unlikely to receive funding unless it supports these areas.

4. Frame work as structural change, not services: FJS will not fund direct service organizations without a transformation vision. Organizations must demonstrate how their work changes power, shifts policy, transforms norms, or builds collective advocacy capacity — not just delivers services.

5. Embrace multi-year general operating support: FJS's preference for multi-year GOS means organizations that are seeking unrestricted, flexible funding are a natural fit. Demonstrate that your organization has the leadership and vision to use flexible resources effectively.

6. Highlight intersectionality and anti-racist feminism: FJS's values explicitly center an expansive, anti-racist feminism that addresses multiple and intersecting forms of injustice. Organizations working at the intersections of gender, race, class, sexuality, disability, and caste are more likely to resonate.

7. Partner with the ecosystem: FJS encourages its grantee partners to provide input into new grantee selection. If you know current FJS grantees who can speak to your work, those relationships can be pathways to visibility.