Innovative Activism Grants

Innovative Activism Grants is sponsored by North Star Fund. North Star Fund awards grants to organizations that contribute to the ecosystem of grassroots organizing, with a focus on arts and action projects, resources for organizing, and alternative institution building.

Innovative Activism Grants - North Star Fund Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Grantee: Global Action Project Innovative Activism Grants Thanks for your interest in Innovative Activism. Note: For the Spring 2020 application period, North Star Fund will only accept applications from current grantees. Para información en español, por favor llame a Gabriela al 332-240-1683.

This category is closed to new applicants While the vast majority of North Star Fund grants are awarded to community organizing , North Star Fund grants a total of $100,000 per year to organizations that contribute to the ecosystem of grassroots organizing. For examples of such work, you can read about past Innovative Activism grantees .

Groups may apply under one of the following areas: Arts and Action : Arts, media, and cultural projects play an important role in engaging, influencing, and motivating people around social justice issues.

North Star Fund supports projects or organizations that provide concrete, meaningful opportunities for participants and/or audience members to take collective action for social justice, preferably in the context of an ongoing campaign for systems or policy change. This could be in collaboration with an existing community organizing group.

North Star Fund prioritizes organizations that enhance or complement the community organizing efforts of grassroots organizations. Resources for Organizing : Grassroots groups engaged in community organizing are often under-resourced. North Star Fund seeks projects that build the capacity of organizing groups based in marginalized communities and/or marginalized community members.

Examples of this might include but are not limited to: training in organizational development or organizing skills, and participatory action research or data collection. Organizations will be asked to describe how their work increases the effectiveness of grassroots, community organizing, preferably North Star Fund grantees.

Alternative Institution Building : Existing government institutions and services fail low-income communities and communities of color. To challenge the foundations of injustice, North Star Fund supports building alternative institutions outside of these existing structures.

Examples of this might include but are not limited to community gardens that increase open space and access to healthy food, transformative justice projects that create models of accountability for violence between community members, and cooperatives or other projects that increase a community’s economic self-reliance.

North Star Fund's general eligibility requirements do not apply to Innovative Activism grants because they are not as dependent upon campaign-based, membership-led organizing models. Innovative Activism Eligibility North Star Fund will consider applications from current Innovative Activism grantees that continue to meet the following criteria: 1. Budget: Under $800,000 2.

Organizational values and practices: Includes meaningful participation in decision-making from community members and/or participants where the project is based Articulates how race, gender, and class influence their work Has an established track record and relationships in the community in which the project is based 3.

Organizations advancing Arts and Action, Resources for Organizing, or Alternative Institution Building strategies that: Bring new skills, ideas, tactics, and strategies to a community's social change work Empower participants to develop their own creativity, leadership, vision, voice, and/or organizing skills Advance a solution/solutions to address some of the root causes of injustice in New York City Groups applying under "Resources for Organizing" will be expected to describe how that they will increase the capacity of their partner organizations to do their work.

Groups applying under "Arts & Activism" will be expected to describe meaningful collaborations with organizations that build “people power” and use community organizing as the primary strategy. How to Submit Your Application 1. Check your email.

Current grantees will receive a link to the application form. 2. Gather information and documents.

On our online application portal, you’ll be asked to share: Overview of demographic information of your staff, board members and leaders (e.g. race, class, gender, class make-up) Financial information, including your operating budget, salaries of key staff members, and foundation/significant support for the current and most recent fiscal year Your 501(c)(3) letter or your fiscal sponsor’s 501(c)(3) letter and fiscal sponsorship agreement 3.

Download proposal questions for Innovative Activism and answer the questions within 3-5 pages. You will be asked to describe your vision, campaign strategy, member leadership, and decision-making structures. Please note that we will accept proposal narratives submitted to other funders, best suited if such proposal pertains to community organizing.

4. Download the follow-up report form , and describe reflections from your past year’s accomplishments and challenges (about 2 pages). This year, we are offering alternative ways to share your follow-up report: 1) answer the questions within this form; 2) or upload a brief video or audio file answering the questions.

Reminder: we will accept materials that you may have created for other funders provided that the content pertains to your organizing work. 5. Complete your application through our online application portal.

Once your application is submitted, you will receive an automatic receipt. Your application is not considered complete until you receive a confirmation email from our program staff. You will receive a confirmation email within 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions How long does the application process take? North Star Fund’s typical application process takes three months from the application deadline to the moment that you hear from staff about the final decision. North Star Fund's rapid response application process takes about two weeks.

What if I don’t have a fiscal sponsor or 501(c)3 status? You can still apply. We will review all applications regardless of 501(c)(3) status.

By the time grant awards are made, however, your organization must have a fiscal sponsor. If you need help identifying a fiscal sponsor, check out northstarfund. org/apply/grantee-resources for a directory.

Get more of your questions answered on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page . Still have questions? Get in touch with us.

Email NYC Program Officer Catherine Eusebio at catherine@northstarfund. org .