Rapid Response Fund Community Grantmaker (2026–2027 Cycle) is sponsored by Headwaters Foundation for Justice. Provides general operating grants to organizations responding to unexpected events, urgent challenges, or rapidly emerging political or social moments in Minnesota. This opportunity is for individuals to serve as Community Grantmakers to select grantees.

Rapid Response Fund Community Grantmaking | Headwaters Foundation for Justice Rapid Response Fund Community Grantmaking Headwaters Foundation for Justice Rapid Response Fund Community Grantmaking Headwaters Foundation for Justice Become a Rapid Response Fund Community Grantmaker Thank you for your interest in becoming a community grantmaker for the Rapid Response Fund.

Headwaters is accepting applications for the Rapid Response Fund Community Grantmaking Committee starting June 10 through June 25. * *Updated deadline due to an overwhelming number of applications. Rapid Response Fund grants support strategic organizing in response to unexpected events, urgent challenges, or rapidly emerging political moments.

In keeping with our core values to transform power and trust in community, we are transitioning the decision-making process for the Rapid Response Fund into community hands. The next year of Rapid Response Fund grantmaking will start in the fall of 2026, and we will have eight (8) cycles of grantmaking. Each selected grantee will receive a $15,000 general operating grant.

We are looking for 12-15 people who will serve on the committee from August 2026 through June 2027 . Committee members will receive training on HFJ’s approach to collective decision-making, build community together, and ultimately select 53 grantees over the course of 8 cycles. Each committee member is responsible for participating in 3-4 cycles of the year’s 8 cycles.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a community grantmaker for the Rapid Response Fund. Headwaters is accepting applications for the Rapid Response Fund Community Grantmaking Committee starting June 10 through June 25. * *Updated deadline due to an overwhelming number of applications.

Rapid Response Fund (RRF) grants support strategic organizing in response to unexpected events, urgent challenges, or rapidly emerging political moments. In keeping with our core values to transform power and trust in community, we are transitioning the decision-making process for the Rapid Response Fund into community hands.

The next year of Rapid Response Fund grantmaking will start in the fall of 2026, and we will have eight (8) cycles of grantmaking. Each selected grantee will receive a $15,000 general operating grant. We are looking for 12-15 people who will serve on the committee from August 2026 through June 2027 .

Committee members will receive training on HFJ’s approach to collective decision-making, build community together, and ultimately select 53 grantees over the course of 8 cycles. Each committee member is responsible for participating in 3-4 cycles of the year’s 8 cycles.

Committee Role Description As an Rapid Response Fund Community Grantmaker, you will: Build relationships with your fellow committee members and practice collective decision-making together. Receive training in community-led grantmaking. Read, evaluate and collectively choose Rapid Response Fund grantees.

Your decisions are final! Select 3-4 of the 8 grant cycles to be a reader, based on your capacity and schedule. Receive a $1500 stipend in recognition of your time and expertise.

Live in the state of Minnesota and be over the age of 18. Committee Selection Process Complete and submit an online application by June 25. * *Updated deadline due to an overwhelming number of applications.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and HFJ staff will schedule calls with applicants to review expectations and answer questions. We want to make sure you have all the information you need about the committee’s work and timelines. We will notify all applicants whether they have been selected for the committee by July 30.

Frequently Asked Questions What is the time commitment for Committee members? The committee will have three in-person gatherings over the course of the year. After selection, each reader will choose 3-4 rounds of grantmaking to be a reader.

For each round, they will read 15-25 applications and participate in a 2-hour decision-making meeting. We estimate that a committee member will spend 50-60 hours over the course of the year on this work. What is the committee schedule?

All committee members will participate in the following committee gatherings: Welcome Call & Orientation: Wed. Aug 12, 6:00 - 7:30pm (virtual) Kick-off Gathering & Training: Sat. Sept 12, 10:00 – 4:00pm @ HFJ Committee Dinner + Debrief: Mon.

Feb 22, 5 – 8pm @ HFJ Committee Closing Celebration: Fri. June 25, 4-7pm @ HFJ Rapid Response Fund Reading Cycles run from September 2026 through June 2027. Click here to view the dates for the 2026-2027 Rapid Response Reading Cycles.

Who would be a good RRF Community Grantmaker? Anyone with a grounding in community organizing and interested in learning about HFJ’s community-led grantmaking practice would make a good RR Community Grantmaker. This committee is especially well suited for people who care about how organizing efforts are pivoting to respond to urgent challenges and political moments.

Because this fund supports organizations working in any issue area, this is a good place for generalists who bring knowledge of and curiosity about the wide array of organizing work happing throughout Minnesota. Important note : Rapid Response grantmaking moves quickly.

Applications are read using an online portal and decision-making meetings happen on Zoom, which requires a high level of information organization and attention to detail. This is a good committee for people who like to move at a faster pace in their work and are comfortable working online. How will committee members be selected?

Committee members will be selected based on interest in and ability to commit to the timeline and pace of committee work. We are committed to ensuring that our community grantmakers are grounded in community organizing work. We encourage all people, and especially Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color; LGBTQ people; low- or no-wealth individuals; young people (over the age of 18) and elders to apply.

Is this a volunteer experience? Yes, however Headwaters recognizes that being a community grantmaker is a significant commitment of time, energy, care and labor. It is within Headwaters’ organizational values and financial ability to offer all community grantmaker a $1,500 stipend as a thank you for your service.

While this amount cannot encompass all the hours or energy participants put into being a member of the grantmaking committee, we offer it as one way to say thank you for your commitment and contributions over our year together. Can I be a committee member if I live outside of the Twin Cities? Yes!

The three in-person sessions (Sept. 12; February 22 and June 25) will be held at or near the Headwaters office in Minneapolis . If you live in Greater Minnesota and can travel to attend the se sessions, you are welcome to apply , and we offer mileage reimbursement and some travel support.

All of the grant-reading and decision-making meetings will take place on line . If you have questions about the schedule and expectations, please reach Kate Vickery, Senior Program Officer at kate@headwatersfoundation. org Yes!

Headwaters is committed to supporting community grantmakers by offering childcare/caretaking reimbursements during our in-person time together. If you know you’ll need access to this support, please let us know within your online application. I’m interested in being a RRF community grantmaker, but not this year.

How can I stay in touch? If you have additional questions not answered here, please reach out to Kate Vickery, Senior Program Officer, at kate@headwatersfoundation. org Six Months of Rapid Response: What We’re Seeing Across Minnesota ICE out of MN: $120,000 in emergency funding Headwaters Launches Rapid Response Fund