Seeding Justice invites proposals from 501(c)(3)s and 501(c)(4)s engaged in community-driven public policy, advocacy, and community organizing focused on systems change in Oregon.

• Type of Award: Project Grant
• Award Amount and Duration: One-year grants up to $20,000. 
• Funding available: $160,000 in grant funds this cycle.
• Proposals due: December 2nd, 2024 by 12:00 PM PST (EXTENDED!)

Background

Funding advocacy is a crucial component of movement building—without it, organizations cannot engage in systems change at a large scale. Early in 2024, Seeding Justice funded its first round of grantees under the Seeding Advocacy program. In this opportunity, Seeding Justice will fund Oregon-based organizations that believe, like we do, that those most impacted by the pain of injustice are the ones best equipped to come up with solutions to the problems that affect them.

Funding Opportunity Overview

This funding is intended to support community-driven public policy, advocacy and community organizing that is focused on systems change at the local and statewide levels. 

Grant funding could be used for: 

• Community organizing and leadership development
• Communications and messaging
• Training and Member Education
• Campaign Development (research, coalition building, polling, etc.)

No part of these funds may be used to support or oppose any political party or candidate for public office. Funds must be used for charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. 

An organization or project’s total grassroots lobbying budget should be larger to or equal to the amount requested from Seeding Justice.

SELECTION CRITERIA 

Seeding Justice will prioritize projects that:

• are led by Black and Indigenous people and other communities of color, especially those that identify as LGBTQIA2S+, immigrants and refugees, folks living with disabilities, people living with low incomes, folks that are currently or formerly incarcerated, houseless people, and those living in rural communities;
• address the root causes of injustice and focus on changing systems, not just addressing symptoms of problems;
• build collective power by using community organizing, leadership development, base building, policy advocacy, and/or other strategies;
• are intentionally anti-racist, anti-oppression, and intersectional in their thinking, approaches and solutions; and
• are led by the people most impacted.
• While we are accepting applications from groups of all sizes, our Grantmaking Committee has historically prioritized smaller, grassroots organizations. 
• Organizations and Tribal Nations that work on cultural and narrative power building rooted and in alignment with ancestral, Indigenous and traditional knowledge are especially encouraged to apply.

ELIGIBILITY 

In order to be eligible for funding, organizations must:

• Work must benefit those who call Oregon home; and
• Have 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) tax exemption, or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, or be a Tribal Nation
• Have a history of public policy, advocacy, and community organizing. 

Organizations that received a Seeding Advocacy grant in early 2024 are eligible to apply. If you are unsure if that’s you, please contact us.

GRANT TYPES + AMOUNTS

Seeding Advocacy grants are project support grants. Project support grants are restricted to a specific project or fiscally sponsored group. Grants are for one year, unless otherwise stated in the grant agreement. Applicants can request up to $20,000.

Seeding Justice strives to fund groups at the full amount requested. However, our limited budget and the high number of applications we receive sometimes force us to make smaller awards.

PROCESS + TIMELINE

Applications must be submitted via our online platform, Submittable. 

After groups submit their applications, the Grantmaking Committee will review them and select the organizations that will receive funding. 

The timeline for this cycle is as follows:

Thursday, October 24, 2024 – Applications open

Monday, December 2nd, 2024 – Applications DUE by 12 p.m. PST.

End of December/Early January – Notifications go out

By end of January 2025 – Finalize grant agreements and Payment

HAVE QUESTIONS?

If you have questions, please send us an email and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

If you experience technical difficulties with Submittable, please contact them directly at support@submittable.com.

Seeding Justice funds primarily grassroots, Oregon-based organizations that believe, like we do, that those most impacted by the pain of injustice are the ones best equipped to come up with solutions to the problems that affect them.

• Type of Award: Grant 
• Award Amount and Duration: Up to $5,000 amount over time
• Funding available:  Varies
• Proposals due:  Rolling

About the Opportunity Overview

Our Rapid Response grants provide mission aligned organizations with quickly deployed small grants to respond to emergencies and opportunities. 

Funding can be used for immediate and critical needs. For example, organizing community gatherings/meetings in response to events; unexpected challenges within the organization, or unique and timely opportunities. 

No part of these funds may be used to support or oppose any political party or candidate for public office. Funds must be used for charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. 

SELECTION CRITERIA 

Proposals for Rapid Response grants must clearly articulate the urgency for funds or immediate need of the organization. If the request is not urgent, we encourage groups to apply for our General Fund grants.

Seeding Justice prioritizes funding small, emerging, and grassroots organizations that:

• are led by the people most impacted;
• address the root causes of injustice and focus on changing systems, not just addressing symptoms of problems;
• build collective power by using community organizing, leadership development, base building, policy advocacy, and/or other strategies;
• are intentionally anti-racist, anti-oppression, and intersectional in their thinking, approaches and solutions.

ELIGIBILITY

In order to be eligible for funding, the organization's:

• Work must benefit those who call Oregon home; and
• Have 501(c)(3) tax exemption, be a Tribal Nation or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.

For the full list of eligibility requirements, please visit our website.

GRANT TYPES and AMOUNTS

• Operating support are unrestricted awards to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations with operating budgets under $700,000 or Tribal Nations unless otherwise requested by the applicant.
• Project support are restricted awards to a specific project or program within an organization with budgets over $700,000 and fiscally sponsored organizations must apply for project support grants

PROCESS + TIMELINE

This opportunity is on a rolling basis.

Organizations may apply for Rapid Response grant funding on a rolling basis provided that funds are available. 

REPORTING

A grant report is not required, but we may reach out to schedule a chat to learn more about your grant period (i.e. insights, key takeaways, any lessons learned) or if you have any feedback for us on what we can improve in our grantmaking process.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

If you have questions, please send us an email and we’ll get back to you.

If you experience technical difficulties with Submittable, please contact them 

directly at support@submittable.com.