Grantmaking
What We Fund
if, A Foundation for Radical Possibility is committed to community voice and engagement. As part of our community-centered transformation as a foundation, we are embedding community engagement in our programs and activities, including our grantmaking program.
We are implementing a participatory grantmaking approach, which “cedes decisionmaking power about funding decisions – including the strategy and criteria behind those decisions – to the very communities that a foundation aims to serve”.* if seeks to cede power to members of our community who live at the sharpest intersection of systems of oppression, namely race, class and gender identity. We brought together community members from Washington, DC , Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, MD and Northern Virginia who decided on the grants that will support nonprofit organizations, which are undertaking community organizing and engagement and advocacy. We would like to thank the following community members who participated in this program: Arthur Blair, Nayireth Castro, Marsha Dabolt, Tibebu Egerte, Gaby Hernandez, Maria del Pilar Garcia Hernandez, Betelihem Kebede, Juanita Miranda, Bonnie Page, Darwin Portillo, Joella Roberts, Amalia Salvador, Tamika Spellman, and Cecilia Zhang.
*Source: Deciding Together: Shifting Power and Resources Through Participatory Grantmaking, Grantcraft
Who We Are Funding / Our Grants
2021 Grants
ANGELS OF HOPE MINISTRY
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCE PROJECT
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
BLACK SWAN ACADEMY
$40,000 (two-year grant; $20,000 per year)
To provide general operating support.
BREAD FOR THE CITY
$15,000
To support its advocacy on health and housing.
CASA
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
CENTREVILLE IMMIGRATION FORUM
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR SAFE SPACES
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
COMMUNITY MINISTRY OF PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
COMMUNITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
DC FAIR BUDGET COALITION
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
DC JUSTICE LAB
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
DREAMING OUT LOUD
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
ELEVATEHER
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
EMPOWER DC
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
EVERYONE HOME DC
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
FOSTER & ADOPTIVE PARENT ADVOCACY CENTER
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
FREE MINDS BOOK CLUB & WRITING WORKSHOP
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
HAMKAE CENTER
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
HIPS
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
IMPACT SILVER SPRING
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION / COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WORKFORCE
$20,000
To support the Center for the Community Health Workforce, which will work to ensure Community Health Workers are integrated in the public health and health care systems.
JUSTICE FOR MUSLIMS COLLECTIVE
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
LA CLINICA DEL PUEBLO
$20,000
To advocate for health equity for the Latino and other immigrant communities in the Washington, DC region.
LEGAL AID JUSTICE CENTER
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
LIFE ASSET
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
MANY LANGUAGES ONE VOICE
$30,000 (two-year grant; $15,000 per year)
To provide general operating support.
MARYLAND HUNGER SOLUTIONS/ FOOD RESEARCH AND ACTION CENTER
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
MARYLAND LATINOS UNIDOS
$40,000 (two-year grant; $20,000 per year)
To provide general operating support.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA FAMILY SERVICE
$20,000
To support its advocacy on workforce development and employment issues.
PRIMARY CARE COALITION OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
PRINCE GEORGE'S CHILD RESOURCE CENTER
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
RACIAL JUSTICE NOW!
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
REAL FOOD FOR KIDS
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
TENANTS AND WORKERS UNITED
$40,000 (two-year grant; $20,000 per year)
To provide general operating support.
TRABAJADORES UNIDOS
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
UNDOCUBLACK NETWORK
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
VIRGINIA COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
$40,000 (two-year grant: $20,000 per year)
To provide general operating support.
VIRGINIA COALITION OF LATINO ORGANIZATIONS
$20,000
To provide general operating support.
VOICES FOR VIRGINIA’S CHILDREN
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
WHO SPEAKS FOR ME?
$15,000
To provide general operating support.
WOMEN'S EQUITY CENTER AND ACTION NETWORK
$40,000 (two-year grant; $20,000 per year)
To provide general operating support.
Grantseeker FAQ
What is participatory grantmaking?
if is implementing a participatory grantmaking approach to our community power grantmaking program. It means “ced(ing) decisionmaking power about funding decisions – including the strategy and criteria behind those decisions – to the very communities that a foundation aims to serve.” The participatory grantmaking committee will decide on the grants. The committee will be composed of community members of color from across the region who have lived experience of racial inequities and are engaged in organizing and advocacy.
What is your funding priority?
We fund community and nonprofit organizations that are committed to racial equity and undertake community organizing, community engagement, and advocacy in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County in Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
What should the one page narrative include?
This narrative should include a description of the organization’s organizing and advocacy work that advances racial equity and engagement with Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander, and other communities of color. It is similar to a letter of inquiry.
What other documents should be submitted?
Submit the following which are not included in the one page narrative.
Organization or project budget
Diversity matrix
What is the grant amount that could be requested?
The grant range is $15,000 to $20,000.
What type of support does the foundation provide?
The foundation provides general operating support. For direct services organizations that undertake advocacy, they would receive a project support grant.
What types of organizations do you fund?
Our grantee partners have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or have fiscal sponsors.
What is the grantmaking process timeline for 2021?
Proposals are due by July 16. In September the participatory grantmaking committee will meet with the organizations to learn more about their work and decide on the grants.
Does the foundation provide capacity building grants?
Applications for the capacity building program in 2021 is by invitation only. A participatory grantmaking committee will be formed that will decide on the capacity building grants.