Eligibility

Social Justice Fund NW's grants support activist, community-based organizations working to build a lasting movement for social, economic, and environmental justice in the Northwest United States. These grants are designed to address the root causes of social inequities, rather than alleviate the effects of these problems.

To determine if your organization is eligible for Social Justice Fund NW's grant programs, please review the following questions:

1. Does your organization have a 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status as determined by the IRS? Is your organization a federally recognized American Indian tribal government or agency? Groups sponsored by 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 organizations or by federally recognized tribal governments can also apply.

2. Does your organization carry out most of its work in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and/or Wyoming?

3. Is your organization led by people who are the most directly affected by the problems that the organization or project is addressing? Please review our definition of Community Organizing.

If you answered "NO" to one of those questions, you should explore other fundting options. If you have any questions about the questions, please contact us using our Grants Staff Contact Form.

Social Justice Fund NW generally will NOT fund:

• General operating requests from organizations that primarily provide direct services to individuals and families. Social service organizations can apply for project-specific funds for projects that fit our social change criteria.

• Publications, reports, workshops, classes, conferences, media events, arts, or theater productions unless they are part of an ongoing community organizing effort.

• Environmental work unless it is aimed at achieving social justice goals. For example, Social Justice Fund generally does not fund recycling or resource conservation projects, but we do fund community organizing projects addressing environmental threats that disproportionately harm communities of color or low-income communities.

• Job training and workforce development.

• Projects sponsored by a government agency. For example, Social Justice Fund would not fund a project led by a public school district. However, we would fund a project led by communities of color that partners with public schools to address the academic achievement gap for students of color. The project must be community driven and led by those most directly affected by the problem.

• Research, litigation or legal expenses unless they are part of a larger community organizing effort.

• Individuals, endowment funds or capital campaigns.