Grantmaking

Each year, PDF conducts community-led grantmaking processes that fund small-budgeted grassroots organizations engaging in or directly supporting community organizing that often fly below the radar of mainstream and progressive philanthropy. Community organizing builds power in communities impacted by injustice. It can look like many different things, but usually includes the following: building relationships, developing leaders, creating a shared analysis of problems, and running campaigns that use collective action.

Our Grantmaking Pillars

Organizing to Shift Power: Bringing people together to take coordinated action that changes institutional practices. Organizing is led by those most directly impacted and targets institutions that create inequity, such as governments, corporations, hospitals, schools, or other systems.

Working to Build a Movement: Taking meaningful action to expand membership without compromising your vision. This includes developing leadership, strengthening relationships with allied groups, and building sustainable organizations that can support movements over the long term.

Dismantling Oppression: Challenging institutional structures that result in unequal experiences for certain people. This commitment shows up internally through practices that address racism, classism, sexism, ableism, ageism, and other harmful power dynamics.

Creating New Structures: Practicing new ways of doing things that are liberating, equitable, democratic, and sustainable. These approaches move beyond systems rooted in oppression and center bold transformation of political, social, and economic systems.

Read more about PDF’s grantmaking pillars here.

Current Grantmaking Opportunities

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Community Organizing Grants (COG)

Seeding the Movement

Photo by Mustafa Hussian

The STM Fund is PDF's largest grantmaking fund. Grant sizes have increased in the most recent cycle, and on average grantees were awarded $8,000. An average of 20 organizations are selected for funding per cycle. More information can be found here.

Braiding New Worlds

In celebration of PDF’s 40th anniversary, PDF established the youth-focused Braiding New Worlds Fund. Grants averaging $5,000 are awarded to youth-led and youth-oriented organizations around the country. The Braiding New World Fund committee members were young people aged 18 to 25 years old. An average of 8 organizations are selected for funding per cycle. More information can be found here.

Western MA Transformation

The Western Mass Transformation Fund supports grassroots efforts of communities working towards social justice in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties of Western Mass, with deliberate attention given to organizations led by people of color. Organizations must have a focus on community organizing and building power for systemic change. Average grants size is $3,000. More information can be found here.

Any organization that fits PDF’s guidelines is eligible to apply for a grant. PDF currently only funds organizations in the United States, Haiti and Mexico. To view a recording of the grants information session, click here. To view the slides from this presentation, click here.

De Colores Rapid Response Fund

Proposals are accepted all year, and reviewed regularly.Groups will be notified within one to three weeks and checks will be mailed the following week. Most grants are in the $500 to $1,000 range. Applications are accepted from coalitions, organizations and non-501(c)(3) groups, but not to fund individual efforts. To apply, click here.

De Colores make funds available for quick, short-term delivery to hot spots of opportunity for organizing in marginalized urban and rural communities.

Questions? Email Jessa McCormack, Program Manager.

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