North Star Fund’s Let Us Breathe Fund supports Black-led organizations engaging in grassroots organizing the process of building collective power in New York City and the Hudson Valley.
Donor Name: North Star Fund
State: New York
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/25/2022
Size of the Grant: $20,000
Details:
Grassroots organizing seeks not only the transformation of individual lives, but the undoing of systemic racism, including specific laws and institutional policies that create inequities.
North Star Fund created the Let Us Breathe Fund in 2015 in response to the surge of organizing and mass mobilizations prompted by the police killing of Eric Garner. The Fund seeks to address the philanthropic sector’s historic disinvestment in Black communities and Black-led efforts for social change. To do so, the Fund mobilizes resources from individuals and foundations to provide renewable, general operating support grants.
Since its genesis, the Fund has provided grants to organizations working on police accountability and Black-led organizing groups addressing anti-Black racism across many institutions. These grantees range in focus from ending abusive policing in the streets and school campuses to addressing the historic disinvestment, lack of economic opportunities, and other discriminatory forces targeting Black communities.
Funding Information
- Let Us Breathe Fund grants are currently $20,000.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations funded by North Star Fund must also meet these criteria:
- Must Be in New York City and/or the Hudson Valley
- Builds community power in at least one of the five boroughs of New York City, or in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan, Columbia, Greene, Delaware, Rensselaer, Albany and Schoharie counties. Grantees must be located either in NYC or within at least one of these counties, but do not need to work in all the listed locations. Local chapters of statewide or national organizations may apply.
- Nonprofit Status or Fiscal Sponsorship
- The organization has 501(c)(3) charitable status or a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status. Organizations that do not yet have 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor may apply, but must secure a fiscal sponsor before receiving a grant.
- In Any Category, Only One Grant Per Year
- Grants Based on Geography: Each organization can receive one of these grants per year, whichever is appropriate for their primary geography (NYC or Hudson Valley).
- Grants for Black-Led Organizing: North Star Fund’s Let Us Breathe Fund supports Black-led organizations building collective power through grassroots organizing in New York City and the Hudson Valley. Organizations can receive one of these grants per year.
- Rapid Response Grants: An organization can receive one Rapid Response grant in a 12-month period.
- They Prioritize Smaller Organizations
- For most grant categories, we prioritize groups with a budget of less than $800,000. Local chapters of national organizations and organizing programs of larger organizations may apply provided their organizing budget is less than $800,000, but may not be prioritized for funding.
- Some grant categories may have a different budget limit. For more information, see the “Category Specific Criteria” on each grant category page.
- Coalitions are welcome to apply, subject to the same community organizing criteria. The budget considered will be the budget for coalition-specific activities.
- There is no budget limit for Rapid Response grants.
Let Us Breathe Fund Grant Eligibility
- In the spring 2022 application period, North Star Fund is accepting applications from organizations that do not currently receive support, such as new organizations, first-time applicants, or prior applicants that did not receive an award.
- The Let Us Breathe Fund prioritizes support for Black-led organizations in New York City and the Hudson Valley, meaning: 1) the composition of staff, board, or volunteer leaders reflect the community being organized; and 2) the organization has a collective leadership model where staff, board, volunteer or member-leaders share decision-making and stewardship.
- Multi-racial organizations applying for support will be asked to explain how they support Black leadership and confront anti-Blackness within their organization. White ally organizations, while not prioritized by this Fund, may still apply and will be expected to explain how proposed solidarity work reflects meaningful partnership with Black community organizations.
- The Let Us Breathe Fund also prioritizes Black organizations that bring a strong intersectional lens to their organizing approach and organize and uplift members of Black communities facing multiple oppressions, including women, immigrants, queer and transgender people, and disabled people.
For more information, visit North Star Fund.
