New Pluralists seeks to invest $10,000,000 in organizations and networks of, by, and for local communities, which are acting together to address divisive forces in a way that reflects the cultures, values, and desires of people who live there.
Donor Name: New Pluralists
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/31/2022
Size of the Grant: $100,000 – $500,000
Details:
New Pluralists is dedicated to catalyzing a culture of belonging in the U.S. That’s the promise of pluralism. Its principles enable us to build a society where they’re able to live among, work with, and care about people who are different from us, including by race and ethnicity, faith, geography, generation, and political beliefs. It enables people to come together and discover breakthrough solutions to the challenges they face, and it is crucial to strengthening their democracy and creating communities where everyone can thrive.
Policy change alone cannot bridge their divides or repair their institutions. It must be accompanied by changes in their culture — changes in hearts, minds, and practices that inform how they see and treat each other, make decisions together, and build communities where each of us feels they have dignity and opportunity. This is long-term work that nonetheless requires a spirit of urgency. Through this RFP, they’ll provide funding that enables communities to respond to local flashpoints — events that risk eroding trust and respect for one another’s humanity.
Grant Goals
Grants will support efforts and practitioners rooted within local communities who are positioned to take creative risks towards transforming divisive dynamics and building belonging. They’re particularly interested in proposals focused within locations experiencing increasing divisiveness. They define local communities as places where people live, work, play, and pray, at a scale in which residents can know each other and realistically impact each other. This could be a neighborhood, a town, or even a whole county in a rural area.
Specifically, they hope to strengthen work that:
- Builds the leadership of people who have trust and credibility in local communities, who can act as a steadying force among neighbors who are at risk of turning against each other or rejecting people different from them. These may include faith leaders, business owners, civil servants, veterans, organizers, or others who are building, maintaining, or repairing a sense of dignity and belonging in their local communities, across lines of difference.
- Creates opportunities for members of a community to gather, tell stories in their own words, and act across differences — where those residents build trust and work together to make their communities stronger. This includes work led by community-led cultural groups, networks, and grassroots organizations who are supporting residents to share their experiences and create new stories together, find unexpected common ground, and take action together instead of succumbing to divisions.
Funding Information
New Pluralists will give grants ranging from $100,000 – $500,000 to organizations and networks that have deeply trusting, established relationships within their local communities.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants should meet the following criteria:
- You’re an organization or network with 501(c)(3) status or with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, or your organization is willing to agree to a grant under Expenditure Responsibility provisions, which necessitates the collection and review of additional due diligence materials;
- You have strong, trusted relationships with others working in those local communities, and a track record of supporting community-driven work;
- You demonstrate a longstanding commitment to building a free, diverse, and inclusive society in the United States;
- You are collaborative in your approach; and
- Your organization adheres to principles of pluralism and nonviolence.
For more information, visit New Pluralists.
