Rooted in Justice Grant to support Community-based Organizations

The Cedar Tree Foundation is excited to announce a new round of grantmaking for “Rooted in Justice” a funding program designed to help amplify youth voices and actions in the environmental and food justice movements.

Donor Name: Cedar Tree Foundation

State: Selected States

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 12/01/2023

Size of the Grant: $20,000 – $25,000

Grant Duration: 2 years

Details:

Rooted in Justice supports organizations, groups, collectives, and programs that work with young people between the ages of 12 to 20 in youth-led programming for communities or cultures which have historically or currently experience:

• A lack of access to land or nature;
• Agricultural oppression and/or neglect;
• Food apartheid; and/or
• Other forms of injustice based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics and disability.

Rooted in Justice grants support organizations or programs that include all four of the elements:

• Social Justice-Based Programs
• Youth-Led
• Urban Greening
• Cohort-Based Youth Work

Funding Information

• Two Year Grant
  • Rooted in Justice Grant awards are two-year grants of $20,000 – $25,000 per year.
  • After the initial two year grant, grantees may be eligible for a third year of funding at the same or lower level through a simple renewal process.
  • In 2024, the Cedar Tree Foundation expects to award 6-8 grants.
• Funding for Professional Development
  • Annual funding is set aside for grantees to support professional development opportunities identified by each organization.
  • Rooted in Justice grantees can request reimbursement from this fund to attend conferences, hire consultants, purchase equipment or software that increases organizational capacity, or participate in any activities that strengthen youth programming or justice practice of program providers in support of their youth development programming.
• Community Cohort Space
  • Cedar Tree works with grantee partners to assess their professional development interests and facilitates on-line gatherings of staff or youth for skill shares, trainings, and networking opportunities.
  • These network calls will likely happen 2-3 times per year.

Uses of funds

Rooted in Justice funding must be used for project support of youth led, urban greening, social justice work and associated general operating expenses. Operating expenses can include anything from program costs like staff salaries and youth stipends to organizational sustainability needs like major equipment purchases and leadership/staff training. If your organization’s entire mission is youth led, urban greening, social justice work, the Rooted in Justice grant can be general support.

All Rooted in Justice grantees must share a plan to allocate a portion of the grant funds for youth participants to manage. What do they mean by this? Youth participants can use their allocated funding to:

• Fund an entrepreneurial endeavor;
• Design the brand or swag for their group;
• Hire a speaker or outside expert to teach a new skill;
• Purchase supplies for a community-based art project;
• Host a celebration for their families, friends and neighbors;
• Pay for transportation to programming, special events, or conferences; and/or
• Any other youth-led activity the group may find beneficial.

Who can apply?

• This year, this opportunity is available to community-based organizations/groups with a 501(c)3 status or secured fiscal agent located in states on or east of the Mississippi River.
• Organizations of any size or stage of development can apply but preference will be given to organizations or programs with a budget of less than $800,000.
• Preference will also be given to organizations that are majority-led by people who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or People of Color) or of the global majority.
• This grant cannot be used to fund: individuals; lobbying or partisan political activity; re-granting programs; or for-profits.

For more information, visit Cedar Tree Foundation.