Seeding the Future Grants are offered to support efforts that pursue accelerated change in conditions and systems transformation through coalition and base building, grassroots advocacy, civic engagement, community organizing, and public policy development/change.
Donor Name: Deaconess Foundation
State: Illinois, Missouri
County: Franklin County (MO), Jefferson County (MO), Madison County (IL), Monroe County (IL), Saint Charles County (MO), Saint Clair County (IL), Saint Louis County (MO)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/10/2023
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The Seeding the Future Grants supports the accelerated change in conditions through policy, advocacy, and/or organizing efforts building and wielding power to transform systems to respond to the will of the people. Deaconess, through trusted relationships and grant funding, expects impact in abolishing racial and structural inequities that are felt in the day-to-day lives of all people across the Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois footprint. To this end, the mantle is placed on Deaconess’ Funded Partners with them to play a key and critical role in the movement laying the groundwork for liberation and community well-being.
Deaconess provides flexible funding to nonprofit organizations in support of coalition and base building, grassroots advocacy, community organizing, public policy development/change, and advocacy efforts that pursue positive systemic change for the improved health and wellness of all people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois. They expect efforts supported through these grants to propel the work and the movement for community well-being in alignment with the strategy to achieve liberation in seven generations.
What are examples of efforts funding may support?
- Advancement of coordinated local or state public policy advocacy and organizing campaigns driving meaningful, systemic change that may include voter engagement, education and mobilization;
- Expansion of organizing capacity to respond to the ever-evolving legislative and electoral landscape;
- Development of research and analysis, convenings and community campaigns that generate innovative approaches to solving policy challenges; and/or
- The testing and incubating of opportunistic or innovative initiatives that are well-positioned to advance policy change such as ballot initiatives.
Funding Information
General operating awards will be between $15,000 and $20,000 annually.
Grant Period
Seeding the Future Grants will be awarded for one year for general operating support and are non-renewable.
Uses of funds
Funding may be used to address organizational needs, support salaries and benefits, invest in technology, strengthen communications efforts, or to meet other operational needs to advance systems change.
Geographical Areas
Deaconess’ footprint includes St. Louis City, St. Louis, Jefferson, St. Charles, and Franklin Counties in Missouri and Madison, St. Clair, and Monroe Counties in Illinois.
Criteria
- Organizations need either their own 501(c)(3) tax exemption OR a fiscal agent. Deaconess aims to reduce/eliminate barriers to accessing grant funding. An organization that does not have its own 501(c)(3) status can identify a fiscal agent – an organization or a legal entity with a 501(c)(3) tax exemption that can manage any awarded funds on its behalf. Organizations will complete the proposal in the online portal and upload the memorandum of understanding (MOU) detailing the confirmation of the fiscal agent relationship and the fiscal agent’s Employer Identification (EIN) number.
- Organizations that have been awarded a Seeding the Future Grant are not eligible to apply for another Seeding the Future Grant until after the one-year covenant is completed.
For more information, visit Deaconess Foundation.
