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.
Donor Name: North Star Fund
State: New York
City: New York City
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/29/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
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.
Let Us Breathe Fund Grants is designed to support Black-led organizing for community safety, economic investment, and racial justice in Black communities.
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
- In addition to the general eligibility criteria above, 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.
