upcoming grant deadline: 05/15/2024

upcoming grant deadline: 05/15/2024

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Youth for Safety and Justice Fund RFP

The recent protests by students in Parkland and around the country fit into a broader tapestry of political action taken by young people to demand safer schools and communities. For more than two decades, youth from working class communities of color have been organizing to demand redress for systemically racist policies that have resulted in their communities and schools being under resourced, overpoliced, and disproportionately subject to both interpersonal violence as well as violence perpetrated by agents from the very institutions that are supposed to serve them.

Out of the horror of this latest tragedy comes an opportunity for transformation. The seeds are present for a multiracial, cross-class alliance of young people standing up to demand a society free from all forms of violence. There is an opportunity to raise the profile of the work young people are leading to create safe schools and communities free of criminalization and violence. In order to support a holistic movement to end violence and increase community safety, it is necessary to translate the energy of this moment into increased resources for those groups who have been on the front lines of fighting for the deeper changes we need.

The Youth for Safety and Justice Fund

The Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing has launched The Youth for Safety and Justice Fund, a rapid response fund that will provide $1,000-$5,000 mini-grants to youth led organizations to support young people organizing for safety and justice. The Fund will focus on efforts that employ a racial justice lens and connect gun violence to other forms of systemic violence and we hope to support the connection of young people across race and class to build unity and broader political power. Groups applying to the fund must work with a base of youth and employ strategies that are grounded in a racial justice analysis and see this as a part of their long-term strategy to build power.All dollars raised will go directly to field with FCYO donating staff time and resources to manage and distribute the fund.

Goals

Support young people of color taking action in this moment with efforts that employ a racial justice lens and connect gun violence to other forms of systemic injustice.
Make it possible for organizations to build added mobilization, communications, outreach, and organizing capacities to create momentum and power in this moment and build sustained strategies that actualize long term change.
Support efforts to build a youth-led, multi-racial, cross-class alliance that strategically leverages power beyond this moment. 

Application Process

Grant should be no more than one page, answering the following questions:

Please briefly describe your organization including:

Mission, vision and values
Who are the young people you organize in terms of age, race, class and gender?

What defines this moment as a critical moment for you to take action?
How specifically are you responding to/taking action in the current moment?
How does your response fit into your long term strategy to build power?

Please include a header with: Organization Name, Contact Person, Address, Phone, Email, Website, and Name of Fiscal Agent (if applicable). Applicant should submit their proposal, along with their 501C3 letter and W-9 to grants@fcyo.org with The Youth for Safety and Justice Fund in the subject line. Notifications on grant approvals will be made within one week.

Please send any questions to grants@fcyo.org

Basic Criteria for Organization to Receive a Grant

Actively engage low-income young people and/or young people of color in organizing collective action for social, economic, or racial justice.
Have a 501c3 or a fiscal agent.
Organizations without non-profit status or a fiscal agent should contact us to discuss options.
Have a strong history of engaging young people in community organizing 
Have a plan to take action over the next two months with the goals that include infusing a racial justice lens on the current gun violence debate.

Preference will be Given to Organizations Who

Organize high school age youth of color.
Have a history of connecting gun violence to other forms of systemic injustice.
Have an active campaign regarding the militarization and criminalization of schools and communities.
Have a clear plan for how to act over the next two months.
Have a vision to utilize this moment for a longer term power building strategy.
Have a clear analysis of the moment that is inclusive of a need for multiracial, cross-class alignment.

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