Our granting guidelines
The Fund for Democratic Communities makes two kinds of grants: 1) Grants to community-based organizations that seek to make their communities better places to live through grassroots democratic organizing and action, and 2) Grants to individuals for the purpose of study, travel, and interaction with people and groups doing similar community-based/democracy work.
Grants usually range in size from a few hundred dollars up to $10,000, although larger grants may be considered. Because of our emphasis on learning and research, all grantees are required to participate in ongoing sharing and learning sessions with other grantees of the Fund and interested community partners.
In general, the Fund for Democratic Communities does NOT fund the following:
- Capital or endowment campaigns;
- Debt retirement;
- Political candidates or political campaigns;
- For-profit entities;
- Programming that promotes religious instruction or doctrines
- International organizations or organizing activities outside the U.S. and its territories;
- Publications or cultural projects that are not directly connected to grassroots democratic organizing campaigns and not used as tools for social justice organizing;
- The provision of social or direct services if they do not demonstrate a degree of community-based organizing to challenge the systems that undermine democracy or lead o oppression;
- Other grant-making foundations or funders - we do not provide funds for re-granting.
Because we want to support a wide range of groups and individuals with good, democratic ideas, we happily provide assistance in preparing proposals for F4DC grants, from the early stages of problem/solution formulation to helping with writing and filling out the actual application.
