Seed Grants will provide small unrestricted funds to new groups who are in the early stages of building their community work but do not yet meet all of SJF’s community organizing criteria, and may not yet qualify for our regular grants. If your organization is less than three years old, has never been funded by SJF, and is currently doing or planning on community organizing work, then you are eligible for a $5,000 Seed Grant.

Seed Grants will resource organizations that are most underrpresented in traditional grantmaking, such as rural and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). Funds will be awarded quarterly throughout the year until no more funds are available.

Eligibility

• Are an organized group of people (we do not fund individuals)

• Are new or emerging (three years or younger)

• Conduct the primary activities of their work in ID,MT, OR, WA, or WY

• Have organizational beliefs and goals that are aligned with SJF’s values

• Can demonstrate they are using a community organizing approach or actively building towards community organizing, as defined by our community organizing criteria.

• Have demonstrated involvement by, and accountability to, the communities most impacted by the issues they work on.

• Have a plan for how they want to grow their work over the next year

• Have never received a regular SJF grant or Seed Grant in the past

• This grant can fund:

-Organizations with 501(c)(3) or 501 (c)(4) status as determined by the IRS
-American Indian/Native American/First Nation Tribal Government or Agency
-Organizations that are fiscally sponsored by 501(c)(3) or 501 (c)(4) organizations or tribal governments

Priority

We prioritize organizations in both the prescreening and final decision process that:

• Have leadership (at least 51%) from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities and/or

• Conduct most of their work/organizing in reservation communities and/or rural, small-town communities (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau)