Grants for BIPOC

About Us

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is committed to using our power and privilege as a philanthropic institution to advance racial equity in public education. We are committed to championing efforts to prioritize community goals that challenge racial inequities and advance excellent, student-centered public education for all New England youth. We are proud to have been part of efforts over the last ten years to advance personalized, student-centered approaches to learning across the New England region. We learned that for student-centered practices to flourish, the structural racial inequities present in our education system needed to be addressed. We are focusing our grantmaking strategically on addressing structural racism and white supremacy in our education system, so that all youth have access to an excellent and equitable public education.

Introduction

“We’re going to fight racism not with racism, but we’re going to fight with solidarity.” -Fred Hampton 

Since the Nellie Mae Education Foundation released the Racism is a Virus, Too Rapid Response Fund in March of 2020, over 500,000 people in the United States have died from COVID-19. The virus has disproportionately impacted the Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. While Asian American racism did not start with COVID-19, the spread of the virus has prompted the rise of anti-Asian racism and xenophobia through the U.S., “taking the forms of vandalism, student bullying, online hate speech, and more recently, violent attacks against elders. This type of ‘othering’ divides communities by dehumanizing groups of people when anxiety is manipulated and misdirected to place blame in the time of crisis” (Smithsonian APA Center). According to Stop AAPI Hate, during the pandemic over 2,500 incidents of Anti-Asian discrimination were reported in a three-month period, and 1 in 7 of these attacks were directed against young people under the age of 20 years old. Across the country, Asian American families are choosing not to send their children back to school for in-person learning, out of fear that their children will be subjected to anti-Asian racism.

Central to the Foundation's focus of advancing racial equity in public education is our commitment to ensuring all young people and families feel safe in schools and communities across New England as school buildings continue to reopen. When young people experience belonging and emotional safety by feeling that their perspectives, needs, and full identities are seen and embraced, they can focus on learning and thrive academically (Darling-Hammond, 2017). Nonprofit organizations and other groups that are anchored within their communities also have important roles in ensuring that AAPI youth and families are safe, supported, and able to exercise their voices and power. This commitment is also guided by the Foundation’s values - support community driven change and put youth at the forefront. The Foundation aims to build upon this history of cross-racial solidarity, collective liberation, and community care by offering funding that will amplify existing efforts and provide new opportunities for youth to build cross-racial solidarity through collective learning of each other’s histories. We believe the spread of collective learning, support, and solidarity has the power to dismantle white supremacist ideology that pits racial groups against each other. We acknowledge that White people have the responsibility to do this work and carry the burden of white supremacy; however, this RFP centers the need for solidarity between Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Request for Proposal | Cross-Racial Healing and Solidarity in a White Supremacist World © Nellie Mae Education Foundation 2

There is a history of cross-racial solidarity between AAPIs and other communities of color. While past histories of cross-racial solidarity have not always been amplified by the media and in textbooks, they have existed and continue to exist. For example, in 1969, Black people showed up in solidarity for AAPI communities in the United States and abroad by protesting America’s occupation of Vietnam and the dehumanization and mistreatment of AAPI peoples during the Vietnam War.

Today, communities of color continue to respond with a sense of urgency for cross-racial solidarity when combating the Anti-Asian violence that has been exacerbated and exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In San Francisco’s Bay Area, Black and Latinx peoples have been helping to escort AAPI senior citizens who might not feel safe. Their mission is two-fold: to be in solidarity with AAPI communities who have been directly impacted by a wrongful perceived connection to the COVID-19 virus and educate others in their racial groups about how white supremacy wedges them against each other. In New York City, other communities of color have organized, led, and participated in rallies that unite Black, Latinx and Asian communities against anti- Asian hate and offered mutual aid support to AAPI communities.

Similarly, AAPI communities have a deep-rooted history of being in solidarity with other communities of color – something that is often left unspoken. There is a vast history of AAPI peoples supporting Black communities in the United States including during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Activists like Yuri Kochiyama, Grace Lee Boggs, Richard Aoki, and Larry Itliong were constant advocates for Black and Brown liberation and worked closely alongside Black and Brown people.

More recently in 2020 after the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd by police officers, AAPI peoples across the country and world remained in solidarity with Black communities due to continued outrage over police brutality and demanded policy change. ASIANS 4 BLACK LIVES signs, actions, and sentiments continue to be in profound allyship and solidarity with Black people.

"So, transform yourself first... Because you are young and have dreams and want to do something meaningful, that in itself, makes you our future and our hope. Keep expanding your horizon, decolonize your mind, and cross borders." - Yuri Kochiyama

Funding Opportunity

The Foundation will provide urgent support to organizations looking to continue relationships or begin new relationships of cross-racial solidarity. The Foundation seeks to support organizations engaging in activities including, but not limited to:

• Courageous conversations across racial groups  
• Affinity spaces
• Healing spaces
• Communications and storytelling
• Planning for virtual and/or in-person socially distanced rallies 
• Town Halls
• Content creation and dissemination—to support youth/adult learning and healing
• Development of a proposal for transformative justice 

Art Works

Art Works is a $3-million grant program for community-based organizations and emerging artists that is designed to support arts, culture and creativity — particularly those working with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) individuals and those in other under-served communities. Art Works, the inaugural program from the Forman Arts Initiative, will provide direct grants to artists and organizations that shine a light on Greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity.

Art Works will select four organizations annually to receive two-year, unrestricted grants of up to $200,000 per year.

Four emerging artists will receive two-year grants of up to $10,000 per year. The program is open to both visual and performing artists who have experience working with and connection to communities in Greater Philadelphia.

Grantee organizations will be able to host co-operative education students from Drexel University to enhance their organizational effectiveness.

Art Works creators should aspire to influence Greater Philadelphia’s civic identity and have deep roots in its communities.

For Nonprofits Serving This Population

Those who have an established track record of working in partnership with Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and other under-served communities.

For Emerging Artists

The program is open to both visual and performing artists who have experience working with and connection to communities in Greater Philadelphia. Grants for individual artists are considered taxable income.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation aims to improve the lives of children, families, and communities, improve reproductive health and restore and protect our planet. Since 2014, the Foundation’s U.S. Reproductive Health Grantmaking has supported leaders and organizations in Louisiana and Mississippi to secure and expand access to sex education, quality contraception, and abortion care. This commitment to reproductive health and rights is guided by the belief that every individual has the right to live with dignity and have autonomy over their body and life.

RFP Purpose and Scope

We believe a truly intersectional progressive movement that advances racial justice is critical for people and communities to thrive—and that includes a robust and engaged base of supporters for gender equity and reproductive justice. The purpose of this one-time funding is to strengthen organizing in Mississippi and Louisiana among Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) communities; low-income communities; and/or rural communities. Gender equity and reproductive rights do not need to be the sole focus of the proposed work, however all projects must demonstrate a commitment to reproductive justice and to women, girls, and others who experience gender inequities.

Examples of the types of activities this funding could support include, but are not limited to:

• Providing or receiving coaching with experts to help develop and implement an organizing work plan.
• Infrastructure upgrades such as access to database systems that support organizing efforts.
• Enhancing voter lists to focus work where it is most effective in reaching underrepresented communities.
• Expanding work into new and rural places.
• Testing innovative approaches (such as deep canvassing).
• Evaluating proposed projects.

Direct Service Grants are available on a competitive basis for direct-service nonprofits serving high poverty and vulnerable populations in our Greater Philadelphia region.

Organizations seeking direct service grants should demonstrate a strong history of effective programs that serve on behalf of vulnerable populations, strong management practices, sound fiscal performance and strong leadership at the board and staff levels.

Organizations must support Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and other historically marginalized and under-invested communities.

For nonprofits serving this population

• Greater Philadelphia (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties in PA and Burlington and Camden counties in NJ).

Amounts of Grants

• Grant amounts range between $15,000 and $30,000.
• Grants to organizations that are national or state-wide will be pro-rated based upon their work in Greater Philadelphia.

Types of Projects Funded

Grants are unrestricted and may be used for all mission-related activities, including operating expenses and contributions to capital campaigns.

Purpose

The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Fund supports organizations that are led by and serving people of Native American, Latino, African, Arab, and/or Asian descent. The goal of the grant program is to help Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color in Maine achieve greater equity by:

• investing in existing, new, and emerging leadership and nonprofit organizations
• changing policies and practices that negatively impact Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color, because of their race
• supporting efforts to alleviate the impact of race-based discrimination and disparities.

To receive a grant, an organization or project must:

Involve Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color who are:

• in leadership positions on board and staff of the organization
• involved in the design, delivery, and evaluation of the programs and services
• most of the participants or intended recipients.

Increase racial equity through improving:

• access to resources
• the knowledge/skills or resilience of Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color
• ability to overcome race-based barriers and disparities.

Use local resources, such as:

• community organizations
• buildings
• expertise of community members
• natural resources (e.g., land, water, etc.).

Priorities

This grant program will give priority to the following areas of interest:

• Health: Thanks to support from the Maine Health Access Foundation to address health disparities in Maine, grants will support organizations and projects that increase access to or understanding of health and wellness.

• Leadership development: Organizations or projects that provide skill building, training, and mentorship for Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color.

• Economic opportunity: Organizations or projects that improve economic well-being, such as increasing access to employment opportunities, access to education and professional development, and supporting business development.

Types of Funding

This program provides:

• Capacity-building grants for increasing the scope (number of people, types of communities or services), efficiency, and/or effectiveness of organizations that serve Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color communities.
• General support grants to use for ongoing programming and operational needs for organizations led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
• Project grants for new or expanding projects:
• New projects are those being implemented for the first time and are not more than two years old
• Expanding projects are existing projects that will serve a new or different population, geographic area, or include new services or content other than what was previously implemented.