Deadline: 19 April 2019
The NoVo Foundation has announced The Life Story Grants, a $10 million, 3-year commitment for programs in the U.S that open exit ramps and close on-ramps to commercial sexual exploitation.
The NoVo Foundation is dedicated to catalyzing a transformation in global society, from a culture of domination and exploitation to one of equality and partnership. Ending the vulnerability of girls and women to all forms of exploitation and violence is core to that mission; centering those who experience the overlapping oppressions of racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, transphobia and economic discrimination guides approach.
The Life Story Grants approach is grounded in two influences: the people and communities who are disproportionately impacted by the sex trade but are largely invisible; and critical life moments where a different path becomes possible.
Focus on communities
The Life Story Grants will prioritize projects that center the communities who drive much of the NoVo Foundation’s work—and who are often unseen in mainstream narratives of the sex trade, despite bearing the brunt of system failures that lead to sexual exploitation. Particular focus will be placed on:
- Girls and Women of Color
- Indigenous Girls and Women
- Immigrant Girls and Women
- Adult Women and Mothers
- Trans Girls and Women
Focus on six moments
Funding Information
Grants will be up to three years; minimum grant size is expected to be $100,000 per year. Maximum grant size is expected to be $600,000 per year.
Project Qualifications
- Registered non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations (or any initiatives/groups/collaborations with a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor), tax-exempt Tribal governments or Tribally-chartered institutions, in addition to current NoVo grantee partners, are eligible to submit a Letter of Inquiry.
- Collaborations will need to have a lead applicant. At this time, the foundation is unable to directly support individuals or other formations outside of non-profit organizations.
- Any organization, Tribal government, or Tribally-chartered institution that is currently or is seeking to address CSE within one or more of these six moments is encouraged to apply.
- Current NoVo grantees are eligible to apply, but are encouraged to consider how this project support will enable them to engage with particular systems or moments in new or particular ways that they are not able to do within their existing funding structures.
- Projects may be on a one- or two-year timespan, but most grants will support reaching project goals over the next three years.
- Projects may include a planning phase, particularly if new emerging collaborations/ alliances are key to the project objectives. Organizations must demonstrate a strong likelihood of partnership for any new alliances and collaborations.
- While NoVo does support organizations that work to end commercial sexual exploitation globally, this opportunity is limited to US-based organizations, given the specificity of context and systems this work seeks to shift.
- For a single organization, funding requests should not exceed 33% of the organization’s total budget. For collaborations between multiple organizations, funding requests should not exceed 33% of the total combined budgets of all organizations in the collaboration.
- Organizations may submit more than one LOI, but are encouraged to be judicious and strategic when doing so, clearly demonstrating how one funding request cannot achieve the envisioned outcomes.
How to Apply
Letters of Inquiry will be accepted via online submission form.
For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2STQR09