Deadline: 15-Jun-2026
The RISE Together Fund is an initiative of the Proteus Fund that supports community-led movements advancing justice, equity, and civil rights for BAMEMSA communities in the United States.
The programme aims to:
- Strengthen grassroots power
- Support movement building and coordination
- Defend civil and human rights
- Respond to discrimination and systemic injustice
- Build long-term advocacy infrastructure
Key Focus Areas
The fund supports work in the following areas:
- Community power building
- Youth empowerment
- Civic engagement and voter participation
- Immigrant and refugee rights
- Election protection and democracy strengthening
- Policy and legal advocacy
- Movement coordination and infrastructure
- Communications and narrative strategy
- Anti-surveillance and privacy protection
- Gender equity and disability justice
- LGBTQ+ inclusion
- Anti-Islamophobia and anti-xenophobia work
- Long-term systems change
Priority Issues
Priority funding is given to projects addressing:
- Immigrant and refugee rights protection
- Nonpartisan civic engagement and voter participation
- Policy advocacy related to Gaza and the West Bank
- Challenges to surveillance and national security frameworks
- Emerging civil rights issues affecting BAMEMSA communities
Funding Details
- Maximum grant size: USD 25,000
- Average grant size: USD 20,000
- Total funding pool: Approximately USD 700,000
- Funding cycle: 2026
- Application type: Rolling review until funds are exhausted
Funding is primarily for:
- General operating support
- Organisational sustainability
- Movement infrastructure development
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include:
- US-based public charity organisations (501(c)(3))
- Fiscally sponsored projects under 501(c)(3)
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Strong community-rooted work
- Accountability to BAMEMSA communities
- Financial stability and transparency
- Alignment with movement-building goals
Supported Strategies
The programme prioritises organisations working through:
- Grassroots organising and leadership development
- Legal and policy advocacy
- Communications and narrative change
- Convening and coalition building
- Movement coordination
- Organisational infrastructure strengthening
How to Apply
Applicants should:
- Demonstrate strong BAMEMSA community engagement
- Align work with movement-building and systems change goals
- Submit a request for general operating support
- Provide organisational and financial information
- Apply during the rolling review period
Strong applications typically show:
- Clear community leadership and accountability
- Long-term strategy for systems change
- Strong advocacy or civic engagement impact
- Collaborative movement-building approach
Tips for Applicants
To improve your application:
- Focus on long-term structural change, not short-term projects
- Highlight community leadership and lived experience
- Demonstrate clear alignment with BAMEMSA communities
- Show collaboration across movements and networks
- Emphasise sustainability and organisational strength
Avoid applications focused only on short-term service delivery without advocacy or systems change components.
FAQ
Who can apply?
US-based 501(c)(3) organisations and fiscally sponsored projects can apply.
How much funding is available?
Grants range up to USD 25,000, with an average of around USD 20,000.
What communities are supported?
The fund supports BAMEMSA communities, including Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian populations.
What type of funding is provided?
Primarily general operating support for movement-building organisations.
Is the application process competitive?
Yes. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are fully allocated.
Conclusion
The RISE Together Fund 2026 Small Grants programme strengthens BAMEMSA-led movements in the United States by providing flexible funding for advocacy, civic engagement, and community power building. The initiative prioritises long-term systems change, organisational sustainability, and grassroots leadership development to advance equity and justice.
For more information, visit Proteus Fund.