2023 Community Wealth Building Grant in the United States

Deadline: 26-Oct-23

The Social Justice Fund NW (SJF) is pleased to announce the 2023 Community Wealth Building Grant! This grant cycle will fund organizing that aims to address economic injustice, build power to transform unjust systems, and overcome barriers to wealth for individuals, families, and communities.

The Community Wealth Building Grant is open to community-based projects based in Seattle (or conduct the majority of their work in/with Seattle communities). This grant cycle is a Generational Wealth Initiative project, a collaboration between the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and Social Justice Fund NW.

Funding Information 

• Grant awards: One-time grants of $50,000

What they will Fund?

• Community Wealth Building Strategies
  • Broad-based Worker Ownership
  • Community Controlled Capital
  • Community Ownership of Real Estate
  • Progressive Procurement
  • Equitable Small Business Ecosystems
  • Wealth Retention and Asset Building Programs
• The intent of the Community Wealth Building Grant is to develop and support projects and programs that:
  • Support individuals, families, and/or communities gain the knowledge to overcome barriers to building wealth
  • Present a learning and support structure for participants that can help build power and set the groundwork for transforming unjust systems
  • Promote wealth building education and empowerment through innovative learning structures that aim to address economic and racial inequities, providing a greater public good
  • Provide meaningful resources for individuals, families, or communities to directly practice the strategies and/or use the skills they are learning through the program
  • Address economic injustices through culturally relevant structures that will lead to both immediate gains and long-term impact

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible organizations must meet the following criteria:
  • Projects that test, implement, explore, and/or seek to learn about one or more of the six Community Wealth Building strategies
  • Organizations/collectives that work within SJF’s community organizing framework
  • Organizations/collectives that clearly outline how they incorporate Community Wealth Building strategies into their active work
  • Organizations/collectives that conduct their work in Seattle (or conduct the majority of their work in/with Seattle communities)
  • Nonprofit organizations, tribal agencies, or groups sponsored by a nonprofit organization or tribal agency
• This grant can fund:
  • Organizations with 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status as determined by the IRS
  • Federally recognized American Indian tribal government or agency
  • Organizations that are fiscally sponsored by 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 organizations or by federally recognized tribal governments
• Priority
  • They will prioritize organizations in both the prescreening and final decisions process that:
    • Have leadership (at least 51%) from Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities, and/or
    • Have an operating budget under $500,000
    • Have one or more of the following Community Wealth Building strategy focuses:
      • Broad-based Worker Ownership
      • Community Controlled Capital
      • Community Ownership of Real Estate
      • Equitable Small Business Ecosystem

For more information, visit Social Justice Fund Northwest.