Mary’s Pence Funds Projects in the US and Canada to Increase the Economic Security of Women

Deadline: 1 February 2020

Mary’s Pence Fund is currently accepting applications for its Grant Program in the US and Canada to increase the economic security of women and amplify women’s voices in their communities. They support efforts for systemic change that improves the status of women.

Mary’s Pence was founded by women to support women on the margins at a time when women-led social justice projects were overlooked and under-funded.

Mary’s Pence funds women’s organizations in the US and Canada that are working with their local community to create long-term systemic change. The organizations they fund are all small, with budgets under $200,000. Yet they collaborate with diverse populations, advocate to change unjust policies, and educate to build skills and increase capacity. Their grants act as seed money for organizations that are newly created, and as support for organizations that have been working on the grassroots level for years. In addition to providing financial support, Mary’s Pence connects their grantees with other like-minded organizations and helpful resources.

Projects

Women led: for the benefit of cis women, trans women, non-binary people and their families.
Community centered: emerging from a need identified within the community, and collaboratively developed by members of the community, flexible enough to meet new, changing or emerging needs.
Focused on social justice values: human dignity, the common good, the right to economic security and dignified work, care for the earth, participation, subsidiarity (decisions are made at the most local level possible and involve those most impacted) and nonviolence.
Working for long term sustainable social change: addressing underlying causes of injustice by shifting public opinion about justice issues; forming alliances and collaborations across diverse populations; creating change in unjust structure or policies; or building capacity by building leadership, organizing or other skills.

Funding Information

Organizations must have a budget of under $200,000.
An applicant can receive a grant up to three times. Annual awards are a maximum of $5,000.

Eligibility Criteria

Only organizations working in the U.S. and Canada are eligible for funding.

Issues Recently Funded

Code/Art: Code/Art provides girls from primarily low-income households with the opportunity to learn a skill that may help them enter a career field where women and people of color are currently underrepresented.
Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera: Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera supports maquiladora women workers to form alliances and advocate for improved labor conditions, human dignity, and fair trade.
Women Organizing Women Network: WOW Network empowers all women, specifically first and second generation east African immigrants to become engaged citizens and community leaders, regardless of political affiliation.
KC Mothers in Charge: KC MIC’s mission is to reduce violent crime and support the families of victims. The Hoping and Healing Support Program provides direct assistance to families as well as providing opportunities to participate in advocacy and anti-violence events happening in their community.
Families & Criminal Justice: Families & Criminal Justice (FCJ) is a group of formerly incarcerated women of color who have organized to work in and around the justice system to serve justice-involved women and their families in Los Angeles County.
Collective Action for Safe Spaces: Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) uses community-based resources to eliminate public harassment and violence against women and folks in the LGBTQ community.