Deadline: 10-May-21
The Zellerbach Family Foundation invites Bay Area organizations to apply for the third annual William J. Zellerbach Award for Social Change (WJZ Award).
The WJZ Award was established to honor the legacy of William J. Zellerbach, who served as the foundation’s Board Chair from 1960 until his death in 2017.
The theme for the 2021 award is youth organizing. Youth organizing cultivates the strengths and leadership of young people to transform the conditions and systems that impact them most.
This year one $50,000 prize will be awarded to a 501(c)3 or fiscally sponsored organization that organizes young people most impacted by racial, economic, and social injustice to build power and lead grassroots campaigns in the Bay Area.
Award Details
- One winner will be selected.
- The winner will be awarded a $50,000 general support grant.
Eligibility Criteria
- 501(c)(3)s and fiscally-sponsored organizations located and working in at least one of the nine Bay Area counties (San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Marin, Sonoma, Napa).
- Organizations with annual operating budgets of $2 million or less.
- Previous WJZ Award winners are not eligible.
- Organizations may apply again in subsequent years, but may only win the WJZ Award once.
- Organizations should only submit one application for this award each year.
- Organizations whose leadership or staff are affiliated with the Zellerbach Family Foundation are not eligible.
Criteria
Applicants/nominees will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
- Youth Organizing: The Awardee effectively uses youth organizing in their efforts to advance social change. This could include:
- Training youth to lead efforts in sustainable systems change in their communities
- Providing structure and support so youth can develop, learn, and heal
- Creating leadership pathways for youth (e.g., placing youth in spaces of governance through internships, staff positions, boards and commissions, etc)
- Developing campaigns by and for youth
- Developing strategic communications plans
- Building and engaging broad based coalitions and alliances to advance their work
- Equity: The awardee is focused on fairness, inclusion, and opportunities for communities excluded historically and structurally from resources and decision-making
- Representation: The program or work of the organization is informed by the communities it serves
- Collaboration: The awardee have demonstrated a commitment to work effectively with other organizations, leaders, and/or sectors
For more information, visit https://zff.org/wjz-award/









































