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We are pleased to announce that Justice Outside is now accepting applications for funding through the Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program in North and South Carolina! We invite you to learn more about this funding opportunity, and if you think your program or initiative might be a fit, to submit your application by April 15, 2024.
An asterisk (*) indicates a word found in the Glossary of Terms at the end of these guidelines.
Overview
Justice Outside advances racial justice and equity in the outdoor and environmental movement. We shift resources to, build power with, and center the voices and leadership of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color because the health of current and future generations demands it. We envision a just world where Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color experience safety, health, and abundant joy through meaningful relationships with one another and the outdoors. We are thrilled to share with you our new grantmaking program to help us achieve this mission and vision: the Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program!
Our approach aims to help build a more equitable outdoor and environmental movement by centering the strength, joy, and leadership of communities of color. We know that the communities who have persevered through systemic racism bring resilience, creativity, and lived experience that can help transform the movement. By offering flexible funds and capacity building*, the Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program seeks to embody grantmaking that is built on trust, relationships, and support.
Grant Guidelines
We aim to fund work that lies at the intersection of racial justice and the environment. This could include a number of organizations and programs, including recreation and experiential programs, conservation, climate, ocean conservation, environmental advocacy work, cultural and ancestral practices and education, and much more.
The Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program will prioritize:
- Work serving communities in North and/or South Carolina
- Organizations or projects led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and/or Communities of Color
- People and projects rooted within their communities, with the lived experiences they need to understand what approaches will work the best for their communities
- Organizations or projects with an annual budget of less than $1 million
- People or projects that have limited relationships with and/or funding streams from the larger philanthropic community
Application Process
This is an open invitation and we welcome applications from all organizations, groups, and individuals whose work is eligible and in alignment with our vision for this program.
We ask that you carefully review the information in this announcement. Completed applications are due by 11:59PM EST on Monday, April 15, 2024. Justice Outside will host application webinars on April 2nd, 2024 at 1:30PM EST and April 11th, 2024 at 12PM EST, and we invite you to ask questions regarding our application process. If you are unable to attend the webinar, you can find a recording at justiceoutside.org.
Part of our commitment to this work is meeting communities and people where they are. To this end, we encourage you to contact Justice Outside staff at [email protected] if you have any questions or would like any support along the way. We are here to support you with what you need, whether that is help with the application itself, or a different mode of submission. We want to hear what you need to successfully submit an application.
The Grant and Cohort
The Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program is being supported this year with funding from the OAK Foundation. We are actively working on growing this program, and we intend to offer multi-year grants as those funds become available. All funds will be awarded as general operating support*. The total grant amount requested for a period of one year should be $20,000 or less.
Grantees will be offered the option to participate in a cohort series with other grantees. During the grantee cohort series, grantees will have the opportunity to engage in capacity building, networking opportunities, and technical support to ensure the longevity of their work. The cohort will meet about five times over the course of the first year of the grant, beginning in August 2024.
Application Submission & Review Process
Deadline:
Completed applications are due by 11:59PM PST on Monday, April 15th, 2024.
Application Options:
Our application is designed to be flexible and accessible. We are here to support you and work with you, especially if you have not submitted a grant application before. There will be no penalties for lack of traditional writing conventions, such as grammar, punctuation, and formatting in the application process. To make the process as flexible as possible, we are currently offering two ways to submit your application materials:
- Written letter of intent (either uploaded or entered directly into the application)
- Video or phone interview with a Justice Outside staff member
No mode of submission will be given preference over another. We ask that applicants choose only one submission method. If none of these methods work for your needs but you are still interested in applying, we would like to hear from you! Reach out to [email protected] or call us at (510) 839-0731.
Application Instructions
STEP 1: PROVIDE BASIC APPLICANT INFORMATION – ONLINE FORM HERE
We ask all applicants to submit basic applicant information, this can be submitted via the online form above or via email. If you need to provide the basic application via U.S. postal service or another method please contact us at [email protected] or call us at (510) 839-0731.
Basic applicant information requested is:
- Organization or project name
- Primary contact name and title; email address; phone number; mailing address; and organization EIN or fiscal sponsor (if applicable)
- Leader/s identify as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color?
- Geographic and programmatic boundaries: North & South Carolinas
- List of top five community partners (for example: community based organizations, funders, schools)
- Amount requested for year one (not to exceed $20,000) and amount requested for year two, if any, should funds be available (not to exceed $20,000)?
- An attached one-page current year operating budget (there will be no penalty if you or your organization do not have this).
- Organization’s EIN or fiscal sponsor EIN (if applicable)
- Organization’s programming as it relates to overnight camping for youth
- Organization’s programming as it related to ocean and costa conservation
STEP 2: CHOOSE APPLICATION SUBMISSION METHOD
We ask that you indicate on the online form if you plan to submit your application materials via written letter of intent, or video or phone interview with a Justice Outside staff member. If you cannot access the online form, please contact us at [email protected] or call us at (510) 839-0731.
STEP 3: COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION THROUGH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS BY APRIL 15, 2024
FOR LETTER OF INTENT
If you are not prepared at this time to complete the form, please click “Save and Finish Later”. You will be taken to your account page, where the application form will be held. When you have created and saved your form, you may access this form by clicking the “Account URL” at this link.
The letter should answer the following questions:
- Who is the community you are engaging, and what are their needs or desires, related to the outdoors and/or the environment?
- Please describe the relationship that your team’s leadership has to the community you are engaging with? Community in this case includes its people, its land/geographical area and with other local community efforts/initiatives you are engaged with in support of your mission.
- What is the positive impact your work has, or will have, on the environment/outdoors which can include contributions to policy change, advocacy or connection between people and land?
- What is the impact you or your organization/project will have, or has had, on the community?
FOR VIDEO OR PHONE INTERVIEW – SCHEDULE INTERVIEW HERE
After completing the basic application information, if you have chosen to submit your application via video or phone interview, use the link above to schedule this conversation. At the selected time you will then join a Zoom video chat or phone call with a Justice Outside staff member.
Your interview will be no more than 30 minutes in length. Please review the following questions in advance of your call. Your interview time must be scheduled at least 2 days in advance. All time slots fall between April 3rd and April 15th, 2024, so please work to reserve a time as soon as possible. Your conversation will be recorded, and you can assume your submission is complete at the end of the conversation.
The video interviewer will ask you to respond to the following questions:
- Who is the community you are engaging, and what are their needs or desires, related to the outdoors and/or the environment?
- Please describe the relationship that your team’s leadership has to the community you are engaging with? Community in this case includes its people, its land/geographical area and with other local community efforts/initiatives you are engaged with in support of your mission.
- What is the positive impact your work has, or will have, on the environment/outdoors which can include contributions to policy change, advocacy or connection between people and land?
- What is the impact you or your organization/project will have, or has had, on the community?
Timeline
Once we have reviewed all submissions, we may reach out to you for additional information.
Funds will be disbursed once the grantee recommendation is approved by the Justice Outside Board.
2024 Carolinas Grantmaking Timeline
| 2024 Regional Grant Milestone | Timeline (subject to slight changes) |
| Applications open | March 25, 2024 |
| Application submission deadline | April 15, 2024 by 11:59PM EST |
| Justice Outside review process | April – May 2023 |
| Awards announced to selected grantees + Updates to applicants not selected | July 2024 |
| Funds Disbursement | July 2024 |
| Awards announced publicly | August 2024 |
Ongoing Responsibilities of Accepted Grantees
If Justice Outside is fortunate enough to enter into a partnership with you or your organization, we will request the following from you or your organization over the course of your funding:
- An annual report and organizational operating budget (if available)
- Agreement to work with Justice Outside staff to participate in partner visits during your award period
- You or a member of your organization will join a cohort of grantees during your award period
- Engagement with your cohort and with Justice Outside through the capacity building program
We hope to see a variety of submissions that represent the depth of experience and wisdom in this field. We look forward to working with many of you and supporting the great work that you all do!
Glossary of Terms
Capacity-building: Capacity building is training and learning that provides support for building organizational infrastructure and works to ensure the longevity of a project or program. Capacity building can include, but is not limited to, training and insights around fundraising, hiring processes, organizational growth, board recruitment and retention, and organizational budgeting.
Conservation: Efforts and activities that seek to preserve and protect the vital natural resources of a given community. Conservation acknowledges that people and planet are inextricably connected, and that communities have the tools needed to protect and preserve land, water, and air.
Environmental Justice: The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Environmental Justice acknowledges that vulnerable communities are often subjected to the disproportionate burden of pollution and contamination, and works to empower and support communities disproportionately targeted by inequitable environmental treatment.
Environmental Work: Activities that include, but are not limited to, outdoor recreation, environmental advocacy, conservation, outdoor education, healing through land connection, community organizing around environmental issues, health and wellness through land connection, and sharing of ancestral practices connected to the land.
General Operating Funds: Funds that can be used in any manner by the grantee, in order to make the project or program run. This could include, but is not limited to, paying staff, paying rent, paying utilities, buying gear, providing stipends, providing bus passes, etc.
Inclusion: The act of creating environments in which any individual or group can be and feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued to fully participate. An inclusive and welcoming climate embraces differences and offers respect in words and actions for all people. (UC Berkeley Initiative for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity)
Ocean, Marine Conservation, and/or the Coast: Efforts and activities that seek to preserve and protect the vital natural and cultural resources of a given community as it relates to ocean, marine and coastal areas. Our definition acknowledges that people and the ocean/coast are inextricably connected and that communities have the tools, perspectives and understanding of how to best protect and preserve not only the natural components of the ocean/coast but also the cultural practices, values and traditions that are directly related to its existence and preservation.
Outdoor Experiences: Activities that include, but are not limited to, activities/experiences in national, state and local lands, parks, and bodies of water; urban spaces such as school gardens, farms, ranches, and camps which are utilized to impact people’s well-being and environmental stewardship.
Racial Equity: When someone’s race does not determine their access, opportunities, treatment or statistical outcomes in society. Racial equity requires a proactive and ongoing commitment to anti-racist policies, practices, attitudes, and actions. (Strive Together)