| QUESTION | ANSWER |
| (a) May we submit a pre-recorded, short video to go along with a written letter of intent? (b) How about playing the short video during a video interview? | (a) No, If you would like to submit a video as part of your application, we ask that you consider applying utilizing the video application process. (b) Yes, you may play/include a short video during a video interview. |
| Are applicants allowed to submit a collaborative proposal, with the funding to be shared among the applicants? (Specifically, the organization I am representing is interested in submitting a proposal in collaboration with one other organization) | Yes, applicants can submit collaborative proposals with funding eventually shared among the involved applicants. We ask that within the application process you identify which organization would be receiving the funds to be distributed among the collaborating organizations. |
| [In continuation of question above] Knowing applicants can submit collaborative proposals, is the amount requested still limited to $20,000 a year for the entire collaborative initiative/organization applying, or may they request $20,000 per initiative/organization that is part of the collaborative proposal? | We will be limiting the amount requested per proposal, individual or collaborative, to $20,000 per year. Pending circumstances of the involved members of a collaborative proposal, Justice Outside may inquire further to understand whether separate and/or multiple proposals is possible and conceivable to “remedy” the prior question at hand. |
| How do I know if my work is eligible for a grant? | You can refer to our program eligibility and priorities shared below to identify whether your work is eligible for a grant. Your work is eligible for funding if: – For work in Arizona and New Mexico: Your work is focused on the intersection of communities of color and the environment and/or outdoor recreation. – For work on the Pacific Coast of Oregon, Washington and/or California: Your work is focused on the intersection of communities of color and the ocean, marine conservation, and/or the coast*. –For work located in greater Seattle, Washington; the greater Hood River area in Oregon; and in greater Portland, Oregon your work is focused on the intersection of communities of color and the environment and outdoor recreation. The Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program will prioritize: – Organizations or projects led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and/or Communities of Color. – Organizations or projects with an annual budget of less than $1 million. – Organizations or projects that have limited relationships with and/or funding streams from the larger philanthropic community.* For further inquiry regarding eligibility, please reach out to Efraín Chávez-Delgado, Communications and Program Manager with the Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program at efrain@justiceoutside.org *Additional information found on Glossary of Terms section of this same webpage |
| What do you mean by initiatives/organizations being, “rooted in the community”? | “Rooted in the community”, encompasses an initiative/organization’s ties, relationships and connections to a community, geographically and culturally. Additionally, said initiative/organization authentically centers the voice and leadership of said community in decision making. |
| Can only one member from our initiative/organization be included in the video interview? | No, video interviews can have multiple applicant participants. However, we recommend no more than three members participating in the 30-minute interview sessions. |
| (a) What do you mean by, “People or projects that have limited relationships with and/or funding streams from the larger philanthropic community”? (b) Is this in reference to consistent funding streams from a list of “larger” groups or a one time funding grant award? (c) Does this include government agency contracts? | (a) The “larger philanthropic community” typically encompasses a dynamic/history between a largely wealthy and white funder network who support largely white-led organizations. Notably, philanthropy has a recorded history of harboring a racial funding gap and racial bias against non-white organizations, thus, Black, Indigenous and Person of Color-led organizations tend to have limited relationships and funding streams with the “larger philanthropic community”. (b) Our interpretation of “relationships and funding streams” accounts for both consistent funding streams with funders and one-time contributions from funders. (c) Yes, our interpretation of “relationships and funding streams” account for government agency contracts and funding. |
| Will cohort grantee members convene with each other in year one of the program or in year two? | Cohort grantee members will convene throughout both years one and two. |
| Is there a rubric or evaluation criteria to score each proposal? | We will utilize a scoring rubric, which will be used for all three types of applications; written letters of intent, video/phone interviews and audio recordings. This rubris is centered on the four questions asked within the guidelines, and we therefore ask that all applicants address all three questions. |
| What are the four interview questions I/we will have to respond to in the application process? | We will ask for responses to the following four questions in the interview application for all methods of submission (written letter of intent, video/audio recording and audio recording): – 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. – What is the positive impact your work has, or will have, on the environment/outdoor 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? |
| Does my organization have to be a nonprofit to apply? | No, you do not need to have a nonprofit 501(c)(3)status or be fiscally sponsored to apply for a grant. |
| How many proposals are expected to be awarded? | Justice Outside anticipates awarding between 20-25 grantees during this second round of funding. |
| Regarding the question, “List your top five community partners” listed in the “basic applicant information” online form, how should we gauge the “top five” community partners? By funding? Time in partnership? | Although not a prescriptive or prioritized approach, we see value in considering your “top five community partners” through criteria such as by funding relationship, age of partnership(s), successes, ongoing campaigns, partnership dynamics and more. |
| In regards to the Capacity Building Series hosted by Justice Outside for Liberated Paths grantees, are they open to non-grantees of the Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program? | At the moment, the Capacity Building Series is limited to Liberated Paths grantees. |
| Can we use funds to purchase equipment for youth? | Yes, with funds awarded as general operating support, you can absolutely use them to purchase equipment for youth, adults, etc. |
| For organizations with chapters in the various application regions, do they have to submit multiple [region-specific] applications or just one application? | For organizations with chapters in various application regions, only one application is required. The amount requested will remain limited to no more than $20,000 a year for an organization’s proposal representing work in various application regions . |
