CTF: Rooted in Justice Grants

The CTF: Rooted in Justice Grants program aims to empower youth aged 12 to 20 by funding community-based organizations that engage them in environmental and food justice initiatives. With two-year grants of $25,000 per year, this program prioritizes youth-led urban greening efforts, acknowledging the importance of youth voices in creating equitable communities. Eligible organizations must operate in specific U.S. states and have existing programs that align with social justice principles.

ABOUT ROOTED IN JUSTICE
“Rooted in Justice” is a funding program designed to help amplify youth voices and actions in the environmental and food justice movements.  Rooted in Justice supports community-based organizations and groups that manage established, youth-led, urban greening programs within a justice framework as a core part of their work, with two-year grants of $25,000/year.
Rooted in Justice recognizes the importance and undeniable right of every young person to have the ability to develop their own relationship with the environment, be it through growing food, spending time with nature, creating community green spaces, or becoming environmental stewards. Rooted in Justice also honors the power and possibilities that arise when young people collectively work to be change-makers in their communities.
Rooted in Justice supports organizations, groups, collectives, and programs that work with young people between the ages of 12 to 20 in youth-led programming for communities or cultures which have historically or currently experience:
A lack of access to land or nature;Agricultural oppression and/or neglect;Food apartheid; and/orOther forms of injustice based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics and disability.
Rooted in Justice awards a small number of grants each year with applications due in the fall and decisions made the following spring. Final grant decisions are recommended to the Cedar Tree board via a participatory grantmaking process with outside reviewers who have experience in youth-led urban greening, as well as food or climate justice programming. So far the program has awarded multi-year grants to 21 organizations and one-time grants to 10 additional organizations since 2021.
Definitions
Rooted in Justice grants support organizations or programs that include all four of the elements described below: social justice, youth-led, urban greening, and cohort-based youth work. We articulate our understanding of those terms below in an effort to provide a guide for prospective organizations to use in determining whether their program is a good fit. However as we continue our work towards questioning and dismantling some of our preconceived notions, we recognize that these are not finite definitions and encourage prospective applicants who still feel their work may be a good fit to describe in their proposals why this is the case.
Social Justice-Based Programs
Programs dedicated to creating equitable outcomes for communities directly affected by different aspects of injustice by:
Sharing and redistributing power and resources;Amplifying voices and leadership;Tackling root problems through ongoing engagement and collaboration to find solutions, organize against oppression of all kinds and create mechanisms for change; andDeveloping a critical analysis with youth and community members.
Youth-Led
The development of youth leadership skills is a core part of programs funded by Rooted in Justice. Young people have the opportunity to play a role in the planning and decision-making for their program and may help shape the internal workings of the organization. Examples of youth-led programs include programs where participants:
Managing a portion of their programming budget;Co-facilitating program activities, meetings and gatherings;Shape their own programming and/or organizational strategic planning; Have regular and end-of-program opportunities to provide program feedback and evaluation; andHave opportunities for personal and/or professional growth within the program and organization.
Urban Greening
For the purpose of this grant we define “urban greening” as any activity that creates a mutually beneficial relationship between city dwellers and their environments. Programs that are a strong fit for Rooted in Justice will have many opportunities for youth to be outdoors.  Project settings can include, but are not limited to:
Urban and aquaponic farmsGreenhouses and rooftop gardensCommunity gardens, green spaces, and rain gardensComposting sites Land conservation effortsUrban forestsRiver or other water restoration
Cohort-Based Youth Works
Rooted in Justice looks to fund organizations that build community with cohorts of youth through intentional, recurring programming. This grant is intended to support programs that offer youth significant learning and leadership opportunities as a group and as individuals. Priority will be given to organizations that have program infrastructure that supports a cohort of youth over time.  Drop-in programming, one-time conferences, or individual internships are not a good fit for Rooted in Justice.
Youth Budgeting
As part of grant proposal, all Rooted in Justice grantees must share a plan to allocate a portion of the grant funds for youth participants to manage. We ask applicants to specifically set aside some amount of grant funds for youth to allocate to priorities of their choosing. For example, youth participants can use their allocated funding to:
Fund an entrepreneurial endeavor;Design the brand or swag for their group;Hire a speaker or outside expert to teach a new skill;Purchase supplies for a community-based art project;Host a celebration for their families, friends and neighbors;Pay for transportation to programming, special events, or conferences; and/orAny other youth-led activity the group may find beneficial.
Use of Funds
Rooted in Justice funding must be used for project support of existing youth led, urban greening, social justice work and associated general operating expenses. Operating expenses can include anything from program costs like staff salaries and youth stipends to organizational sustainability needs like major equipment purchases and leadership/staff training. If your organization’s entire mission is youth led, urban greening, social justice work, the Rooted in Justice grant can be general support.
Two Year Grant
Rooted in Justice Grant awards are two-year grants of $25,000 per year.After the initial two year grant, grantees may be eligible for a third year of funding at the same or lower level through a simple renewal process.In the 2025-2026 grant cycle, the Cedar Tree Foundation expects to support 4 organizations with multi-year grant awards.
Funding for Professional Development
Each Rooted in Justice grantee organization also has access to an additional $6,000 to support professional development opportunities identified by each organization.  Half of these funds must be used to directly support the professional development of youth. Rooted in Justice grantees can request reimbursement from this professional development fund to attend conferences, hire consultants, purchase equipment or software that increases organizational capacity, or participate in any activities that strengthen youth programming or justice practice of program providers in support of their youth development programming. The funds set aside for youth professional development can be used for youth exchanges or youth participation in conferences and other professional development opportunities directly for youth.
Community Professional Development Calls
Cedar Tree works with grantee partners to assess their professional development interests and facilitates on-line gatherings of staff or youth for skill shares, trainings, and networking opportunities.These network calls will likely happen 2-3 times per year.

Eligibility

This year, applicants must be located in one or more of the following states:  Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C. (24 states + DC)Note that programs must already exist. RIJ funds are not available to start new programs or pilot new work.

Ineligibility

This grant cannot be used to fund: individuals; lobbying or partisan political activity; re-granting programs; or for-profits.