Grand Victoria Foundation Grants: Building Community Power

The Grand Victoria Foundation Grants focus on building community power in Illinois, specifically empowering Black communities to address systemic inequities. Through strategic actions like community organizing, advocacy, and research, the foundation supports initiatives that promote racial justice and equity. The foundation invites proposals from organizations that demonstrate strong governance and impactful work within their communities. By prioritizing grassroots efforts, they aim to create systemic change and enhance the quality of life for marginalized populations.

NOTE: Update from funder: The Foundation will temporarily pause our LOI process until October 2026.
Letters of Inquiry for all program areas are accepted on a rolling basis and may be submitted throughout the year. Upon review of your LOI, staff will determine if a full proposal will be invited. All new applicants or previous applicants with new ideas should submit an LOI. Returning grantees seeking renewal funding will be contacted by a member of our team prior to their grant term end date to discuss proposal submission.
Grand Victoria Foundation catalyzes racial justice in Illinois by cultivating the voices, power, and aspirations of Black people for collective liberation.
What We Fund
The central focus of our grantmaking is on investing in community power building. This involves enabling communities most affected by structural inequities to develop, sustain, and expand an organized base. These organizations work together to shape agendas, shift public discourse, influence decision-makers, and build enduring, accountable relationships that drive systemic change and advance equity and justice.
Additionally, our grantmaking is dedicated to advancing systemic change. This refers to efforts that address and improve the underlying conditions perpetuating social and economic inequities. We support nonprofits that deliver solutions responsive to, and directed by, the communities most impacted, aiming to enhance the quality of life across Illinois.
To achieve these objectives, we fund a variety of strategic actions including:

• Community organizingAdvocacyPolicy analysisResearchCulture shiftingNarrative changeCoalitions and collaborations
• We view these strategies as essential levers for change, playing pivotal roles in forging a robust ecosystem for racial justice and equity in Illinois.
• Building Community Power

Our grantmaking strategy centers on building community power, a critical lever for achieving racial justice and systemic change.
Our Strategic Approach
Through our strategic pillar of community power-building, we direct resources towards enhancing and expanding Black-led and centered community organizations.These groups are at the forefront of organizing and advocacy, striving to create significant impacts in their communities and beyond.
Key Initiatives in Community Power-Building
Grand Victoria Foundation supports a variety of efforts aimed at advancing community power-building in Black communities: Grassroots OrganizingWe support grassroots organizations that mobilize and unify people most impacted by systemic inequities, facilitating collective strategies to enact meaningful change and transform society.Policy InfluenceWe fund organizations that shape public discourse and policy decisions to advance racial equity and justice, ensuring these groups are accountable to the grassroots communities they serve. Integrated Voter EngagementOur support extends to grassroots organizations working towards a vibrant, multiracial democracy through comprehensive voter engagement strategies. Strategic CollaborationWe encourage effective partnerships, collaborations, coalitions, or networks that align with grassroots efforts to promote shared community goals, particularly those focused on systemic change.

Eligibility

To be considered for funding, an organization must be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity or be partnered with a fiscal sponsor or fiscal agent that meets this requirement. We support organizations in Illinois whose work is a strong fit with our theory of action and grant programs.We fund organizations that demonstrate high quality and high impact, good governance, management, and fiscal health. The Foundation funds organizations throughout Illinois. We provide general operations support to organizations that meet the following criteria:Grassroots Organizing Focus: Engage in community organizing within Black communities and other communities of color facing systemic challenges.Leadership and Decision-Making:Ensure that constituents and individuals most impacted by inequities have meaningful leadership roles and decision-making capacities.Geographic Presence: Have substantial work or presence in one of Illinois' 81 Black population centers (BPCs).For Chicago-based organizations, please apply for the Community Power-Building Fund hosted at Crossroads Fund.Special focus areas include East Saint Louis, Elgin, Pembroke Township. Commitment to Racial Justice: Demonstrate a strong commitment to racial equity and justice in governance, staffing, organizational practices, and collaborative relationships.

Ineligibility

We do not support organizations that solely serve or impact the city of Chicago.The Foundation does not provide funding for the following:IndividualsDirect Service Political campaignsReligious purposesGovernmental entities