Needmor Core Grants

Needmor Core Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Needmor Fund For Social Justice
Last Updated: April 02, 2026

Summary

The Needmor Fund for Social Justice aims to promote social justice by supporting community organizing efforts in the Midwest. With a focus on low- and moderate-income communities, BIPOC groups, and other marginalized populations, the fund provides grants for up to three years to organizations committed to long-term empowerment and advocacy. The initiative seeks to foster inclusive participation in democracy, ensuring that all voices are heard in shaping policies affecting their lives.

Overview

Our Mission... The mission of The Needmor Fund for Social Justice is to work with others to bring about social justice. We support groups of people who come together to organize their community, build power, and challenge the social, economic, or political conditions that bar their access to participation in a democratic society. Our Vision... Our work is informed by a vision of democracy and justice: We strive to engage those whose participation in our democratic society has been systemically denied, because we believe our nation will operate most equitably when all of its people are actively involved in crafting the vision, values, and policies that affect their lives. This includes, but is not limited to, those who have traditionally been excluded — i.e., low- and moderate-income communities, BIPOC communities, the disabled, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community.We seek a just society in which all persons are treated with dignity and assured their fundamental rights, including equal access to the basic necessities of life: food, shelter, safety, healthcare, education, livable wages, and a clean environment.We work to build a nation in which all people are free to exercise their rights regardless of race, ethnic origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, economic status, or faith.We believe in the power of community and its ability to collectively determine the best strategies for improving the lives of its members. Our Values... Our work together is guided by the following beliefs: Every individual has inherent worth and has the right to have his or her voice heard.Community organizing is one of the most effective means to engage and lift the voices of those whose participation in our democratic society has been systematically denied.Equality, equity, and inclusion of the diverse voices of our society are central to responsible deliberation and decision-making, within both our institutions and society-at-large. Core Grants The Needmor Fund for Social Justice’s Core Grants Program provides general operating support to groups engaged in the work of community organizing. Grantees funded through this program are eligible to receive funding for up to three years, after which an organization may not apply for at least two years. Needmor’s Core Grants Program will focus on supporting community organizing in the Midwest — specifically an eight state region that includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Basic Criteria While Needmor embraces the opportunity to fund emerging organizations, our commitment remains to funding strong, effective community organizing. We thus seek to support groups that: Organize primarily low- and moderate-income people, as evidenced by demographic/ statistical data indicating social and economic distress.Have a multi-issue agenda that reflects an intersectional approach to addressing issues associated with race, economic justice and equality.Demonstrate a commitment to long-term base building and effectively link issue work to building organizational power.Are democratically run and consist of a dues-paying membership base, with deep member engagement and a process for both developing and regenerating a strong cadre of leaders over time.Have developed a power analysis and a clearly defined plan for challenging/altering the dynamics of power within their communities.Engage in direct action and have demonstrated the ability to win concrete victories of increasingly larger scale.Have a vision to continually build and aggregate power, enabling them to take on bigger policy issues and expand its base of allies to increase its impact over time.Are well managed, engage in strategic planning, and have a sound budget and diversified fundraising plan. Additional Screens In addition to meeting the above basic criteria, Needmor is interested in funding groups that: Organize across lines of race, class, and gender; and, promote the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.Are linked to and leverage the power of faith, labor, and community into powerful organizations.Demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively for the purpose of building collective power to achieve systematic change at the regional, state, and national level. Are connected to larger organizing networks that are working to implement new, broad, and creative public policies that address systemic issues facing low- and moderate-income communities.Integrate voter engagement strategies and the expansion of democracy into the building of powerful community organizations.Demonstrate the ability to develop an agenda that frames issues of relevance to both urban and rural constituencies.Recognize and address the impact of global corporatization as it relates to issues of economic and environmental justice.Have potential for attracting the interest and support of other funders.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The Fund’s Core Grants Program will focus on supporting community organizing in the Midwest – specifically an eight state region that includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Ineligibility

The Needmor Fund does not fund:Community development corporations Scholarships/fellowships Private businesses Training programs or direct services (e.g., counseling programs, medical services, etc.) Cultural enrichment programsFilms, TV or radio productions. Books, publications or research Conferences Capital improvements Litigation Projects outside the United States Government sponsored or controlled projects National organizations