Racial & Economic Justice Fund Grant

The Racial & Economic Justice Fund Grant offers $10,000 to organizations dedicated to advancing racial and economic justice through community organizing. The fund seeks groups that prioritize justice in their mission, employ strategies for social change, and are led by those most impacted by injustice. Eligible organizations must be based in specified counties and meet IRS criteria. Grants are not provided for direct services, research, or individual scholarships, emphasizing a commitment to challenging power dynamics.

NOTE: Applications open February 1, 2027 through March 1, 2027.
The Racial & Economic Justice Fund provides $10,000 grants to groups that use community organizing to promote racial and economic justice at the local, state, national, or international levels. For groups applying to this Fund, racial and economic justice must be central to their vision, to their understanding of the issue they seek to address, and to their strategy for social change.
The Racial & Economic Justice Fund makes grants to groups that:

• Have a long-term vision for and engage strategies that promote racial and/or economic justice
• Are using community organizing to achieve their goals and create social change
• Are led by people most affected by injustice, and have broad membership and leadership bases that can survive when key leaders step down

Understand power and can talk about how they are trying to challenge power imbalances within their organizations and in their communities as well as between community members and policy makers
Have a plan, including short term and long term goals that are specific and achievable and promote racial and/or economic justice through changes in policies or practices at the neighborhood, city, state, or national level
Are knowledgeable about other organizations working on the same issue, and are able to work collaboratively across movements, issues, and communities to amplify impact
Are less likely to be funded by more traditional funders, because of their commitment to challenging power and prioritizing the leadership of marginalized people; therefore, a grant from Bread & Roses would be critical to seeding or sustaining their work

Eligibility

Organizations must meet all of the following basic requirements to be eligible for a grant from Bread & Roses:Must be located in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Camden counties
Must be designated by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization or have a fiscal sponsor that is designated by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization or have documentation of a pending 501(c)3 application with the IRS
Must be current with all progress reports from previously awarded Bread & Roses grants
Must submit a complete application prior to the deadline (because of the volume of applications we receive, we cannot make exceptions)
Must be using community organizing to create sustainable social change

Ineligibility

Bread & Roses does not make grants for:Direct service work/social services, self-help/empowerment programs, educational programs, or advocacy
Capital campaigns or building projects
Scholarships, fellowships, or grants to individuals (except through the Lax Scholarship Fund)Groups cannot apply for grants from both the Racial & Economic Justice Fund and the Future Fund during the same year.