SJF: Seed Grants

The SJF Seed Grants provide $5,000 in funding to support new and emerging groups focused on community organizing in ID, MT, OR, WA, or WY. Organizations can apply if they have been established for three years or less and align with SJF’s values. Priority is given to groups led by people of color and those outside Seattle and Portland metro areas. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are depleted.

NOTE: Seede grants are awarded monthly throughout the year until the funds are totally spent down. The application deadline is rolling but we encourage you to turn in your application by the 30th/31st of the month.
Seed Grants are small general operating grants of $5,000 to support new and emerging groups that are developing their community organizing work but might not yet meet all the qualifications for SJF’s Giving Project grants.

Eligibility

The Seed Grant fund will make grants to groups that meet the following criteria:Be an organized group of people (we do not fund individuals).Groups that are not 501(c)3 or c(4) organizations and are not fiscally sponsored can apply, but must speak with an SJF staff person first.Been in existence for 3 years or lessConduct the primary activities of their work in ID, MT, OR, WA, or WYHave organizational beliefs and goals that are aligned with SJF’s valuesCan demonstrate that they are using a community organizing approach or actively building capacity to do community organizingHave demonstrated involvement by, and accountability to, the communities most impacted by the issues they work onHave a plan for how they want to grow their work over the next yearHave never received a regular SJF Giving Project grant or Seed Grant

Ineligibility

The Seed Fund will not fund:Individuals, endowment funds or capital campaigns.General operating requests from organizations that primarily provide direct services to individuals and families. Direct service organizations can apply for project-specific funds for projects that fit our definition of community organizing.Publications, reports, workshops, classes, conferences, media events, arts, theater productions, research, or litigation efforts unless they are part of an ongoing community organizing effort.Environmental work unless it is aimed at achieving social justice goals (i.e. environmental justice). For example, SJF generally does not fund recycling or resource conservation projects, but we do fund community organizing projects addressing environmental threats that disproportionately harm communities of color or low-income communities.Projects sponsored by a government agency. For example, SJF would not fund a project led by a public school district, but we might fund a project led by communities of color that partners with public schools to address the opportunity gap for students of color. The project must be community driven and led by those most directly affected by the problem.Individuals, endowment funds or capital campaigns.