SPF: The Discretionary Fund Grant

SPF: The Discretionary Fund Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Southern Partners Fund
Amount: Up to US $3,500
Last Updated: March 16, 2026

Summary

The Southern Partners Fund's Discretionary Fund Grant aims to support grassroots community organizing for social, economic, and environmental justice in the Southeastern United States. It provides financial resources and technical assistance to rural organizations and leaders focused on transformative change. Eligible applicants include self-governed rural groups engaging in advocacy and community development. The fund prioritizes education reform, immigration rights, and voter engagement, allowing up to two requests per year, with a maximum award of $3,500.

Overview

Mission We are a public foundation created to serve southern communities and organizations seeking social, economic, and environmental justice by providing them with financial resources, opportunities for technical assistance and training, and access to systems of information and power. Purpose Develop and nurture grassroots community-based leaders and organizers. Build the capacity of their organizations. Strengthen rural communities and people. Develop equitable peer relationships, which support real transformation toward a just society. Our Values Using a grassroots perspective, we believe that culture is the essence of its people and should be valued, shared and preserved in the process. We must build our strength and unity by incorporating standards of integrity, respect, love, diversity, quality and interconnectedness. Please note over the next four years SPF will focus on three primary issue areas in its grantmaking: Education Reform; Immigration Rights; and Voter Engagement The Discretionary Fund Existing grantee partners as well as organizations new to SPF may apply for funding. All applicants should fall within the scope of the SPF mission and guidelines: grassroots community organizing for economic, social and environmental justice, in rural communities in the South. Discretionary support includes (not limited to) grants for capacity building, community organizing events and/or activities, and voter engagement activities. There are three primary funding areas within discretionary General Discretionary: community organizing activities or small projects that aim to create change in SPF’s 12-state region.Technical Assistance: capacity building, strategic planning, organizational development, trainings and technology upgrades.Travel Assistance: conference travel and participation or civic engagement activities. Discretionary fund resources are limited. Organizations may submit a maximum of two requests per year for a total reward of $3,500 per year.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Who We Fund:The Southern Partners Fund focuses on rural community organizing in the Southeastern United States (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia). The organizations and projects that we fund strive for progressive fundamental change. These groups must be:Rural community groups in the Southeastern United States,Self-governed by members of the targeted rural population, andUsing Grassroots Organizing strategies on issues of social, economic and environmental justice that enable community members to become decision-makers.

Ineligibility

What We Do Not FundDirect ServicesBuilding and land acquisitionsLegal feesRegranting to intermediary organizationsUrban organizations