State-Level Systemic Change Grant

State-Level Systemic Change Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
Amount: US $30,000 - US $100,000
Last Updated: June 12, 2025

Summary

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation invites eligible organizations to apply for the State-Level Systemic Change Grant. This grant supports initiatives aimed at creating lasting, systemic improvements across North Carolina. Emphasizing equity and inclusion, the Foundation seeks to address barriers faced by historically marginalized communities, ensuring access to quality education, a healthy environment, and economic opportunities. This grant aligns with the Foundation's mission to foster a thriving, equitable society for all North Carolinians.

Overview

NOTE: Any eligible organization working on state-level systemic change work that is aligned with ZSR’s core values and vision may apply for a grant in the Fall grant cycle. The Spring grant cycle is an invitation-only cycle. State-Level Systemic Change Strategy For decades, ZSR has supported positive changes to state-level systems and structures to ensure that North Carolina is a place where all people can thrive. This commitment is rooted in and driven by our mission and our core values. Over the years, our grantees have made significant gains for all North Carolinians, but we still have much to do together. Therefore, we remain committed to state-level systemic change. We desire for ALL North Carolinians to have access to high-quality public education, to benefit from a healthy and sustainable environment, to enjoy economic opportunity under just and fair rules and to be able to engage fully in civic life. Our Vision The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes that all of North Carolina benefits when every North Carolinian has the resources and opportunities to achieve their full potential and when each person’s worth and dignity is affirmed. Therefore, we desire for ALL North Carolinians to have access to high-quality education, to benefit from a healthy and sustainable environment, to enjoy economic opportunity under just and fair rules and to be able to engage fully in civic life. Our Strategy We recognize that there are systemic and structural barriers in place, particularly regarding race, that disadvantage some North Carolinians from realizing this vision, even as they advantage others. Therefore, the Foundation, consistent with our core values, seeks to partner with others to help change state-level systems in ways that overcome those barriers and thereby help improve the quality of life for all North Carolinians. In particular, we believe that working together across issues, approaches and populations is necessary to create systemic change.* *By “state-level systemic change,” we mean something different than reform or piecemeal policy change. Rather, we seek to support efforts aimed at making “fundamental change in policies, processes, relationships and power structures, as well as values and norms” that impair the quality of life for North Carolinians. We will support grantees using one or more approaches, including, but not limited to: Advocacy Applied Research Communications/Digital Media Leadership Development Legal/Litigation Organizing/Mobilizing Training/Education We will give particular emphasis to work targeted at improving opportunities and outcomes for populations who have been historically marginalized, subjected to systemic discrimination, or excluded from full participation in society, including, but not limited to: Immigrants People who are LGBTQIA+Individuals with low incomePeople of ColorWomen Young People The Foundation seeks to help build the capacity of its grantees in this strategy to work better together in service of the above-stated vision. ZSR'S Four Priority Areas As part of ZSR's State-Level Systemic Change Strategy, we focus on four priority areas that are integral to achieving this state-level vision. We recognize that each of these four areas intersect in multiple ways, and look for approaches that not only strengthen each, but also work holistically within and across them.​ Advancing Public Education Consistent with the Foundation’s mission and core values, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes that children in North Carolina should have equitable, universal access to high quality public education that develops the full potential of each child. Access to high quality early childhood education and k-12 public education is a foundation block of democracy and is essential for the future economic sustainability, prosperity and ongoing vitality of our state and its communities. The Foundation further believes that children are best prepared to live, work and lead in our increasingly diverse state if schools are racially, ethnically and economically diverse and if schools value the individual experiences and contributions of each student. Consequently, the Foundation supports efforts that: build the public will to support and strengthen North Carolina’s public systems of education, including early childhood education through high school*; build the capacity of these systems for continuous improvement; and advance educational equity. Through this grantmaking strategy, the Foundation funds work that is focused on state-level systemic change. *High school is intended to include dual-enrollment high school and college programs Fostering a Healthy and Sustainable Environment The Foundation believes that lasting state-level systemic change is most likely to be achieved and sustained through the combined efforts of networks of local, regional and statewide organizations working with different constituencies; using multiple strategies and approaches; and working together towards common or aligned goals. One of the priority areas for the SLSC Strategy is Fostering a Healthy and Sustainable Environment, which, with the exception of a couple modifications, has been described as follows since 2018: Consistent with the Foundation’s mission and core values, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation seeks to improve the lives of all North Carolinians by preventing harm to, ensuring access to, and enhancing the resilience of the natural systems that sustain life. The Foundation believes healthy natural systems are deeply connected to human health, economic security, and community resilience. In addition, because low-income communities and communities of color shoulder a disproportionate share of environmental hazards, the Foundation places a special emphasis on promoting solutions that address ongoing injustice. Consequently, the Foundation supports local, regional and/or statewide efforts that: prevent and mitigate the impacts of climate change; ensure healthy air and water quality and water quantity; promote access to the green economy; address the impact of environmental hazards on human health; and protect significant ecosystems while meeting the growth demands of the state in environmentally sound ways. Through this grantmaking strategy, the Foundation funds work that is focused on state-level systemic change. For a healthy environment across the state, the Foundation recognizes that some of its environmental investments may need to focus locally and/or regionally within the state. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities across North Carolina continue to be significantly impacted by the layered effects of climate change, polluting industries and systemic racism. To ensure our environmental grantmaking is more inclusive, balanced and equitable, the Foundation will seek to target more organizations that center communities that are most directly impacted by environmental injustices. This will include allocating a portion of funding to these types of organizations. We will work to build trusting relationships particularly with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) led and centered organizations, listening and engaging with communities and BIPOC-led organizations, and shifting power and resources to directly impacted communities. These are organizations that have been doing the work for decades, yet philanthropy has under-funded or not funded them at all. At the same time, we will continue supporting environmental partners that play unique and critical roles in systems change and continue seeking to center racial justice and be equitable partners with directly impacted communities. This will include funding these types of organizations. We believe that supporting these organizations, as well as supporting new grantee partners that center communities that are most directly impacted by environmental injustices, will contribute to a vibrant and aligned systemic change infrastructure by transforming power structures and sharing resources to build equitable networks, collaborations, alliances and coalitions. As we embark in this new direction for our environmental grantmaking, we will continue to operationalize a racial equity lens in ZSR’s work, including, but not limited to, building relationships; closing access gaps to resources, power and infrastructure; modifying language; and strengthening grassroots BIPOC infrastructure. Further, while we will continue to support efforts in the Fostering a Healthy and Sustainable Environment priority area, our new direction includes greater focus on: Organizations and networks strengthening the ability of directly impacted communities to shape the decisions and systems that affect their lives.Funding Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) led and centered organizations.Funding organizations already working at the intersection of issues, including climate, environmental and energy justice, and democracy issues. (We define “democracy” here as strengthening the ability of people to shape the systems that affect their lives).Supporting ground-up, decentralized, and interconnected networks. Strengthening the capacity of organizations and networks.Supporting work that promotes shifting control of energy, land and labor to communities, such as increasing community-owned energy and green economic development, and community control, ownership and stewardship of land. Promoting Social and Economic Justice Consistent with the Foundation’s mission and core values, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes it is critical to help change systems and structures that have often made it harder for populations who have been historically marginalized, subjected to discrimination, or excluded from full participation in society to thrive. Structural oppression is pervasive across all kinds of systems, sometimes in ways that are explicit and overt, but more often in ways that are implicit and less conscious. The Foundation also recognizes that North Carolinians are impacted by multiple intersecting systems simultaneously, not just one system or issue at a time. Consequently, the Foundation anticipates supporting efforts that aim to remove structural barriers to North Carolinians being able to create a better life for themselves and their families. While this work can take many forms, the Foundation is especially interested in work that seeks to: address the economic impacts and racial disparities of the criminal justice system; embrace and expand the contributions of and opportunities for immigrants; advance reproductive justice*; and ensure that all North Carolinians have the chance to achieve economic self-sufficiency. The Foundation will consider applications for other social and economic justice work, as well, but special emphasis will be placed on the above-mentioned areas and their intersections. Through this grantmaking strategy, the Foundation funds work that is focused on state-level systemic change. *Reproductive justice: All people having the social, political, and economic power and resources to make healthy decisions about their gender, bodies, sexuality, and families for themselves (Forward Together). Reproductive justice places reproductive health and rights within a social justice framework. Strengthening Democracy Consistent with the Foundation’s mission and core values, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes the quality of life of the people of North Carolina depends, in large part, on an informed and involved populace that is able to exercise its individual rights and come together for a common purpose. The Foundation aims to strengthen democracy by ensuring that public institutions and processes are effective, transparent, accountable, accessible and inclusive. The Foundation is especially interested in removing barriers that prevent civic participation among populations who have been historically marginalized, subjected to discrimination, or excluded from full participation in society. Furthermore, the Foundation recognizes that our government institutions only work well if people have enough credible information on which to base decisions, know how to make their voices heard, and if there are diverse leaders willing to serve the public good. Consequently, the Foundation supports efforts that: inform the populace about government policies, practices and issues; improve the public’s ability to analyze media; protect and promote just and fair elections; strengthen voters’ rights and increase participation in government; and reduce barriers that limit historically marginalized citizens from serving in office or other public decision-making bodies. Through this grantmaking strategy, the Foundation funds work that is focused on state-level systemic change. Fall Grant Cycle Grants made in the Fall are primarily for multi-year, general operating support grants. While there will be exceptions, the standard term for these grants will be three years. Any eligible organization working on state-level systemic change work that is aligned with ZSR’s core values and vision may apply for a grant in the Fall grant cycle.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation is restricted to making grants to charitable, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organizations, colleges/universities, religious entities and government units for programs and projects that serve the people of North Carolina. Out-of-state charitable organizations are eligible to apply for funds to support projects operating in North Carolina.

Ineligibility

The Foundation is legally prohibited from funding voter registration.Although we are permitted to support other activities conducted by organizations that also engage in voter registrationZSR is also prohibited from giving money to organizations that support or oppose individual candidates or who work to influence election outcomes. With rare exception, the Foundation will not make grants for activities in the following areas: Academic and medical researchAnimal species preservation or rehabilitationBuilding projects or renovationsCapital campaignsConferences, seminars, or symposiumsCivic clubs Endowment fundsEquipment, furniture or computer purchasesEnvironmental education centers and programs for childrenFraternal organizations Fundraising eventsGreenwaysIndividual schools, or projects that support a limited number of schools within a school district, or a limited number of schools in multiple school districtsIndividual early childhood centers, or out-of-school time programsTeacher professional development Pre-K through 12th grade public school curriculum development and/or implementationInitiatives promoting religious education or doctrineLand purchases Overhead and indirect costs for colleges and universitiesOrganizations or projects that focus exclusively on direct services (for example, child abuse treatment and prevention services, homeless shelters, health care services, etc.) Payment of debtsPlant species preservationPreservation of historic propertiesPrivate business venturesScholarshipsSupplemental educational programs such as summer camps, athletic teams, drop-out prevention programs, and youth vocational and character development programs