Technical Assistance Fund Grant

Overview

We Define Social Change Work

Crossroads Fund supports organizations and groups promoting social change in the greater Chicago Metropolitan area (including Northwest Indiana). We define social change work as people in communities collectively working together to challenge the conditions, institutions, and policies that maintain inequality and oppression.

Our funding and grantmaking approach extends beyond issue areas or treating the symptoms of injustice such as food, clothing, shelter, but rather, we invest in long-term, radical solutions to change the systems that allow injustice, exploitation or violence to exist—envisioning an end while building equality and opportunity for all.

Grant Opportunities

Our justice funding and movement building programs are commitments to funding visionary and radical organizers and activists transforming Chicago and beyond. We invest in communities rather than issues areas and support the self-determination of communities and organizations to strengthen movements for justice through streamlined applications and unrestricted funding.

Technical Assistance (TA) Fund

The Technical Assistance (TA) Fund supports specific technical assistance needs of smaller organizations. This grants program focuses on projects that reach beyond a group’s regular, ongoing work to build the organization’s internal capacity.

Examples of projects funded through the TA Fund: purchasing, upgrading or training for technology; attending skills-building training for board and/or staff; organizing or attending conferences; paying a membership fee for a resource organization; hiring a consultant or facilitator for evaluation, planning or a retreat.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* All applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for funding:

* Working for Social Change: Crossroads Fund supports organizations working to examine and challenge the underlying causes of injustice affecting their communities. They seek to change the conditions, institutions, and policies that create and maintain inequality and oppression.
* Cross-Issue Organizing: Our grantees work with an understanding of the connectedness among the various people and issues that make up the whole community.
* Grassroots Leadership: We support groups that involve the people who are directly affected by an issue at all levels of the organization – in planning, organizing and leading, and working to continue building leadership within the grassroots community.
* Solid Plan: We fund groups whose work is driven by the following:
* a clear purpose with well-planned goals, objectives, activities and a tool to measure outcomes and impact
* a timeline and budget that reflects the proposed objectives and activities
* a realistic fundraising plan.
* Work in the Chicago Metropolitan Area: Crossroads Fund supports organizations rooted in communities in the Chicago metropolitan area. Counties include: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will, along with Lake County, Indiana.
* Budget: Groups with previous year annual expenses under $500,000.

* Crossroads Fund supports non-profit organizations, including those that do not have 501(c)3 status. Fiscal sponsorship for those organizations without tax-exempt status is recommended but not required. If a fiscal sponsor is not used, an organizational bank account is required.
* Types of Work Supported for All Grants
* Crossroads supports many different forms of social change organizing, such as (but not limited to):
* Direct Action Organizing
* Public Policy Advocacy
* Art & Cultural work that is community-based and linked to activism
* Economic Development
* International Solidarity
* Action Research as an organizing strategy to identify, document and analyze information, in partnership with a community group
* Media Advocacy that promotes greater public understanding of critical issues and increasing organizing outreach efforts
* Social Services linked with Activism
* Leadership Development and Training
* Providing Resources for Local Activists
* Working Collaboratively Across Issues and Communities
* Gatherings and Conferences.

Ineligibility

* Crossroads Fund does not fund:
* Organizations involved in electoral campaigns
* Contribute substantially to support lobbying at the federal, state, or local levels
* Support private or individual interests, in contrast to public interests
* Direct service work/social services (Food, Clothing, Shelter, Self-Help/Empowerment Programs, School Supplies, etc.)
* Scholarships, fellowships, or grants to individuals