The Bohemian Fund Grant [previously Pharos Fund and Muse]

Focus Areas

Bohemian Fund believes in creating an equitable community where everyone belongs. We make grants to organizations that build equity into their work in three areas:

Ensure All Youth Thrive

Ensuring all youth thrive means they have access to opportunities to explore, learn, and grow. This responsibility includes examining and eliminating barriers that advantage some youth over others. A community where all youth thrive honors youth voice, creativity, culture, and experience.

• Youth voice is central and influential.
• Youth have strong, positive relationships they can count on.
• Youth experience educational and life success in inspiring, supportive, and creative ways.
• Race, gender, income, or other identities are not barriers to youth thriving.
• Barriers to youth thriving, including systems and structures, are identified, challenged, and overcome.
• Youth access enriching experiences that amplify their sense of curiosity and creativity.
• Youth lead change efforts in their community.

_Bohemian Fund defines youth as ages pre-natal through age 24, or until youth are formally enrolled in a post-secondary experience._

Promote Economic Stability and Mobility

Economic stability and mobility means having the opportunity to advance economically. It is the dignity that comes from being able to care for ourselves and loved ones. Eliminating the dehumanizing and isolating realities of poverty means shifting the systems and structures that perpetuate economic inequalities. Ensuring prosperity for all means drawing on the strength and resiliency of community members most impacted by economic inequality.

Economic stability and mobility can be achieved when:

• Everyone can access what they need to live a healthy, safe life, including food and shelter.
• Everyone has access to opportunities that bolster economic mobility and stability.
• Educational and training experiences bolster career pathways and advance economic mobility.
• Community honors the voice and experience of individuals navigating challenges of economic barriers.
• Systems and structures are examined, challenged, and redesigned to ensure that economic stability and mobility are possible.
• Race, gender, and income or other identities are not barriers to mobility and stability.
• Individuals and families can care for themselves and their loved ones and are treated with respect and appreciation.

Cultivate a Vibrant, Engaged, Connected and Resilient Community

Awareness, engagement, connection, and inspiration are keys to a vibrant community. Having safe and inclusive spaces fosters a vibrant community—connected people live in connected spaces.

• Honor diverse perspectives.
• Practice critical thinking and explore new information, especially when it challenges long-standing beliefs.
• Work together to solve problems and build upon community strengths.
• Nurture strong connections, especially when people are disconnected or polarized.
• Cultivate spaces that foster a sense of belonging.
• Inspire, celebrate, and learn from each other through stories, experiences, creative expressions, and interests.

Grant Categories

Applicants may request up to $30,000 per application within one of three categories:

• General operating support
• Program support (programs typically operate each year; they are not one-time efforts)
• Project support (projects are typically designed as one-time only)

Eligibility

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

• Through Bohemian Fund, Bohemian Foundation accepts applications from eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and government units working within the Poudre School District boundary.
• Applicants may request grants for Program, Project, or General Support.

Ineligibility

• General Exclusions
  • Services impacting individuals and communities outside of the Poudre School District boundary.
  • Music, arts, and cultural activities that are not considered popular.
  • More than one application per organization, per round. For government entities such as schools, local governments, no more than one application per school or department, per round.
  • Private lessons provided solely to individuals in a one-on-one setting (e.g., music, dance, sports, etc.)
  • Mental health therapy provided solely to individuals in a one-on-one setting.
  • Subsidies for childcare, respite care, or adult daycare.
  • General support for organizations where the sole service provision is childcare, respite care, or adult daycare.
  • Requests under the youth goal for support for youth that are formally engaged in post-secondary education. Youth are defined as prenatal through age 24 if not formally enrolled in post-secondary education.
  • Single-day events (see Community Event Fund or Music Event Fund).
  • Medical supplies, equipment, and medical devices.
  • Support for individuals or teams to attend tournaments or competitions (e.g., athletic tournaments, academic competitions, or band trips).
  • Activities that support a religious purpose.
  • Awards to individuals.
  • Discriminatory programs.
  • Political campaigns or legislative advocacy.
• Organization Type Exclusions
  • Non-501(c)(3) organizations (except eligible governmental units serving a charitable purpose).
  • Programs and projects of a governmental entity that do not further a charitable purpose.
  • Fiscally sponsored programs.
  • Faith-based organizations requiring faith-based programming participation.
  • Private schools.
  • Private foundations.
  • Type III non-functionally integrated supporting organizations.
• Funding Type Exclusions
  • Multi-year requests.
  • Capital campaigns.
  • Endowment funding.
  • Debt reduction.
  • Fundraising campaigns.
  • Requests that supplant public (government) funding.