Urgent Action Grants (UAG)

Urgent Action Grants

Mission: Hawaiʻi People's Fund is committed to supporting grassroots organizations implementing direct actions to reduce the harm of current systemic failures and organizing to build power for indigenous and marginalized communities.

Geographic Scope

• Primary: Hawaiʻi (statewide)
• Priority: Maui Island (especially for relief/response to August 2023 wildfires)

Funding Focus Areas

The broad categories of work supported include:

• Action Research
• Arts & Cultural Activism
• Cross-Issue Organizing
• Human and Civil Rights
• Environmental Justice
• Economic Justice
• Grassroots Leadership
• Political Organizing
• Peace and International Solidarity
• Movement Building
• Youth Organizing
• Public Policy Advocacy
• Workers' Rights
• Indigenous Rights
• Reproductive Justice
• Work supporting communities building real-time solutions in response to the Maui fires
• Work supporting communities building real-time solutions in response to the COVID-19 crisis

Priority: Nonviolent direct action—the strategic use of immediately effective acts to achieve a political or social goal and challenge an unjust power dynamic or system.

What Gets Funded

• Direct action campaigns and organizing
• Participatory mutual aid projects serving vulnerable communities (food justice, kūpuna care, childcare)
• Building solidarity economies
• Community-centered indigenous traditional healing and medicine
• Organizing transportation and deployment of essential goods
• Organizing against evictions, utility shut-offs, ICE and immigration enforcement
• Organizing for mental health and grief counseling resources
• Organizing to protect affected lands from predatory investors and speculators
• Timely and specific outcomes within 3-6 months as part of long-term systems-based change

What Is NOT Funded

• Ongoing program work with unanticipated expenses
• One-time events not connected to ongoing social change organizing strategies
• Seed funding for new projects
• Budget shortfalls or cash flow issues
• Travel to conferences outside of Hawaiʻi
• Individuals (organizations only)

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a 501c(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization OR have a fiscal sponsor with 501c(3) status
• Must be working on grassroots social change and social justice in Hawaiʻi
• Must demonstrate commitment to leadership development and diversity
• Work should be inclusive and empowering rather than providing services
• Careful review of Funding Guidelines & Eligibility required before applying
• Current or past grantees responding to Maui fires: Contact Executive Director directly before applying

Special Considerations for Maui Response

• Current grantees or past grantees mobilizing in Relief and Response on Maui may seek direct awards for urgent response
• Committee will make efforts to expedite review and make determinations within a week of receipt or less
• The People's Fund reserves the right to expedite larger awards to past and current grantees providing direct, immediate relief

Contact Information

• Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4163, Honolulu, HI 96812
• Tax ID/EIN: 23-7250803
• Website: hawaiipeoplesfund.org

Background

• Community-based public foundation; funding raised primarily from community members and progressive foundations
• Tagline: "Change, not Charity™"
• Only organization in the world specifically addressing the needs of grassroots progressive movement builders in Hawaiʻi

Step-by-Step Process

1. Review eligibility: Carefully review the Funding Guidelines & Eligibility before applying
2. Contact HPF in advance (optional but encouraged): Call or email to discuss your plans and see if it's a good fit
3. Prepare required documents: Complete both organizational budget and project budget with narratives
4. Draft application: Complete all fields in a separate Word Document FIRST to avoid glitches
5. Submit application: Use either the online application portal OR paper application
6. Online submission tips: Cut and paste from Word document into online application fields; move to a new page to save information (required for security)
7. Notification: Typically notified 2-3 weeks of receipt, though the UAG Committee may decide much faster

Required Documents

All applications must include:

• Organizational Budget (with narrative)
• Project Budget (if applying for a specific project, with narrative)
• See Budget Instructions on application form

Download Forms

• PROJECT BUDGET FORM
• ORGANIZATIONAL BUDGET FORM
• FUNDING GUIDELINES & ELIGIBILITY
• FAQ document

Application Submission Options

1. Online Application Portal: Available on hawaiipeoplesfund.org/apply

Special Instructions

• To avoid glitches with long submission forms, complete all fields in Word Document FIRST
• When filling out the online portal, you MUST move to a new page before information will save (security requirement)
• Submit organizational budget AND project budget (if applicable)
• Include budget narratives for both

For Current/Past Grantees Responding to Maui Fires

• Provide your organization name and brief description of your Maui response work
• Committee will expedite review