Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice Grant Program

 
 
 

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS - OPEN CALL

OVERVIEW

SisterSong: The National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective is launching a multi-year community-based grant program to strengthen the birth and parenting justice movements. This grantmaking program will support: 

  • Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led grassroots groups and organizations doing a wide range of birth and parenting justice work;  

  • talented BIPOC creatives using the arts to widely shift narratives and change mainstream culture; and 

  • skilled BIPOC researchers using research to amplify little-heard truths in the realm of birth and parenting justice and correct cultural misperceptions.  

SisterSong is a Southern based, national membership organization; our purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities.

SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective was formed in 1997 by 16 organizations of women of color from four mini-communities (Native American, African American, Latina, and Asian American) who recognized that we have the right and responsibility to represent ourselves and our communities, and the equally compelling need to advance the perspectives and needs of women of color.

SisterSong defines Reproductive Justice as the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.

Participatory Grantmaking program 

To develop and administer a grantmaking program that is responsive to the birth and parenting needs of diverse BIPOC communities across the US, SisterSong convened a steering committee of 9 individuals with deep passion for and knowledge of birth and parenting justice. The steering committee members belong to many communities and collectively hold a wide variety of identities and experiences related to birth and parenting justice.

Given the steering committee members’ distinct viewpoints and perspectives, the Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice grant will fund a wide variety of programming, art, research, and capacity-building to advance birth and parenting justice. There are several focus areas and we recognize that we will not be able to reach every organization that is deemed a good fit, but we do intend to bring together a vast cross-section of organizations and individuals advancing programming, art, and research to further birth and parenting justice. There will be a short open call window for applications for the Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice grant. However, steering committee members will mainly go into their communities to network, research potential grantees, and choose who to invite to apply. Additionally, groups and individuals interested in learning more about the grant can contact a steering committee member to determine their candidacy.

Through the Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice grantmaking program, SisterSong aims to administer a grantmaking program that is responsive to the needs of BIPOC-led organizations.

SISTERSONG IS A:

  • Thought Leader publishing the latest in RJ analysis, uplifting little-known RJ issues, and connecting RJ with other movements.

  • Movement Voice called on by the United Nations, White House, legislators, media, and leaders of large mainstream organizations to be the voice of RJ and women of color in the US.

  • Ambassador bringing RJ into the mainstream and striving to make it as well-known as civil rights or women’s rights.

  • Trainer drawing thousands into the movement, building the skills of mid-career activists, and training people in groups focused on other issues to integrate the RJ framework into their work.

  • Convener of the largest conferences of women of color working on RJ

  • Facilitator of key collaborations of RJ groups coming together to raise our collective power in areas of great movement need.

  • Organizer mobilizing a large base of women of color and allies in rapid-response online and in-person action to quash threats to and grasp opportunities for the rights of marginalized women.

ABOUT THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY

The Purpose

The Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice grant opportunity serves to support the work of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color)-led grassroots groups doing a wide range of birth/parenting justice work with proven results. We encourage talented BIPOC creatives using the arts to widely shift narratives and change mainstream culture; and skilled researchers using research to amplify little-heard truths and stories and correct cultural misperceptions to apply.

Beneficiaries may be anywhere in the US, but we will emphasize those in the South and Midwest and those with little access to funds. For organizations, 501c3 status is needed in order to accept the grant. If you do not have 501c3 status, you are encouraged to still apply as we may be able to recommend fiscal sponsors for your organization. Each recipient will receive enough funding to substantially benefit their work, RJ 101 and 102 training, capacity-building support, and opportunities to connect and share insights with other grantees in quarterly conference calls and two convenings.

This opportunity will have an invite approach as well as an open call window. The open call window will allow applicants to submit an application for review to determine if a proposal will be requested from the applicant.

The Vision

 

We envision a thriving and safe world where we can build capacity among under-resourced grassroots, BIPOC-led groups doing critical birth/parenting justice work (up to 85% of grantees) and BIPOC researchers and creatives doing culture-change work vital for birth/parenting justice (up to 15% of grantees). We want to increase the presence and influence of birth/parenting justice in the RJ movement. We want to inform the RJ, social justice, and philanthropy sectors of insights gained by developing a new model of philanthropy that is non-hierarchical and community based.

The Goals

1. Increase capacity to advance birth and parenting justice among grassroots BIPOC birth/parenting justice groups, researchers, and creatives.

2. Create a supportive and collaborative network formed of BIPOC birth/parenting justice groups, researchers, and creatives.

3. Progress toward birth/parenting justice for marginalized communities of color.

4. Expand RJ movement with a range of new grassroots birth/parenting justice groups, researchers, and creatives.

5. Culture change highlighting birth/parenting justice in RJ, bringing more resources to BIPOC birth/parenting justice work.

6. Build a new grantmaking and support model developed by the communities it serves.

 

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

SisterSong welcomes open call applications from BIPOC-led groups/individuals working in the U.S. preferably the South or Midwest. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee funding and does not guarantee multiple years of funding. If we are interested in considering your application further, we will ask you to submit a proposal for further consideration. Funding amounts will be determined on a case-by-case review. The maximum grant award is $25,000 for individuals and $50,000 for organizations.

Please submit an application for funding support to SisterSong. The deadline for open call applications is Thursday, June 1st, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET.

Below you will find grant application guidelines. Please follow instructions carefully.

Important grant information:

  1. Grant Type: General operating support, with specific programming need

  2. Grant Minimum: $25,000 - $50,000 per year

  3. Total Funding Available: $1,000,000

  4. Application  Deadline: Thursday, June 1st, 2023 by 5:00 PM ET

  5. Grant Period: We anticipate a July 2023 start. We cannot guarantee multiple years of funding.

If selected, SisterSong grantee partners will be required to provide feedback via a survey and complete a questionnaire to help determine needs.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for this funding opportunity.

The Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice grantmaking program will make grants to grassroots groups and organizations and individual artists and researchers. 

​​The eligibility guidelines for each type of grant are outlined below:  

  • Grassroots groups and organizations: The Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice grant will prioritize grants to grassroots groups and organizations that are BIPOC-led and serve BIPOC communities, as defined below:  

    BIPOC-led: 

  • For groups and organizations with a hierarchical structure, the Executive Director, CEO, President, or other senior-most staff member is Black, Indigenous, Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and/or Latinx OR the majority of decision-makers in the group or organization are Black, Indigenous, Native American, Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and/or Latinx. 

  • For groups and organizations with a non-hierarchical or otherwise non-traditional structure, the majority of staff or members are Black, Indigenous, Native American, Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and/or Latinx. 

    BIPOC-serving: 

  • Grassroots groups and organizations should center the birth and parenting experiences of, and oppressions faced by Black, Indigenous, Native American, Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and/or Latinx communities and/or point to ways that their work aims to directly support Black, Indigenous, Native American, Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and/or Latinx communities.

Additionally, grassroots groups and organizations must be located in the US and working to advance birth and parenting justice. 

Finally, groups and organizations must have 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor. If you do not have 501c3 status, you are encouraged to still apply as we may be able to recommend fiscal sponsors for your organization.

Organizational budget must not exceed $250,000.

Artists and creatives: The Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice grant, will prioritize grants to BIPOC artists and creatives. Applicants must be located in the US, and should be able to point to past examples of work using art to advance birth and parenting justice, or have a clearly defined idea for a project using the arts to advance birth and parenting justice. 

Researchers: The Community Power-Building for Birth and Parenting Justice grant, will prioritize grants to BIPOC researchers. Applicants must be located in the US, and should have an ongoing project or clearly defined idea for research to advance birth and parenting justice. 

GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS

Please view the table below to see key deadlines for this grant opportunity. Please note that these dates are subject to change.

Phases Deadlines/Time frames
Research and Networking Period March 28, 2023 - April 30, 2023
Application Phase Open Call applications open May 19, 2023 and close June 1, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET
Application Review Review: May 24, 2023 – May 29, 2023
Invitation to submit a proposal sent by May 31, 2023
Notification of Awards Final award notifications will be sent by June 30, 2023
Acceptance and Survey Formal acceptance and completion of survey due by July 7, 2023

Application Guidelines

Open call applications for organizations, artists and researchers will open May 19, 2023 through June 1st, 2023 at 5pm EST. Open call applicants will be able to apply and have their application reviewed. If the steering committee is interested in considering an open call applicant, the applicant will be asked to submit a proposal as well as any additional attachments that may apply by Friday, June 9, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET.

ONLINE APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Starting your application: You can access the application by clicking here.

Contact Us

Questions on application: For questions about your application, please do not hesitate to contact our consultant: Aniqua Acree (aniqua@sistersong.net)

We will make best attempts to respond to your inquiries in a timely manner. Please note that due to a large volume of inquiries, response time may vary.

 

Thank You!

SisterSong looks forward to learning more about your work!