We are committed to advancing a just and equitable local economy that works for everyone. We recognize that discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, and immigration status remain significant barriers to achieving a just economy. As a result, we support local policy advocacy, organizing, and narrative change efforts that address the root causes of economic inequality.

In addition to having an equity focus (defined below), requests for Economic Justice funding should identify how the organization’s local advocacy efforts, as well as organizing and/or narrative change work:

• Addresses systemic barriers to equity in the workforce

• Supports low-wage workers to build power and improve job quality 

• Shifts public perceptions about people of color in the local economy

• Expands economic models that build wealth for people of color

We approach all our grantmaking with an equity focus. For us, this means that every organization or initiative that we consider for funding must have:

• Programming that identifies and addresses the root causes of inequity

• Expected outcomes that build toward lasting change

• Success indicators that are tracked by race and ethnicity, and the data is used to inform, revise, and strengthen programming

• Impacted communities who:

  • Participate in developing, assessing, or refining the programming

  • Are actively provided with opportunities for leadership development and to serve on staff, advisory boards, or the Board of Directors

• Demographic alignment between impacted community and the organization’s leadership and staff