grassroots

Our broad goals are to further social justice, protect the environment and support sustainable food systems. In making funding decisions, we focus on the types of activities and strategies an organization uses for creating social and environmental change.

We will only consider proposals from grassroots, constituent-led organizations that are using community-organizing strategies to accomplish their goals or from organizations that provide technical support and/or resources to such groups.

We are happy to consider requests for general operating support as well as for project support.

In general, we look for these organizational characteristics:

• The organization works to transform the consciousness of its constituents and the wider community to make them aware of the systemic nature of the issues being addressed.
• In its strategizing, planning and decision-making, the organization includes, in a meaningful way, those impacted by the injustice it seeks to address and encourages and supports their leadership development and self-empowerment efforts.
• The organization has a theory of change - an articulation of how its activities play a part in a larger movement for social  justice - and has demonstrated its interest in collaboration and collective action.

The National Grassroots Grant Program of the Ben & Jerry's Foundation does not fund:

• Organizations with annual budgets over $1 million (Organizations with budgets over $500,000 are considered on a case by case basis)
• Discretionary or emergency requests
• Colleges or universities
• Individuals or scholarship programs
• Research, litigation or legal expenses
• Capital or endowment campaigns
• State agencies or government sponsored programs
• Businesses or business associations
• Religious activities
• Other foundations
• Organizations or programs that are focused or based outside of the United States
• Direct services to individuals, families or communities

Letters of Interest

The first step is to submit a letter of interest on-line. Letters of interest are reviewed within 30 days of submission. Based on the letter of interest, an organization may be approved to submit a full proposal.*

The Letter of Interest should be no more than one page, submitted through the Apply button below, and should include:

1. A description of the organization including a brief history and an indication of competence in the area of this proposal.
2. An outline of the project or overview of the organization’s work including:
   • Who it will benefit.
   • A description of your organizing strategies.
   • Outcomes expected.
3. A brief (2 or 3 lines) overview of your budget: income sources including grants, grassroots fundraising and member support; and expenses for this project.

Full Proposals

If an application is selected for further consideration, the organization will be approved to submit a full proposal online.

Approved applicants have up to three months to submit a full proposal.

*If you have received funding from us within the past two (2) years, you may re-apply using the RENEWAL-National Grassroots Grant Program.

Click here for a tutorial on the online application program.