Available in Español
Out of Tzedek’s commitment to redistribute money, shift power and support systems change, Community-Led Grantmaking has emerged. Through this program, a committee of Community Grantmaking Fellows, facilitated by Tzedek’s Director of Community-Led Grantmaking, will redistribute $250,000 in grants to the Asheville area. This program represents a shift in decision-making power from our Founder/Funder and Tzedek staff to local community leaders. Through community-led grantmaking, we redistribute funds to nonprofits, grassroots and movement organizations, and community groups with fiscal sponsors working in Tzedek’s focus areas.
Who are Community Grantmaking Fellows?
Community Grantmaking Fellows are a committee of people who are already working within communities and working within Tzedek’s focal areas. This group of five individuals co-create with the Director of Community-Led Grantmaking a participatory process that builds collective analysis about wealth redistribution, our focal areas, systems change, and community healing. Community-Led Grantmaking Fellows design and implement processes including: Grant Application Process, Decision Making Process, and Grantmaking Processes.
How can I apply for a grant?
Community-Led Grantmaking Fellows working in communities in Asheville and the surrounding region identify a focus for the granting process. After identifying the focus area, developing the granting process and ensuring that it is aligned with Tzedek’s mission, grantmaking checklist, and organizational values and practices the opening of the granting process will be advertised. The application process may vary depending upon the group of Fellows. If what the Fellows develop includes an open application process, we will share all information on our website, announce this via email, and post information on our social media pages.
Who makes grantmaking decisions?
Through the Community-Led Grantmaking Program, Fellows from the Asheville area will make final decisions with a representative from Tzedek’s Grantmaking Team together on local grants.
What reporting is required? How does Tzedek hold grantees accountable?
Tzedek staff schedule yearly check-in meeting with grantees. Based on what is best for grantees, meetings happen via phone, video call, or over a meal. The goal is to see how the work is going, how plans have changed, share challenges, and celebrate successes. Tzedek staff document these meetings, and these notes function as our grantee reports, which are required for private foundations to assure legal compliance.
Tzedek is required by the IRS to conduct due diligence, oversight and monitoring for grants to 501(c)3 organizations. Such responsibility includes:
- Documenting a pre-grant inquiry (and receiving or collaborating on a proposal) to confirm capacity and alignment
- Collecting a written grant agreement
- Annual record keeping regarding grantee’s work
- Establishing that the grantee tracks grant funds and a budget