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Many community members recognize that we are in or near a state of emergency. While our community – and nation – grapple with next steps, our youth deserve their childhoods. They deserve to have fun, connect, work, discover, and learn. They deserve to feel appreciated, encouraged, and valued. They deserve to play. And they need safety – opportunities to be together in ways that don’t encourage, involve, or risk violence.
This summer, Tzedek seeks to support organizations and initiatives that provide positive, healthy, and uplifting youth spaces and opportunities that center joy. The 2022-2023 Community-Led Grantmaking Youth Fund is available to grassroots projects and organizations supporting the health and well-being of young people ages 0 to 21.
Fellows will follow up with grant recipients in order to spend time with, collect stories about, and/or engage directly to experience the power of the initiative, so we can all learn together from this work and then better develop programs and support relationships that promote youth engagement, growth, resilience, and joy.
Timeline
Organizations/projects must use funds by summer 2023.
Requirements
- Project is run by a nonprofit or has a nonprofit fiscal sponsor
- The project serves youth ages 0 – 21 during the summer 2022 – summer 2023 timeframe.
How to Apply
We invite you to answer the questions as candidly and briefly as possible.
Responses can be submitted via video or text, or by having a conversation with or receiving support from an application advocate.* Written responses are encouraged to be 1-3 pages. To submit a written or video response, please click below.
Questions for Applicants
Please describe (a) the idea or program, (b) how you may adapt or expand an existing program, and/or (c) the services or opportunities you would be offering for youth beginning or during the summer 2022 – summer 2023 timeframe. Also, share how the applicant and/or staff will engage with youth, including highlighting any shared lived experiences or demographics between staff and youth.
Please describe the population of youth served (age range; geographic area served; racial/ethnic demographics; other relevant demographics to Tzedek’s focal areas of racial justice, LGBTQ justice, and anti-Semitism; and their proximity to violence).
Please describe the anticipated timeline for getting your idea or program, program expansion, or services in place if awarded the requested funding (our intention is to support efforts or programs that actively engage local youth).
Please include a line budget to describe your intended use of the funds and your funding level request. You may choose to add a descriptive explanation; however, this is not a requirement.
Please provide your organization’s 501(c)3 determination letter OR provide proof of fiscal sponsorship by submitting a partnership.
*What is an Application Advocate?
Throughout the application process, select Tzedek Grantmaking Fellows will serve as application advocates. Application advocates are available to support you throughout any aspect of the application process. If you prefer to have a conversation with an application advocate instead of completing the online application, please contact us at brilliance@tzedeksocialjusticefund.org.
Role of an application advocate:
- Serves as a community translator in the application process, providing language accessibility, technology support, and increased access to the application and all its moving pieces for the community asking for the award
- Meets with applicants during the open process of the application to check in and adjust application asks as necessary (up to 3 hours per applicant)
- Updates and communicates with other Fellows and Tzedek as necessary with information from community check-ins
- Builds connection between multiple communities during the process (if applicable)
- Documents and communicates any concerns and/or feedback to Fellows and Tzedek coming from community members
- Maintains and updates all information about and from applicants until application deadline closes
Advocates must recuse themselves from decisions involving awards given to the communities they represent.
PLEASE NOTE: Applications will be reviewed and approved on a rolling basis. Our goal is to be quick in our response. If you submit your application before the weekend (Friday), you should receive a response by Friday of the following week.