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WHO is Tzedek?
The Tzedek Social Justice Fund (Tzedek) has been supporting the social justice work of grassroots organizations, collectives and cooperatives, nonprofits, and local leaders since the late 1980s. We fund work that is centered on LGBTQ Justice, Racial Justice, and Dismantling Antisemitism in alignment with our mission to redistribute money, resources, and power to support systems change and community healing in Asheville, North Carolina. Through adaptive, trust-based philanthropy, we resist oppressive systems and work to transform our collective home into a place where everyone flourishes.
WHAT is CLG?
Community-Led Grantmaking (CLG) is a participatory approach to grantmaking that recognizes and elevates community knowledge and shifts decision-making power to the community members who are most impacted by oppression in our communities. CLG seeks to find solutions to the inequities in our communities by asking our communities what solutions would best work for them, shifting decision-making power to community members and resource flows directly into our communities.
WHAT are we funding?
Tzedek’s Community-Led Grantmaking Committee (CLGC) will be providing between $5,000 and $250,000 to selected groups in support of their community vision. The CLGC is requesting proposals for the following two community solutions.
CREATE COMMUNITY EVENTS
The CLGC is seeking to fund proposals from qualified event planners, community organizations, or vendors to plan, organize, and execute a series of engaging and inclusive community events throughout 2026. These events should:
- Be intergenerational;
- Serve as an invitation to community members to be a part of the whole community;
- Encourage collaboration and relationship building between neighbors;
- Include several types of activities such as music, art, and sports; and
- Provide an array of events for adult and youth participation.
Selected groups will be responsible for the following:
- Concept development for community-centered events (for example, festivals, cultural events, neighborhood block parties)
- Event planning, permits, and logistics
- Coordination of vendors, performers, and volunteers
- Marketing and promotion (digital and print)
- On-site event management and post-event reporting
CREATE A COMMUNITY COLLABORATION & RESOURCE HUB
The CLGC is seeking to fund proposals for the creation or activation of a Community Collaboration & Resource Hub. This community space will serve as a physically accessible, culturally welcoming environment that promotes connection, recreation, support, and collaboration for and among residents of all ages.
Proposals should be innovative and address site planning and design (if applicable), programming, and management of a space that will meet the social, cultural, recreational, and wellness needs of the community. This community space should:
- Be available for regular community access;
- Not have government affiliation, including political parties;
- Have a large open space for gatherings, performances, and community events;
- Provide working spaces and/or multipurpose activity rooms for community members and local organizations;
- Have dedicated recreational space for youth and children;
- Provide access to technology and STEM learning, such as programming, coding, etc.;
- Offer a resource room with food, hygiene products, etc.; and
- Have accessible green space.
Services within the space should include:
- Community Health Workers (CHWs) from the community, available onsite to guide, support, and welcome new visitors;
- Digital bulletin board or large screen display showing upcoming events, transportation/ride-share availability, and resource offerings;
- Ride-share vehicle docking, bike stations, and transportation access;
- Pop-up capability for mobile services: legal aid, healthcare, housing support, etc.; and
- Cultural storytelling and history-sharing spaces to elevate local voices and traditions.
Selected groups will be responsible for the following:
- Site identification and development, or adaptive reuse of an existing property (if applicable)
- Design and architectural planning (if applicable)
- Ongoing operations and programming
- Staffing and partnerships, particularly involving Community Health Workers (CHWs) and local talent
Eligibility
- All proposals must be in alignment with Tzedek’s mission and values, and center populations from Tzedek’s focal areas.
- Proposals must be from a 501c3 or fiscally sponsored event planners, community organizations, or vendors within 30 miles of downtown Asheville.
- Collaborative proposals between multiple organizations are encouraged.
- Events and spaces must also take place within 30 miles of downtown Asheville.
Questions & Support
All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing by midnight on September 12th to communityled@tzedeksocialjusticefund.org. Answers will be shared with all interested applicants.
Tzedek’s CLG Committee will host two Zoom Q&A sessions the week of September 8th.
Q&A Session #1: Tuesday, September 9th, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Q&A Session #2: Thursday, September 11th, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Please complete the interest form here if you would like to receive the Q&A session invitations or question response list.
Tzedek’s CLG Committee will offer support to organizations and individuals that require assistance in applying. Requests for support must be submitted in writing by midnight on September 19th to communityled@tzedeksocialjusticefund.org. Any late requests will not be able to be supported.