TRANSFORMING POWER FUND BACKGROUND
The Transforming Power Fund (TPF) is a Detroit-based social justice fund committed to
transformative systems change. TPF grew out of a city-wide effort, initiated by Detroit’s social justice community, to bring more foundation resources to social justice movements and to demonstrate a more equitable approach to traditional philanthropy. TPF provides funding, training, and other resources for local projects that address the root causes of systemic problems and advanced holistic solutions. TPF prioritizes community governance, donor organizing, and shared values in order to model a more equitable approach to philanthropy. TPF embraces the shared values of inclusion, equity, justice (racial, economic, gender, disability, environmental), personal transformation, structural transformation, intergenerational relationships, cooperation, collaboration, continual learning, creativity, audacity, healing, and
working across boundaries. TPF is fiscally sponsored by Allied Media Projects. For more information about TPF go to www.transformingpowerfund.org.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT
To be eligible for any Transforming Power Fund grant program, an organization or project must:
- Be an organized group of people:
- Nonprofit with 501(c)3 as determined by the IRS
- Federally recognized American Indian tribal government or agency
- Fiscally sponsored by 501(c)3 organizations or by federally recognized tribal governments
- Organizations that are not incorporated or fiscally sponsored may possibly apply, however the applicant must first contact TPF staff before continuing the application process.
- Be led by people who are most directly affected by the problems that the organization or project is addressing
- Carry out its work in Detroit, Highland Park, or Hamtramck, Michigan
WE GENERALLY DO NOT FUND
- Publications, reports, workshops, classes, conferences, research, or litigation efforts unless they are part of an ongoing community organizing effort.
- Environmental work unless it is aimed at achieving social justice goals (i.e. environmental justice). For example, the Transforming Power Fund generally does not fund recycling or resource conservation projects, but we will fund community organizing projects addressing environmental threats that disproportionately harm communities of color or low-income communities.
- Projects sponsored by a government agency. For example, the Transforming Power Fund would not fund a project led by a public school district. However, we would fund a project led by communities of color that partners with public schools to address the academic achievement gap for students of color. The project must be community driven and led by those most directly affected by the problem.
- Endowment funds or capital campaigns.
GRANTMAKING
The Transformation Power Fund is seeking applications for its Advancing Disability Justice Grants 2022 to support disability justice leadership in Detroit, Highland Park or Hamtramck.
TPF will provide one-time grants in the amount of $45,000.00 to two organizations that serve persons with disabilities. These funds are unrestricted and may be used for operating costs, community organizing, cultural work, leadership development, movement building, or policy advocacy to advance the rights of persons with disabilities.
TPF grantees may use $10,000 of the funds for capacity building, organizational development and/or to hire a consultant to build out a strategic vision and/or theory of change.
HOW IS DISABILITY JUSTICE DEFINED
Disability justice is a movement framework that centers disabled people of color. The principles include: intersectionality, leadership of those most impacted, anti-capitalist politic, cross-movement solidarity, recognizing wholeness, sustainability, commitment to cross-disability solidarity, interdependence, collective access and collective liberation.
PRIORITIES
TPF prioritizes work that is led by persons with disabilities and/or groups and organizations whose focus is on disability justice within the City of Detroit, Highland Park or Hamtramck. Funded projects will focus on building capacity within the disability community through community organizing, cultural work, leadership development, movement building or policy advocacy led by persons with disabilities and/or those impacted by persons within the disability community.
KEY DATES
Webinar to answer questions regarding the grant will be held on January 10, 2022 at 1 p.m. est. To register, please use the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkf-uurTooGteN_rW5BMEJh714WCHMe8VF
Proposals will be accepted from December 6, to January 31, 2022
Decisions will be made by February 28, 2022.
Funds will be awarded by April 1, 2022
TO APPLY USE THE LINK BELOW
All proposals must be submitted using the link below. Documents marked with an asterisk are required. Applications that are not fully completed cannot be reviewed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To learn more about TPF’s grant process please review our frequently asked questions.
CONTACT US
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your project before submitting your proposal you can contact Bishop Marcia Dinkins at bishopmarcia@transformingpowerfund.org or the Program Coordinator Cheyanne Jeffries at cheyanne@transformingpowerfund.org.