TPF prioritizes rest for social justice organizers responding to the COVID-19 crisis

September 22nd 2021

This month, the Transforming Power Fund awarded 16 Resting Power Grants to local grassroots organizations and individuals who have been responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Resting Power Grant is grounded in the understanding that, although the urgent issues our communities face have not subsided, we need to create space within our movements for individual and collective rest and recovery, especially during periods of sustained crisis. Inspired by the radical healing practices and thought leadership of organizations like The Nap Ministry and Windcall Institute, we believe that prioritizing care and joy is a necessary part of building and sustaining community power.

The Resting Power Grant offers respite and restoration to individuals and grassroots social justice organizations who have stretched themselves to meet their communities’ needs throughout the COVID-19 crisis. By providing one-time grants of $5,000, we hope staff and volunteers from grassroots social justice organizations can temporarily release pressures related to their COVID-19 response work, and prioritize care for themselves.

Resting Power Grant recipients: 

We hold a deep gratitude for these community leaders and their active response to urgent and evolving community needs, stemming from historic and structural disinvestment, that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis.

Since launching our COVID-19 response efforts in May 2020, the Transforming Power Fund has moved $150K to social justice organizers working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis in Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck. Resting Power Grants, as well as recipients of our COVID-19 Rapid Response and Relief grants, were selected by TPF’s grantmaking advisory body, the Community Table.

Through this grantmaking process, we learned in greater depth the scale at which resources that foster care and rest within social justice movements and Detroit-area community-building efforts are needed. Though we are excited to contribute to an ongoing effort of supporting movement builders and community leaders in accessing care and recovery, we also recognize that on its own, this grant does not fulfill a widespread need for these resources. The Resting Power Grant is a first step for the Transforming Power Fund in an ongoing effort to resource care and rest for dedicated volunteers, healers, organizers, and leaders.

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