The application deadline for the Momentum Fund has passed. If you submitted an application, notifications will be sent to the primary email of the applicant organization during the week of August 3 - 7, 2020. Requests for additional information regarding the status of your application will not receive a response.
The health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been devastating for the entire world, and particularly so for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). These disproportionate impacts did not begin with the coronavirus and are another manifestation of the deadly outcomes of systemic racism deeply rooted in our nation’s history. Change in these outcomes demands that philanthropy explicitly and unapologetically center racial equity and justice in its grantmaking practices and goals. The Momentum Fund Advisory Board knows that this work requires more than grant dollars to be successful and is also working to lift up the following three core concepts:
- First, we are explicitly and unapologetically centering racial equity in this work. Not only will priority be given to organizations that are led by BIPOC and intentionally serving BIPOC communities, but our outreach efforts are also emphasizing the need to ensure that these organizations are aware and feel welcome to the Momentum Fund process.
- Second, we want to recognize the long history of effective social change provided by many of the nonprofits with which we will have the honor to partner via this work.
- Third, we are working to emphasize the importance of positioning grantmakers as equal partners with the nonprofits to which grants are disbursed, and other partners in the respective communities.
Our hope is that the Momentum Fund supports much needed nonprofit infrastructure in historically marginalized, under-served and under-resourced communities that have been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for choosing to take this journey with us.
The Momentum Fund will provide grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that manage COVID-19 funds. Priority will be given to organizations managing COVID-19 funds that are helping other nonprofits meet the needs of communities and populations whose health and/or financial situations have been most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and who have been historically under-served and under-resourced in the United States, U.S. Territories or on Native American Reservations. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to community foundations, women's foundations/funds, identity-based foundations/funds, United Ways, philanthropy-serving organizations, nonprofit service organizations, and community-led nonprofits. The grants will help these organizations build their capacity to effectively grow, promote, manage and sustain their funds. Each organization can define the capacity it needs and apply for a grant of up to $100,000.