As a funder and a learning community centered around Environmental Justice, the Grassroots Fund understands that dominant structures and practices in the philanthropic sector consistently underfund community-led and community-driven work as well as organizers and organizations from communities of color.

As funders it is our responsibility to not only redress these very real and damaging impacts, but to do so in direct partnerships with communities throughout New England working to shift resources directly into their communities. We know that in order for the Environmental Justice movement to continue to grow and strengthen, as an environmental funder, we must learn alongside grassroots organizers in order to better understand and co-create what strategies, practices, and values are necessary.

Part of that work includes better understanding the impacts of the Grassroots Fund grant rounds through the collection of demographic information of groups that are receiving funding and the community members who are helping to decide on funding. This information helps us and our partners to make the necessary changes to better meet the needs of the communities we work with. With a commitment to transparency and accountability, we are sharing some insights gleaned from this past Spring 2022 Grow and Young Leaders Grant round. Listed below are some highlights with the full graphs below.

• 58% of Young Leaders Grants and 44%  of Grow Grants went to groups with Black, Indigenous, or People of Color in leadership.
• 77% of Young Leaders Grants and 70%  of Grow Grants went to groups with folks who identify as a woman, transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, or otherwise not forming to the gender binary in leadership.
• 40% of Young Leaders Grants and Grow Grants went to ad-hoc groups without a formal, 501c3 nonprofit designation.
• 32% of Community Grant Readers identified as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color and 24% were under the age of 36.

Please reach out if you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns to info@grassrootsfund.org.

Spring 2022 Grow and Young Leaders Grant Round by the Numbers

Grow Grant Demographic Data

Young Leaders Grant Demographic Data

Community Grant Reader Demographic Data

Grantmaking Committee Demographic Data

Again, please let us know if you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns at info@grassrootsfund.org.