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 Fall 2022 Grow Grant round. Listed below are some highlights with the full graphs below.

• 27%  of Grow Grants went to groups with Black, Indigenous, or People of Color in leadership.
• 32% of  Grow Grants went to ad-hoc groups without a formal, 501c3 nonprofit designation.
• 29% of Community Grant Readers identify as Black, African American, Indigenous, or People of Color. 
• 16% of Community Grant Readers identify as older than 66 years old. 

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

Fall 2022 Grow Grant Round by the Numbers

Grow Grant Demographic Data

Community Grant Reader Demographic Data