Grant Making Strategy & Criteria

Haymarket believes that community organizing is the most effective strategy for achieving our vision of an equitable, peaceful and humane world.

By organizing, we mean efforts led by those most affected by injustice that focus on two things: the root causes of the problems facing them and changing the institutions and structures of power that keep injustice in place .

We do not fund services, which provide for the basic needs of individuals, self-help programs, or advocacy work unless they are part of an organizing strategy. We at Haymarket also believe that, for real change to occur, organizing must be anti-racist and must recognize the intersection of racism and other forms of oppression.

We pay special attention to race because we understand that, in the United States, racism has divided all social change movements and has limited the effectiveness of our organizing work.

Haymarket currently offers two kinds of grants – Sustaining Grants and Urgent Response Grants -- for social justice organizing work happening in the New England region (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont or more than one state).

We are committed to supporting both urban and rural organizing across the region, and to funding start up and emerging organizations as well as groups that have a long history of grassroots organizing.

We make grants for both general operating support and project work. We look at community organizing broadly and fund groups that focus on the root causes of the problems they are facing, with strong constituency leadership and accountability, antiracist and anti-oppression values and practice, and a commitment to movement building.

We will consider funding cultural work and resources for organizing (such as workshops, conferences and media work) that are part of an ongoing community organizing effort or are accountable to social change movements. (See funding criteria section for more details)

Funding Criteria

We evaluate all applications for funding according to the following criteria:

1. Self-determination and Accountability – Is the organization or project led by and accountable to their constituency or community? Do constituents have real leadership and voice in all aspects of the organization?

2. Leadership development– Is the group strengthening the skills and experience of their constituency in all aspects of their work? How is leadership development built into their process?

3. Anti-racism and anti-oppression values and practice-- Does the organization understand racism and is it working to develop anti-racist vision, values and practice, both internally and externally in the community? Do they understand how racism impacts their constituency and the issues they are facing? How are they struggling to address this? Do they understand other areas of oppression and how they intersect with racism?

4. Organizing for Systemic Change-- Does the group understand the underlying causes of the problems they are addressing and do they have plans and strategies which address these root causes? Is the group working to create systemic change – that is, are they working to change the culture, institutions and/or structures of power in their community?

5. Movement building– Is the organization building relationships and unity with other groups working on issues both similar and different to theirs? Is the group able to see its work as part of a larger whole?

6. Diversified funding base-- Is the group working to build a strong, diverse and sustainable funding base in their community?

7. Limited access to traditional funding– Haymarket is committed to funding groups that, because of their analysis and vision, have limited access to traditional funding sources (such as government and corporate funding). We have a history of funding start-ups and smaller, grassroots organizations across the region.

Please note that we do not fund groups with budgets over $350,000.

Tax Exempt Status

You do not have to have 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the IRS or a fiscal sponsor in order to get a grant from Haymarket. You can apply if your work falls within what the IRS defines as charitable or educational tax exempt activities.

What We Do Not Fund

1. Groups primarily providing direct services that focus on meeting people's basic needs or that focus primarily on individual empowerment or self-help. Social service organizations can apply for a project-specific organizing grant if it fits Haymarket's criteria.

2. Publications reports, workshops, classes, conferences, media events, arts or theater productions unless they are part of an ongoing community organizing effort or are accountable to social change movements.

3. Groups based outside of New England (unless they have a strong base in New England which holds them accountable) or work focused outside of New England.

4. Legal or research expenses unless they are part of an overall organizing strategy.

5. Capital campaigns or endowment drives.

6. Individuals or individual projects (such as graduate research, fellowships or scholarships).

7. Projects sponsored by a government agency. For example, Haymarket would not fund a project led by a school district. We would, however, consider funding a project led by parents and students working to hold a school accountable for inequitable treatment of children of color.

8. Organizations with budgets over $350,000.

9. Small business, alternative businesses or business associations.

10. Other foundations.

11. Electoral work that promotes specific candidates.