An Opportunity to Support Grassroots Organizing Across the Region

A Letter From Jennifer Dowdell-Rosario,

Haymarket's Development Director

When Executive Director Karla Nicholson, Grants Director Jaime Smith, and I first joined the Haymarket staff 13 years ago the possibility of bringing our grant pool back to its robust former glory seemed like a far-off dream. After many years of trials and tribulations, for the first time in over a decade, we have been able to create a five-year sustainability plan that will support organizations with a grant pool of one million dollars and we have seen that dream come true.

We have increased individual grants up to $20,000 and after a year of planning work with community members and grantees, we are able to offer multi-year grants to groups that have been part of the Haymarket community for over 5 years.

This has only been possible because of the contributions from donors like you, and along with that support we have felt your commitment to continue to fund anti-racism organizing and movement building in New England.

Change comes from within the communities that elevate and push for systemic change through grassroots community organizing.

Grantee group Justice 4 Housing Inc., in Jamaica Plain, MA, who believe that housing justice is racial justice are pushing for that change. Justice 4 Housing is committed to ending housing discrimination and homelessness for justice-involved individuals impacted by domestic violence and incarceration. The American Friends Service Committee Wabanaki, in Perry, ME is another grantee organization that has been working for over 20 years on building Native grassroots movements that seek to address problems in the Native communities of Maine. The program is uncovering, acknowledging, and redressing a history of systemic repression, racism, and abuse of Native people.

We must continue to center the needs of our community and push to elevate their organizing work while supporting the very necessary work for sustainable change.

As this letter reaches you we have already launched our increased grantmaking process and we are in the process of reviewing proposals and preparing for our 2023 grant cycle. We are thrilled to finally be able to enact a plan that will help support our commitment to our grantees, and we want to solidify that commitment, but we cannot do it without you.

We ask that you please consider making a generous contribution that is meaningful to you.

In Solidarity,

Jennifer Dowdell-Rosario Development Director

jennifer@haymarket.org

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