Goal:
To promote social justice and interfaith understanding in Marin County.
Overview:
Marin County is home to a rich and diverse range of institutions and individuals who have a deep commitment to improving the quality of life for all of Marin's residents. This includes a strong focus on ensuring greater social justice and stronger understanding among different faith traditions throughout our community.
When a community — supported by religious, faith-based, and nonprofit organizations, as well as concerned individuals — engages in activities to promote social justice and interfaith understanding, sustainable change can occur. To this end, MCF is committed to supporting efforts that increase awareness, mobilize communities, and catalyze social change to systemically address social inequities in Marin County. In addition, MCF recognizes and supports the powerful link between interfaith dialogue and understanding and creating positive social change.
Note: For this program area, we are defining social justice as equal access to social, political, and economic opportunities and resources, and interfaith understanding as communication between and among faith communities that crosses religious lines with an aim to explore common ground in beliefs and values.
A logic model for this goal area has been developed that further explains its approaches, activities, and desired impact.
Strategy 1: Increase community engagement to identify and address social justice issues
To be eligible for funding under this strategy, religious, faith-based, or nonprofit organizations must:
- have a nonprofit tax-exempt status or a fiscal sponsor with a nonprofit tax exempt status
- aim to improve the quality of life of Marin County residents, especially residents from marginalized communities (i.e., communities that have been underrepresented, denied a voice in decisions that affect their communities, and/or experienced discrimination)
- engage marginalized communities in the identification and eradication of social inequities
- have a history of identifying and framing social justice issues, providing visibility of a social justice issue, and engaging in community organizing activities that affect public policy decisions
- propose strategies to recruit and retain individuals most impacted by the social justice issue to engage in community organizing activities
- be a reputable organization known for successfully educating the general public and key decision makers about particular social justice issues that impact marginalized communities in Marin County
Priority consideration will be given to projects working to advance the goals of the Foundation's Strategic Initiatives and Community Grants.
Grant term and amount
Grants awards will range from approximately $10,000 - $60,000.
The twelve-month grant term will be March 1, 2010 to February 30, 2011. Six-month, nine-month, and final reports will be required through the Foundation's online Grant Evaluation Center.
Grantees will be expected to submit a plan of action to address a particular social justice issue within the first two months of the grant term.
Use of funds and grant requirements
Funds may be used to support staff positions that play a key role in identifying, planning, and implementing community organizing and advocacy activities that promote a specific social justice issue. Funds may also be used to cover costs associated with community organizing and advocacy activities.
Grant funds cannot be used for the provision of direct social or health services, for evangelical purposes, or for emergency or capital expenditures, including computer hardware, software, or related items.
Strategy 2: Increase collaboration and dialogue among religious institutions, faith-based communities, and community members
To be eligible for funding under this strategy, religious, faith-based, or nonprofit organizations must:
- have a nonprofit tax-exempt status or a fiscal sponsor with a nonprofit tax exempt status
- aim to improve the quality of life of Marin County residents, especially residents from marginalized communities (i.e., communities that have been underrepresented, denied a voice in decisions that affect their communities, and/or experienced discrimination)
- propose a clear action plan and evaluation plan to deepen interfaith understanding
- propose innovative strategies to include marginalized communities in interfaith understanding activities
Priority consideration will be given to projects that explicitly link efforts to deepen interfaith understanding to community organizing and advocacy activities that promote social justice (e.g., meeting with decision makers, building a broad base of support, drafting public policies, etc.) . Projects that intend to leverage MCF funds with other funding sources will also be given special consideration.
Grant term and amount
Grants award amounts will range from $5,000 - $20,000
The twelve-month grant term will be March 1, 2010 to February 30, 2011. Six-month, nine-month, and final reports will be required through the Foundation's online Grant Evaluation Center.
Use of funds and grant requirements
Funds may be used to support staff positions that play a key role in planning and implementing activities aimed at deepening interfaith understanding and promoting social justice among Marin County residents. Grant funds may also be used to support costs associated with interfaith understanding and community organizing events and activities. Grantees will be expected to evaluate the impact of the interfaith understanding activities throughout the grant term.
Grant funds cannot be used for the provision of direct social or health services, for evangelical purposes, or for emergency or capital expenditures, including computer hardware, software, or related items.
Eligibility:
The following entities are not eligible for funding under both strategies:
- Individuals
- Coalitions that do not have a lead organization
- Endowments or private foundations
- Religious organizations, where the grant is to be used for proselytizing purposes
- Federal, state, or municipal agencies
- Political campaigns
Process for Both Strategies:
Register with the Grant Application Center starting November 11, 2009, which is the Registration Open Date for this goal. This system enables you to complete and submit all application materials online. If you have already registered with the Grant Application Center, you do not need to do so again.
Once you have registered, please complete and submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), even if you have received funding from MCF in the past for this kind of work.
When submitting a Letter of Intent, indicate which strategy/strategies you are applying under. If invited to submit a full proposal for funds under both strategies, you will need to complete two separate proposals.
Eligibility for grants, the use of funds, and grant requirements are different for each strategy.
If your LOI is approved, you will be notified how to prepare and submit a full proposal, also using the Grant Application Center.
