As the outbreak of COVID-19 presents growing and unprecedented challenges for organizers nationwide, Peace Developement Fund’s De Colores Rapid Response Fund, designed for strategic intervention in movement moments like this, offers grants of $500 to $1,000 to grassroots organizations working to make positive community interventions through strategic, organizing-focused approaches, especially in marginalized communities of color and working class communities.

De Colores Fund will respond to the cultural, social and economic challenges posed by COVID – 19. The fund is not designed to support budget shortfalls or direct services; they are small, strategic moment grants aimed at building community resilience.

De Colores RRF is looking to impact positive, dynamic-shifting opportunities, rather than provide emergency response for humanitarian crises or technical assistance. It is designed to make funds available for quick, short-term delivery to hot spots of opportunity for organizing in marginalized urban and rural communities.

Criteria

Criteria for grants from the fund include:

• Organizing in U.S. grassroots communities, with a focus on communities of color, poor and working class;
• Opportunities for strategic intervention (i.e. Ferguson and Baltimore moments);
• Opportunities to impact new and strategic shifts (i.e. Occupy); and
• Opportunities to amplify the effects of in-the-moment issues (i.e. Hurricane Maria or #MeToo). The event or situation you are responding to was unanticipated and requires urgent action that is well thought out with clear goals and desired outcomes.

How it Works

• Proposals are accepted all year, and reviewed regularly.
• Groups will be notified within one to three weeks and checks will be mailed the following week.
• Grants are in the $500 to $1,000 range.
• Applications are accepted from coalitions, organizations and non-501(c)(3) groups, but not to fund individual efforts.
• PDF will prioritize organizations with budgets under $250,000 with limited access to philanthropic resources.
• Project budget should be less than $5,000.

This fund does not support:

• Groups based outside the U.S.
• Budget shortfalls
• Ongoing, regularly scheduled programs
• Start-up or general operating costs
• Previously planned or long-term campaigns
• Charity benefits
• Direct service

For more information, visit The De Colores Rapid Response Fund.