OUR GRANTS

“A new world, one that is democratic, sustainable, and equitable for all is more possible when philanthropy aligns squarely behind and around BIPOC-led movements.”

We support movement organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, supporting them in their work to advance issue-based campaigns and foster solidarity economies through accessible grant opportunities. Grants from Episcopal City Mission are by invitation only and supports the following for up to five years:

  1. General Operations

  2. Pathways to Sustainability

  3. Resources for Urgent Action

  4. Solidarity Initiatives

We ground our grantmaking using the Resonance Framework which strives to shift the power imbalance that exists between funders and grantees. This framework has pushed us to significantly simplify our applications and launch a grantee-driven Wisdom Council to partner with us in overseeing all of our grantmaking work.

2022 Funding Data

Total of $1.6 million granted
84% of funds went to BIPOC-led, power-building organizations

FUNDING CRITERIA

  • The Burgess Urban Fund (BUF) is a grant program that supports grassroots organizing in response to the racialized wealth gap in Massachusetts.

  • Funds are redistributed to BIPOC -led, power-building organizations that challenge the dominant, oppressive structures through collaborative policy campaigns and/or alternatives that reflect the Solidarity Economy model.

  • End of April 2024.

  • ECM Rapid Response Grants fund emergent challenges and opportunities for ECM’s current grantees and potential new grantees.

  • Funds are redistributed to BIPOC -led, power-building organizations that challenge the dominant, oppressive structures through collaborative policy campaigns and/or alternatives that reflect the Solidarity Economy model.

  • Rapid Response funding is available once per year in amounts between $500 and $10,000 to organizations who meet the Burgess program criteria. Requests are accepted on a rolling basis until the funds are exhausted.

  • BIPOC leaders, organizations, and communities have been at the forefront of multiple threats to survival for decades, often with insufficient support. These challenges have compounded with the COVID pandemic, the rise of White Christian Nationalism, and the entrenched racism and White Supremacy that permeates daily lives and manifests in policies that affect most, if not all, facets of our lives.

    As the world seems to come apart at the seams, there is also a growing awareness that it is the historically marginalized communities that must lead our collective efforts to define problems and find solutions. This also calls for attention to the spiritual and emotional health of those leading multiple fights on the frontlines.

    Finding Our Way Home is an attempt at answering that call.

  • The Finding Our Way Home funding program focuses on supporting the healing and spiritual needs of grassroots power building organizations and BIPOC justice leaders. We plan to fund a diversity of spiritual and healing modalities as well as engage field building work in this area.

  • End of November 2024.

  • We believe that organizations and networks that organize in houses of worship of all and any denomination and/or faith lineages, have a role to play in bringing their faith to bearto build solidarity power with BIPOC-led movements that are addressing the racial wealth gap through local or state policy campaigns and/or through BIPOC-led solidarity projects. ECM’s Faith-Rooted Justice Grantmaking Program is designed to support such organizations and networks.

  • Our Faith Rooted Justice funding program will support faith based organizations who are acting in solidarity with BIPOC led power building organizations.

    Organizations are welcome to apply if they meet the following criteria:

    1) Are connected to a faith based institutions such as a synagogue, Mosque, church, Temple, etc.

    2) Are currently supporting BIPOC led power building work in the State of Massachusetts

    3) Are interested in joining a learning community focused on faith rooted justice

  • End of April 2024.

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