Who can apply?
Any organization, individual, or group of individuals who are able to align their proposed activities with a non-profit entity designated as a 501c3.
What are some examples of types of groups or individuals who might be interested in applying?
Here are some examples of types of individuals or groups which have so much to offer toward bridging divides and who may be moved to apply for one of these grants. This list is hardly exhaustive; so long as an individual or an organization is able to receive funding through a 501c3 designated entity, they are more than welcome to apply.
Artists, community associations, activists, educational organizations, school and university groups, health organizations, youth organizations, journalists, media groups, community welfare organizations, environmental organizations, human rights groups, justice related organizations, girls and boys clubs, community reconciliation or cohesion groups, mediators, restaurants, cafes, parent-teacher associations, citizen review boards, tenant or neighborhood associations, church or faith-based groups.
What kind of projects will be considered?
To help inspire your thinking and to give you an idea of the breadth of approaches we will consider, we’ve put together a list of possible projects that may be funded:
- Local media that cultivates different voices and helps people deconstruct their own biases and fears, in order to come up with solutions;
- Artists or other culture-makers and projects that bring together people in conflict to co-create something meaningful (such as murals, peace gardens, community performance art, etc.);
- Restorative justice;
- Non-violent communication;
- Conversation cafes;
- Trauma healing approaches, etc;
- Healing divisions through spiritual practice or faith-based community activities (strictly non-proselytizing);
- Working the land as a tool to bring people together;
- Cultivation, preparation, and sharing of food to educate and bring disparate sides literally to the table.
But please bear in mind these are just a few examples. We are eager to learn about your ideas for addressing and resolving conflict in your community.
How do I know if my group has non-profit status?
You should check with the leadership of your organization and/or the board and ask them if they have received 501c3 status by the IRS. If your group has this status, you will have a letter from the IRS that states this and you will have an EIN number that is unique to them for non-profit reporting purposes.
What is a Fiscal Sponsor?
Fiscal sponsorship refers to the practice and service of non-profit organizations offering their legal and tax-exempt status to groups – typically projects – engaged in activities related to the sponsoring organization’s mission. Typically if an organization is not a registered 501(c)3 then they will need a fiscal sponsor to be able to receive funds and for donors to receive their tax deduction.
What if I do not have federally designated non profit status and I do not have a fiscal sponsor?
A 501(c)3 is commonly referred to as a “non-profit”. Under Internal Revenue Service rules, a 501(c)3 is a non-profit for religious, charitable or educational purposes. If you do not have 501c3 designated status and you do not have a fiscal sponsor, you can reach out to organizations who do have that status and see if they might be willing to take on your project as their own. You should check out entities in your area such as neighborhood associations, the YWCA, and community foundations to see if they might be interested in taking on your project and being a Crossing Divides “grantee”.
Or you can secure fiscal sponsorship with an organization who is designated as a 501c3. This usually requires an application to the fiscal sponsor and usually a fiscal sponsor will charge a fee (usually 5%-9%) that is taken out of any grant that is received.
Our organization is designated as a 501c4. Can we apply for a grant?
Unfortunately we cannot provide a grant to an organization that is designated as a 501c4. We can only provide a grant to organizations that have 501c3 status or fiscal sponsorship by a group with 501c3 status.
What is the timeline for the grant selection and award process?
The deadline for application submission is December 1, 2021. In early 2022 the Crossing Divides panel will meet and review a shortlist of applications. We anticipate that these discussions to determine finalists will take place over 1 month. We will then reach out to finalists to let them know and to obtain additional information that we will need to process the grants. We anticipate that this process will take another 1-2 months before the grant funds are sent. This means that we hope to have grants provided to finalists by approximately March or April, 2022.
Note that we may extend the deadline for applications from December 1, 2021 to a later date if we do not receive enough applications in time. If the deadline is extended, then the award process may also be extended.
What types of things/ criteria will the panel be looking at as they make their decision to award grants?
Please review the list of criteria in the drop down menu above. This is the criteria that the panel will be using as they determine finalists.
What if my project or initiative doesn’t have a team, it is just me?
That is not a problem at all! Many great things are achieved by just one person.
How much money can I apply for?
Up to $10,000.
What if I don’t live in Mississippi, Nebraska, or Arizona but I have a great idea that could be applied to one of these states?
For the time being, we are funding groups who live and work in these three states, but we hope to be able to expand the grant program in the future to other areas.
Why were these three states chosen for this pilot phase of the program?
We have chosen these states because they are largely rural and receive less philanthropic funding than other areas. These states have distinct political, environmental, and cultural issues, and we believe that as a group they may provide a lot of rich learning about different kinds of divides and peace-making strategies.
When is the application deadline?
December 1, 2021
When will I find out if my application has been awarded?
We hope to inform applicants by late March or early April, 2022.
Who is on the decision-making panel?
The panel is made up of 6 individuals. You can read about them in the review team drop-down menu above.