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Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice
PO Box 943
Northampton, MA  01061
info@markhamnathanfund.org

Markham Nathan Fund for Social Justice announces twice yearly
grant application deadlines

The Markham Nathan Fund for Social Justice announces twice-yearly grant application deadlines to apply for social justice grants in 2020. The two deadlines are now March 15 and September 15. Only one grant per year per organization will be awarded. The maximum amount per grant is $3000.00. Please apply!

EMERGENCY GRANTS AVAILABLE

The Markham Nathan Fund for Social Justice awards emergency grants of up to $500 once a year.

Emergency grants are:

– for needs that cannot wait for the next granting cycle.

– only for organizations that have otherwise met the granting cycle

-for a realizable goal with the amount of money of the emergency grant. Show other funding if you have it.

You may request an emergency grant if you are a new applicant, or if you’ve already received a grant in the previous cycle.

Granting Guidelines

The Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice provides awards between $500 and $4000 to social activist projects in Western Massachusetts. We are particularly interested in projects and organizations that:

  • are sponsored by grassroots community organizations on the frontiers of fighting the root causes of injustice and poverty
  • promote local leadership within marginalized communities
  • have limited access to resources (annual budget not exceeding $175,000)
  • use multiple approaches (ex: public education, organizing, litigation)
  • have an understanding of oppression and social justice, and demonstrate active alliance with other groups working for social justice (i.e., an environmental organization that understands how economic injustice and racism play a role in health, climate change, etc.)
  • can build community through:
    • social justice and empowerment of groups most affected by oppression
    • economic justice and the rights and dignity of workers and the poor
    • the struggle for civil rights for those legally disenfranchised, such as immigrants and prisoners
    • environmental justice and addressing the link between a just society and a sustainable world
    • the elimination of war and other forms of violence and a goal of promoting conflict-resolution, reconciliation and peace-building
    • the establishment of quality healthcare for all, especially the poor and uninsured

The Fund Supports:

  • Organizations with direct grassroots involvement
  • Projects that are based in Western Massachusetts.
  • Groups that are tax-exempt under the IRS 501c3 code, or are fiscally sponsored as such.

The Fund cannot support individuals.

Application Outline

2020 Spring granting cycle applications are due by March 15, 2020 and Fall granting cycle due by September 15, 2020.

Please use the following format to create a proposal. The application cannot exceed three pages (excluding cover sheet), and supplementary materials cannot exceed two pages.

  1. COVER SHEET

Organization Name:
Date of application:
Contact person’s name, email address, your organization’s website address and phone number:
Year organization was founded:
Tax-exemption number (or that of your fiscal sponsor):
Amount requested:
Period grant will cover:

  1. NARRATIVE (maximum of two pages)
  2. Introduction and Background of Organization.
  • Briefly describe your organization’s mission, history and major accomplishments
  • Describe your current programs and activities
  • If you are under the umbrella of a larger organization (e.g., a fiscal sponsor), please define your relationship with that organization. If their budget is over our limit of $175,000, please explain how your specific project’s budget is unique within that.
  1. Describe your proposed project or organizational needs.
  • What are your goals for this project and plans for achieving it for the next year? How does it support the mission of the organization and demonstrate alliance with other social justice projects?
  • Who will benefit from your proposed project (race, class, gender, ethnicity, immigration status, age, sexual orientation, and/or people with disabilities)?

Awardees are required to submit an end of year summary report (2-3 pages).

  1. FINANCIAL STATEMENT
    1. Itemized project budget. How will funds requested be used towards your project’s goals?
    2. Organization’s current annual operating budget
    A. Operating Expenses: staff, office, supplies, misc, etc.
    B. Operating Revenue: amount and source of funding for preceding year
  2. A copy of your IRS 501(c)(3) letter. If your organization has an EXTERNAL fiscal sponsor, provide their IRS 501(c)(3) number plus a letter or email from them verifying that they are sponsoring your organization.
  3. OTHER SUPPORTING MATERIAL

You may submit up to two (2) additional pages of material. These can be recent media publications, letters of support, promotional or organizational reports.

  1. GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS
  • Send one complete copy of your application as an email attachment (Word or pdf). Maximum length is 6 pages with cover sheet.
  • Use a standard typeface no smaller than 12 points and no less than .50 inch margins.
  • We work with electronic submissions. Please contact us if this is not possible.

*Email: This should be the address of the main person with whom we will to communicate. Please put your organization’s name in the subject line, send to

apply@markhamnathanfund.org.

Sí, aceptamos las solicitudes de fondos en español.

Submission deadline is March 15 2020 for Spring 2020 awards and September 15 if for Fall 2020 award.
Previous Grantees may apply again.

  • Change have limited access to resources (annual budget not exceeding $175,000)