What We Fund

Para información en español, por favor llama a la oficina: 212-620-9110.

Ensuring Economic Justice: Many New Yorkers still confront barriers to opportunity for education, healthcare, housing, and work. Too often, economic policies are shortsightedly determined without the leadership and input of communities facing injustice or disadvantage. North Star Fund supports groups that are expanding democracy by bringing marginalized communities into the center of the decisions that affect their lives.
Securing Peace & Justice: Social justice is the key to peace. We fund groups working for justice in all its aspects--economic, social and environmental--and creating alternatives to militarism and war.
Protecting Civil Liberties and Constitutional Rights: Democracy is the ground from which the common good is envisioned and enacted. Basic civil rights include free speech and expression, the right of assembly, freedom from fear and intimidation. North Star Fund supports groups that safeguard our constitutional system and resist the erosion of these fundamental human rights. These rights extend to both citizens and non-citizens of the U.S. alike. North Star Fund's support of groups working for immigration reform and the rights of undocumented people has been ground-breaking.
Ending Institutional Racism and Gender Bias: Racism. Gender discrimination. Homophobia. Transphobia. The methods and means of exclusion are complex and interlinking. North Star Fund supports groups challenging institutional racism and all forms of discrimination.

Community Organizing: The central focus of our grants programs is support for groups organizing people to participate in the political life of their community. Effective community organizing trains people to be leaders, to question those in power, to identify and solve problems themselves, and to develop a community's ability to change unjust systems and institutions.
Grassroots Advocacy: Traditionally, advocacy is speaking on behalf of others to change policy and law. Grassroots advocacy is driven by the individuals who are affected by the issue speaking for themselves.
Culture and Media: Cultural expression and the media can assist and expand grassroots organizing work. North Star Fund seeks to support cultural workers and media justice groups that are linked to community organizing efforts.
Technical Assistance/Resource Development for Community Organizing: The tools of community organizing and activism, training, research and technical support are crucial for building grassroots effectiveness and sustainability. These resources are used to support the capacity of organizations to do better community-based organizing work.

Have an annual budget of $250,000 or less
Work within the five boroughs of New York City
Have a 501(c)(3) status or have a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status
Make the links between different but related forms of oppression
Are led by and for the communities they seek to serve
Are democratically structured and accountable to their communities
Represent traditionally marginalized or disenfranchised communities , i.e. low-income people, immigrants, people of color, LGBTSTQ, women, elders, youth and people with disabilities
Actively work to create progressive social change

Direct service organizations, i.e. food pantries, soup kitchens
Organizations with budgets greater than $250,000 or significant access to mainstream funding
Individual efforts
Private or public schools, colleges, and universities
Hospitals and clinics
Statewide, national, or international organizations
Travel expenses for individual speakers or conference participants
Activities to elect specific candidates for public office
Fundraising events such as galas and walk-a-thons
Feasibility studies, capital fund drives
Organizations that do not comply with Federal, state, or local equal opportunity statutes

If you have specific questions about your eligibility, please contact us at 212-620-9110.

Sean Barry

Executive Director, NYC AIDS Housing Network