Rapid Response Grants

Organizations may receive up to $5,000 within a 12-month period.

 We explain these criteria in more detail here. Here’s a brief snapshot of eligibility guidelines:

We Fund Organizing

North Star Fund provides grants to organizations in NYC and Hudson Valley whose missions are to advance grassroots organizing—the process of building collective power so that communities impacted by injustice can make systemic change. Grantees can articulate the root causes of the injustices, pointing to systems and policies affecting their community. These organizations see community members impacted by this injustice as essential stakeholders, from whom they recruit leaders and seek stories, ideas, campaign strategy, and organizational direction. These organizations have a vision for systemic change that is connected to campaigns to undo or replace specific laws and systems that create inequity. These organizations can identify policymakers, decision-makers, or institutional targets in their campaigns. Community members take collective action to influence these targets to advance their demands.

We Fund Both New and Established Groups
These grants are intended for both new and emerging organizations as well as established movement builders with a track record of success.

New and emerging organizations are not expected to meet all of the community organizing criteria, but some priorities include:

• Mass mobilizations efforts and other activities that shift public opinion and change political conditions.
• Founders and key leaders come from the impacted community.
• New members can join and take part in leading the organization’s efforts.
• Founders and leaders can identify and articulate the root causes of injustice that they seek to address.

We Fund Small Organizations

North Star Fund grants support small organizations which typically lack access to support from national foundations. Organizational budgets range from $0 to a maximum of $800,000.

What We Don’t Fund

North Star Fund does not support organizations whose mission is to provide “direct services”—broadly defined as meeting individuals or communities’ immediate needs—unless individuals or program participants are moved into an organizing strategy and leadership pipeline to advance systemic change.

In addition to the criteria listed above, North Star Fund will consider requests from organizations that meet all of the following requirements:

• Organizations developing a response due to an unforeseen shift in political landscape, or organizations at a critical juncture within a campaign
• Can demonstrate some elements of community organizing
• Work is conducted in one of the five boroughs of New York City, or in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan, Columbia, Greene, Delaware, Rensselaer, Albany and Schoharie counties. Grantees must be located either in NYC or within at least one of these counties, but do not need to work in all the listed locations. Local chapters of statewide or national organizations may apply.

Due to limited resources, North Star Fund will prioritize:

1. Current and former grantees
2. Organizations that have an annual budget under $800,000

Ineligible Projects

Rapid response grants do not support travel to conference or cash flow issues.

Organizations may submit a rapid response request through our application portal. North Star Fund staff will review the request and contact you for more information, or share a decision with you within two weeks.

Organizations that meet the eligibility requirements may apply for a Rapid Response grant at any time. To apply, please fill out a short questionnaire online.

If applying online creates a hardship, you may contact us to schedule an appointment. Please reach out to grants@northstarfund.org.

Please be prepared to answer the following questions:

1. Please briefly describe your organization.

2a. Please describe your membership.

2b. Please describe any informal or formal decision-making and leadership roles of members in your organization.

3. Please describe the urgent threat or critical opportunity.

4. Please explain your organization’s proposed response to this urgent threat or critical opportunity. What are your expected results or outcomes from these actions?

5. What is the amount of the request? How will the money be used?

How long does the application process take?

North Star Fund’s typical application process takes three months from the application deadline to the moment that you hear from staff about the final decision.

North Star Fund's rapid response application process takes about two weeks.

What if I don’t have a fiscal sponsor or 501(c)3 status?

You can still apply. We will review all applications regardless of 501(c)(3) status. By the time grant awards are made, however, your organization must have a fiscal sponsor. If you need help identifying a fiscal sponsor, check out northstarfund.org/apply/grantee-resources for a directory.

Get more of your questions answered on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page.