FUND THE PEOPLE
APPLY FOR A MICROGRANT: INVESTING IN A MORE JUST PRESENT & FUTURE
What is a microgrant?
For the organizing community, mutual aid is not a new practice. Mutual aid is a collectivist approach to meeting people's needs when their government fails to do so or exacerbates the problem. In the United States, "mutual aid" can be traced back to Emancipation when free Black communities had to find ways to care for one another when the United States government refused to do so. Mutual aid is a practice rooted in solidarity, equity, community, and a belief that every human being has a right to have their basic needs met. Not My Generation's approach to mutual aid within our youth organizer community centers around microgrants: one-time payments to an individual or organization. Once issued, the money from the microgrant can be used to help meet an individual’s urgent needs (rent, food, medical care, etc...), to compensate low-income NMG organizers to be able to afford to do the work of community organizing, or to support an aligned organization's project or program. Read on to learn more about our microgrant program and apply at the bottom of the page!
Purpose of Program:
In order to ensure NMG holds ourselves accountable to our stated goals of uplifting and promoting the work of local organizers and abolitionists, as well as guaranteeing the longevity of the youth-powered gun violence prevention movement, we are committing to setting aside a minimum of $10,000 annually for mutual aid to be distributed via the "Funding the People" microgrants program. According to democratically decided internal policies, NMG will set aside a minimum of $10,000 towards this program each year which may only be reduced if total funding for the organization in a given year is lower than $25,000. The microgrant program will serve as an opportunity to invest in youth organizers and directly aid individuals that need additional support as we work to not only build a more just future, but also to bring justice & love for our communities into the present.
WHo can access these funds?
There are two different types of recipients: individual and organization/collective.
INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS:
Individual recipients of funds (i.e. on-the-ground organizers) may use their funding for rent, food, childcare, a car payment, an emergency medical bill, or whatever else is urgently needed. Individuals will be eligible for these mutual aid funds if 1) they’ve been organizing towards justice & equity in their community; and 2) demonstrate requisite need. The individual granted the funds does not need to be part of Not My Generation and does not need to complete any kind of post-grant reflection form. This policy is to respect the privacy of the grantees and ensure no one is retraumatized by the process of receiving aid or otherwise barred from accessing the funds. We encourage grantees to get involved with Not My Generation, but there are no requirements or expectations regarding such.
ORGANIZATION/COLLECTIVE REQUESTS:
Any local organization or collective working towards justice & equity in their community may apply for microgrant funding. The applying organization/collective may request funds for the purpose of hosting an event, action, or organizing campaign that aligns with Not My Generation's core values, or for resources to respond to an emergency need situation in the community. Any organization/collective that is awarded funds will be required to write a post-grant reflection to be submitted to the NMG leadership, explaining how the microgrant was used and how it benefited the community to which it was granted.
Frequently asked questions:
WHY RUN THIS PROGRAM? Not My Generation launched our "Funding the People" microgrant program in order to meaningfully invest in mutual aid and to put resources behind our commitment to supporting local organizers. NMG leadership sees the program as a means by which to strive towards our goal of collective liberation. We hope that our minimum allocation to this program will continue to grow for years to come.
WHO DECIDES WHAT MONEY IS AWARDED TO WHOM? In accordance with our stated goals of being a democratic organization, the microgrant allocations will be decided by a volunteer body of Not My Generation leaders, composed of at least one individual from each of NMG's National Committees. The deciding body will meet during the third week of each month.
ARE THERE SEPARATE POOLS OF MONEY FOR INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATION FUNDING? In short, no. To meet the needs of on-the-ground organizers, NMG caps all organization/collective funding at 50% of the total microgrant funds available in a given fiscal year. There are no limitations on the percentage of funds awarded to individual grantees, and is up to the discretion of the selecting body mentioned above.
HOW DO I APPLY? To apply, complete the form at the bottom of the page. The form requires the following information: name, email, phone number, amount requested, and selection of applying as “individual” or “organization/collective.” If the applicant is requesting on behalf of an organization or collective, the applicant will be required to submit a short statement explaining such. If the applicant is requesting as an individual, the applicant will be asked to provide a small amount of information about what the funds will be used for."
HOW ARE FUNDS DISBURSED? After an application has been submitted, reviewed, and accepted, the individual or organization/collective granted funding will be provided their awarded amount via Venmo or check. If another method is necessary, the Not My Generation team will work directly with the recipient to ensure the funding is received."
CAN I APPLY MORE THAN ONCE? You can receive funding from NMG's microgrant program as an individual once per year and/or once per year on behalf of an organization/collective. If you apply and are not awarded funds, you can apply again during the same year."
WHO DO I ASK FOR MORE INFORMATION?
Director of Fundraising and Finance