The 2024 Movement Building grant applications illuminated the breadth and depth of movement building in our city.
Taken together the applications weave a tapestry of justice that recognizes people in their full humanity. Common among the applications was a vision of a city designed for everyone to thrive and be free.
In Fall 2024, the Fels Fund Board approved a three-year (2024-2027) commitment of $2,415,000 for twenty-one organizations in the Movement Building Grantee Partner Cohort [Cohort]. Each organization in the Cohort will receive a general support grant, leadership development and wellness grant, and have access to the Beyond the Grant programming.
Meet the Cohort
This dynamic cohort represents a wide range of focus areas, including the arts, environmental and technology justice, decarceration, immigrant and refugee rights, legal aid, public education, food and land sovereignty, and worker rights. Grants were also awarded to capacity building organizations that support movement leaders and strengthen the broader ecosystem.
Of the twenty-one organizations:
- 76% of the primary leaders on staff represent the unique community their organization serves
- 8 organizations use a co-leader leadership model
- Budgets range from $300K to $7M; 14 organizations have budgets under $1M
- 4 organizations are first-time grant recipients of Fels Fund
- 3 organizations are five years old or younger
Additional Grants for 2024
As we enter into a three-year journey with the Cohort, we heard the request of many grant applicants for more holistic support. In response, Fels Board approved additional grants for capacity building programs that support individuals and organizations, an emergency fund and support for local pooled funds. Fels also approved a modest general support grant to recognize the labor of organizations who were invited to complete the stage two full grant application. The grants of recognition are a first in Fels Fund history.
Capacity Building Grants
- Rockwood Leadership Institute – supporting weeklong intensive for leadership development, rest, reflection, and community building for Philadelphia movement leaders and staff in the Cohort
- Securing the Roots – supporting organizations with budgets under $1M to increase fundraising capacity through a learning cohort
- Windcall Institute – supporting sabbaticals and related supports for Philadelphia movement leaders and staff in the Cohort
Emergency Fund
- Fels Fund’s Community Response Fund – emergency funding reserved for the Cohort to be responsive to nonprofit needs, emergencies, and/or support election protection
Pooled Funds
- Community Care Fund through Leeway Foundation – supporting individual artists
- Pooled Wellness Fund PHL – supporting free wellness events for nonprofit leaders and staff in the Greater Philadelphia Region. Sign up to get direct updates about the wellness opportunities.
- Trans Resilience Fund through Gender Justice Fund– supporting participatory grantmaking for the transgender community and transgender-led and serving organizations
Fels Fund will continue to partner and uplift the movement ecosystem to explore, grow, struggle, strategize, and heal as organizations continue to seek justice for all. We look forward to partnering with these incredible people and organizations.