Brookline for All Grant Program

Overview

The Brookline For All Grant Program aims to provide immediate funding to support initiatives intended to make Brookline a welcoming and inclusive community where the rights and dignity of all community members are upheld and protected.

If you are interested in applying for a Brookline For All Grant, please contact our Program & Partnerships team directly to schedule a conversation to discuss your proposed project and eligibility.

Giving program details

The Brookline For All Grant Program aims to respond to community and organizational needs as they arise. We welcome proposals that address, but do not need to be limited to, the following focuses:

• Identifying and raising awareness of community needs
• Creating forums for community conversations and education
• Promoting anti-racist education and dialogues about racism
• Advancing and protecting the rights of vulnerable community members
• Increasing representation within local government and leadership bodies
• Addressing issues of discrimination
• Addressing/mitigating disparities
• Providing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and trainings within organizations

Brookline For All grants are general operating grants. BCF will consider funding requests up to $3,000.

Priority Considerations

In alignment with our organizational vision and funding priorities, as we review proposals, we will give preference to community organizations and groups that:

• Are working to advance equity, including removing barriers to opportunities, meeting the immediate needs of those impacted by inequities, addressing root causes of inequities such as poverty or racism;
• Are led by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and/or;
• Focus on BIPOC and other vulnerable populations.

For this grant program, an organization/group is considered BIPOC-led if they meet at least one of the following three criteria:

• The organization/group’s Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer or Board Chair identifies as BIPOC.
• 50% or more of the organization’s leadership staff or program directors identify as BIPOC.
• 50% or more of board members identify as BIPOC.

Eligibility

501(c)(3) nonprofits organizations, Town departments or agencies, and community groups can apply for funding. If you are a Town department or agency, please see our additional guidelines. Organizations and groups that are currently funded through other BCF grant programs are eligible to apply.

Proposed projects or programs should directly benefit members of the Brookline community, which we define as those who live, learn, work, or play in Brookline.

To be eligible, an applicant must be operated and organized so that it does not discriminate in the hiring of staff or provision of services on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or disability.

If an organization or project is new and/or not yet tax-exempt (is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), an application may be submitted through a fiscal sponsorship. BCF can assist applicants in identifying an appropriate fiscal sponsor. If you are interested in pursuing fiscal sponsorship, please refer to our grant FAQs for more information or contact BCF.

BCF is unable to provide direct support or scholarships to individuals and our grants cannot be used to cover travel costs, political campaigns, or lobbying.

Application timeline

Rolling Deadline: Brookline For All Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis, year-round, as funding is available. Grant decisions are announced within two weeks of grant application submission.

How to apply

Apply through our online grant application or by mailing or emailing your application to BCF. All applications must be received by the grant deadline.

Application support & technical assistance (TA)

We encourage all applicants to contact us prior to submitting your application so that we may support you, as needed, in your submission. We also welcome you to attend one of our optional applicant support and TA sessions.

Attend our Virtual Grant Information Session to learn about BCF’s grant programs and application process. A recording will be available after the Information Session.

• Register to attend on Wednesday, August 10th at 9am.

Questions?

Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions before, during or after the application process. We are happy to discuss ideas prior to submission.