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Local Indivisible groups build and wield power in ways that individuals can’t. To create change, you need the collective constituent power that comes with working together, as Indivisibles.

Indivisibles organize -- which means building power and flexing at key moments. Indivisible Groups take action in their communities, build collective purpose, and create change.

We make calls. We show up. We organize. And we’ve built lasting collective power across the country, in our home towns. We’re Indivisible.

We’re a grassroots movement of thousands of local Indivisible groups with a mission to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda.

Grassroots Organizing Wins (GROW) Grants Overview

During this period of physical distancing, Indivisible groups are developing creative ways to build capacity, collaborate and learn while staying safe (such as video conferencing, using digital tools and sponsoring mutual aid efforts). We welcome applications that reflect our current reality. Some of the examples and explanations listed below may not be applicable during social distancing, but keep them in mind as one day we will certainly join together not only in community, but again in person.

Welcome to the Indivisible GrassRoots Organizing Wins (GROW) Grant program! Thisprogram is designed tosupport group collaboration and capacity building. Using the process below, Indivisible groups can apply for grant money for projects, supplies, trainings, venues, vendors and more.

Program Description 

Grant Timetable:

  • Grants will be reviewed and awarded monthly. 

  • Applications are due on or before the 23rd of each month.

  • Funding decisions will be made on or before the 5th of each month

  • Money awarded will be deposited into your Distributed Fundraising account immediately. (If you don’t have a Distributed Fundraising account, setting one up will add another couple weeks to the process.) 

  • Funds should be used within six months of receipt

  • Your good news report-backs are due once the grant is used

Grant Amounts Rewarded:

The amount of funding provided varies with the scope and type of the proposed project.

  • Up to $500: Projects that involve only one or two Indivisible groups 

  • Up to $1500: Projects that involve multiple (3+) Indivisible groups but do not center on statewide trainings.
    Example: a multi-group postcarding project that is designed to increase membership, build collaboration, and strengthen each group’s infrastructure. 

  • Up to $4,000: -a “statewide training” grant. Available only for projects created to train and/or convene many groups from across a state or several states.  To qualify for this level of funding, the money requested must be primarily designated for such expenses as stipends for trainers, food for participants, venue/video conference software or other items that make the training possible, rather than for the funding of an action (such as texting tools, postcards or other software).

Requirements

There are three requirements you must meet to be considered for a GROW Grant:

  1. Who can apply: Folks requesting and accepting grants must be active members of an Indivisible group that is registered with Indivisible, and be using the money to fund activities approved by their group and its leadership.
  2. What will be funded: Grant money must be used for Indivisible-led activities that increase collaboration between three or more Indivisible groups and/or for activities that build capacity for the group(s) involved by focusing on recruiting new members, developing leadership capacity or increasing skills in racial equity and inclusion. (What does “capacity-building entail? Learn more here.)
  3. How the funds will be received: One of the groups involved in any grant must have (or commit to join) a Distributed Fundraising account (this is so that we can distribute the funds to you seamlessly and maintain 501c4 compliance). 

Scoring Rubric 

For projects that have met the requirements listed above, grant applications will be scored using this rubric and evaluated against the other grant proposals received each month. If your grant is not funded, you will be given the opportunity to learn why and to re-submit. 

Most grants will be awarded based on numeric scores, but in some cases we may include additional considerations in the final decision. These considerations include equitable distribution of grants across the country; whether a group has received a previous GROW grant, and other factors we may not have anticipated in the initial program development. 

Restrictions 

Because Indivisible Project is a 501(c)(4) and the funds will be granted through its distributed fundraising program, there are a few restrictions about how the funds can be used. Some of these restrictions include: 

  1. Grants cannot be used for:

    • Drugs or alcohol

    • Personal enrichment

    • Staff or independent contractors (exception: vendors paid by debit card) 

    • Direct contributions to campaigns/political parties/PACs

    • State & local political work 

    • Coordinated federal political work (ie* working directly with campaigns)  

  2. Grants cannot be used for something other than the approved purpose. 

  3. Grants cannot be in conflict with the Indivisible Principles groups commit to when they register. 

You can read more about the distributed fundraising program here. 

Step by Step 

From a group perspective, all you really need to do is decide with your group what you want to request a grant for and then complete an application. That said, you’ll be more likely to find success with a clear understanding of the process. 

  1. Discuss the grant with your group/groups you’ll be working with. As outlined in the requirements, grants should be projects that enhance multi group collaboration and/or build your group’s capacity. Before applying, review the full application. Fill out a mock application with your group offline to make sure you, your group, and the other groups you’re working with are all aligned on how you want to use the grant. 
  2. Fill out the application. The application is designed to map to this scoring rubric, so that we can collect all the necessary information to make an objective decision while also limiting the “paperwork” to apply. 
  3. Important Note. You are not expected to be grant-writing experts! Answer the questions briefly and directly, as well as you can, in language that is comfortable for you. 
  4. Wait a few weeks while the Indivisible GROW Grant team evaluates the applications. We’ll review all the applications received before the 23rd of each month at the same time, and score them all at once relative to each other. We will use the rubric and in some cases, may incorporate additional considerations into the final decisions—such as equitable distribution of grants across the country—to evaluate applications and select final grant recipients based on available funds. If the GROW Grants team determines your application does not qualify for a higher level grant, but does qualify for a lower level, it will be considered at the appropriate level.
  5. Watch your email for a notification! We will notify all applicants by the 5th of the month following the application period. So if you apply prior to April 23rd, for example, you will be notified if you are receiving the grant by May 5th. Please make sure to plan accordingly and apply with sufficient time before you intend to use the grant. 
  6. If you receive a “no,” let us help you reapply. If you are not awarded a grant, we encourage you to reapply. welcome to reapply. We would be happy to re-send you your initial application so that you can copy from that rather than writing it all from scratch. The GROW Grants team also offers up to an hour long meeting for groups that are re-applying. You can schedule a time by reaching out to growgrants@indivisible.org.
  7. If you receive a “yes” and you have a Distributed Fundraising account, we’ll send the funds to your account shortly after you sign an agreement letter! Keep an eye on your account for the funds and let us know if you have any issues.
  8. If you don’t have a Distributed Fundraising account, create one! All grant money is sent to groups through Distributed Fundraising accounts. This allows us to distribute the funds to you seamlessly and maintain 501(c)(4) compliance. It’s also a best practice for groups that are spending money! It may take an additional two weeks to receive the funds if your group is not already registered for distributing fundraising. You can expedite the process by following up promptly with paperwork. It will take 8-10 business days from setting up your distributed fundraising account to receiving your debit card. 
  9. Get to work! This is the best part...you get to use your GROW grant to strengthen your group! 
  10. Report back! Lots of Indivisible activists will be eager to learn about your project, so make sure to tag @Indivisibleteam in any social media content about your project that ends up on social media. You’ll also be asked to fill out a detailed debrief so others can learn from your experiences, and we can brag about you and what you’ve done to increase your collaborative and capacity-building work. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about the program overall or about your application. You can reach the GROW Grants team at growgrants@indivisible.org.