Inland Empire Black Equity Fund:
Request for Proposal (RFP)
IECF is pleased to announce a request for proposals for the IE Black Equity Fund’s second round of grants! The Fund is a partnership between the Black Equity Initiative of the Inland Empire (BEI-IE), IE Funders Alliance and IECF to advance the mission of Black-led organizations in the Inland Empire through core support, program and project support, and capacity building.
Driven by the leadership and voice of the members of BEI-IE, grants will be awarded to nonprofits that are focused on systems change and power building work in these priority areas: civic engagement, criminal justice transformation, housing justice, health equity, education equity, and economic liberation.
Nonprofit organizations in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties that demonstrate learning needs or are currently engaged in this work are encouraged to apply.
Applications will be screened for eligibility and completeness by IECF staff. The BEI-IE Grant Committee will evaluate eligible applications and will make grant recommendations to IE Funders Alliance and IECF Board of Directors for final approval.
BEI-IE Values & Principles
BEI-IE recognizes that our battles for equity and justice are especially heavy when situated in a place with a deeply rooted and painful history of white supremacy. We uplift the legacy and memory of black people in the Inland Empire and their allies who led courageous fights for justice and equity and paved the way for new generations of leaders to emerge. We know the fight to undue structural racism must be sustained through intentional power building among black led and black empowering movements and organizations in the Inland Empire and abroad.
Grants range up to $20,000
Opening Date: October 24, 2022
Closing Date: December 16, 2022
Funding Tiers and Eligibility
Applicants may apply for the following funding tier only:
Learning Grants, up to $20,000 (up to 12 months) Funding supports their unique learning needs related to systems change and power building their priority focus areas. Learning funds also pays for staff participation in at least (2) required grantee learning sessions.
- Criteria: An organization may not have experience in systems change/power building work but are interested and committed to learning and growing the organization capacity to support racial equity work and desire to contribute to collective policy agenda setting through BEI Coalition.
Other Grant Eligibility
- Seek local, regional, and state policy solutions;
- Address a high need impacting Black people; and
- Have clear objectives that are compelling, measurable and can lead to successful outcomes and impact.
- Nonprofit, public benefit organizations based in the Inland Empire, with evidence of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or Fiscal sponsor sponsored by at 501(c)(3) and not classified as a private foundation.
- Organizations that operate on a non-discriminatory basis in the hiring of staff or in providing services on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability
Download Grant Guidelines and Project Scope
Need help with applying? Please send an email to Dina Walker titled “Questions” to dwalker@bluedfoundation.org. For technical assistance with the application portal, please contact London Jones at London@socialgoodsolutions.com.
Contact us:
Organizations will be notified of funding decisions by February 2023. To reach staff with general questions and inquiries about the Fund, email us at bei@iegives.org.