Seeding Advocacy across Oregon.
Background and Overview
Funding advocacy is a crucial component of movement building—without it, organizations cannot engage in systems change at a large scale. Early in 2024, Seeding Justice funded its first round of grantees under the Seeding Advocacy program. In this opportunity, Seeding Justice will fund Oregon-based organizations that believe, like we do, that those most impacted by the pain of injustice are the ones best equipped to come up with solutions to the problems that affect them.
This funding is intended to support community-driven public policy, advocacy and community organizing that is focused on systems change at the local and statewide levels.
Grant funding could be used for:
- Community organizing and leadership development
- Communications and messaging
- Training and Member Education
- Campaign Development (research, coalition building, polling, etc.)
No part of these funds may be used to support or oppose any political party or candidate for public office. Funds must be used for charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes.
Selection Criteria
Seeding Justice will prioritize projects that:
- are led by Black and Indigenous people and other communities of color, especially those that identify as LGBTQIA2S+, immigrants and refugees, folks living with disabilities, people living with low incomes, folks that are currently or formerly incarcerated, houseless people, and those living in rural communities;
- address the root causes of injustice and focus on changing systems, not just addressing symptoms of problems;
- build collective power by using community organizing, leadership development, base building, policy advocacy, and/or other strategies;
- are intentionally anti-racist, anti-oppression, and intersectional in their thinking, approaches and solutions; and
- are led by the people most impacted.
While we are accepting applications from groups of all sizes, our Grantmaking Committee has historically prioritized smaller, grassroots organizations.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for funding, organizations must:
- Be based in Oregon and/or their work must benefit those who call Oregon home;
- Have 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) tax exemption, or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, or be a Tribal nation; and
- Have a history of public policy, advocacy, and community organizing.
Organizations that received a Seeding Advocacy grant in 2024 are not eligible to apply. If you’re unsure if that’s you, please contact us at grants@seedingjustice.org.
Grant Types and Amounts
Seeding Advocacy grants are project support grants. Project support grants are restricted to a specific project or fiscally sponsored group. Grants are for one year, unless otherwise stated in the grant agreement. Applicants can request up to $20,000.
Seeding Justice strives to fund groups at the full amount requested. However, our limited budget and the high number of applications we receive sometimes force us to make smaller awards.
Our Most Recent Grants
We’re pleased to highlight the most recent round of Seeding Advocacy grants (2025), totaling $380,000:
Basic Rights Education Fund: Support for organizing to defend and expand queer and trans equality in Oregon through the Equal Rights for All campaign.
Black Food Sovereignty Coalition: Support for building collective power through policy education for BIPOC farmers and producers in Oregon.
Coalition of Community Health Clinics: Support for policy and advocacy work for Community Health Clinics and Community Health Workers.
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission: Support to build government capacity for tribal sovereignty through education and training to enhance resource management partnerships.
Community Alliance of Lane County: Support for Voices United for Education Justice to build power, among immigrant, BIPOC youth and families, to engage in systems and policy change for equitable education in Springfield, Eugene, Bethel school districts.
Family Forward Action: Support for the Family Forward Advocacy Care Summit to build a statewide base and develop leaders in the movement for universal child care.
Honor the Treaty of 1864: Support for expanding outreach for tribal advocacy to protect the treaty rights and resources of the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin tribes.
Indigenous Health Equity Institute: Support to establish a community advisory board for guiding policy change for decolonizing public health systems and advancing Indigenous health justice across Oregon through strategic advocacy, organizing, and leadership development.
Latino Community Association: Support for promoting civic education and engagement among the Latine immigrant population of Central Oregon.
Mano a Mano: Support for Movement Youth Journalism through Radio Poder.
Migrante Portland: Support for immigrant and migrant rights in the workplace and in the community and resist all anti-migrant policies.
NativeWomanshare: Support for Southern Oregon Coalition of Indigenous Women & Two-Spirits to advocate for Indigenous Sovereignty, Two-Spirit/Queer Rights, Cultural Preservation and Environmental Justice.
Northwest Workers’ Justice Project Action Fund: Support for policy and advocacy around farmworker and care worker workplace standards boards.
Oregon Center for Public Policy: Support for economic justice for all Oregonians through community-driven public policy.
Oregon Water Justice Alliance and Ríos to Rivers: Support for Oregon Paddle Tribal Waters advocacy project for water justice and Indigenous rights.
Sex Worker Affirming Advocates: Support for sex workers rights through issue education and leadership development of current and former sex workers.
Tribal Democracy Project: Support Tribal Civics Engagement Initiative that promotes tribal sovereignty and rights.
Uplift Local: Support for Documenters, a civic engagement program in the Columbia River Gorge.
Voz Workers’ Rights Education Project: Support for El Pueblo Salva El Pueblo: Mobilizing Community Power Against Anti-Immigrant Efforts.
Open Applications
Visit our Submittable page to view any open applications.
