Call for Applications: Mobilize Power Fund (United States)

Deadline: 06-Oct-26

The Mobilize Power Fund provides rapid response grants to gender justice organizations facing unexpected, time-sensitive opportunities or threats that affect their movement building and organizing work. The fund is designed to help organizations respond quickly to challenges or opportunities that have emerged within the previous six months. Support can help groups adapt, pivot, or strengthen their organizing in response to urgent circumstances, including rapid response mobilizations, healing justice, conflict resolution, community accountability, mutual aid, direct actions, and emergency safety or security needs. Individual organizations can receive up to $10,000 USD, while partnerships or coalitions involving two or more groups may request up to $20,000 USD.

About the Mobilize Power Fund

The Mobilize Power Fund was established to provide flexible support to gender justice organizations responding to urgent and unforeseen circumstances. The fund recognizes that movement-building organizations may need to adapt their strategies quickly when conditions change. These changes may create new opportunities for organizing or present threats that require an immediate response. Funding is therefore intended for situations that have occurred within the last six months and that have a clear impact on an organization’s movement building or organizing conditions. What Does the Fund Support? The Mobilize Power Fund can support a range of rapid response and movement-building activities.

Examples include:

- Rapid response mobilizations. - Healing justice work. - Conflict resolution. - Community accountability. - Mutual aid. - Direct actions. - Emergency safety needs. - Emergency security needs. - Other urgent strategies responding to unforeseen challenges or opportunities. Applicants should demonstrate how the proposed activities respond to a recent development and strengthen their organization’s or community’s ability to organize and build power. Who Is Prioritized? Priority is given to organizations that are led by and accountable to communities directly impacted by gender oppression.

Particular priority is given to groups connected to communities including

- Young women of color. - Trans youth. - Queer youth. - Intersex youth. - Gender non-conforming youth. - People of color under 35. The fund places emphasis on organizations whose leadership and accountability structures reflect the communities most directly affected by the issues they address. What Issues Should Applicants Address? Applicants must demonstrate a clear connection between their work and gender justice issues.

Relevant issues include:

- Patriarchy. - Transphobia. - Homophobia. - Gender inequity. - Gender-based violence. Organizations should also explain how their proposed strategies contribute to community power and organizing capacity. The connection between the organization’s work, the urgent situation, and its movement-building strategy should be clear in the application. How Much Funding Is Available? The maximum grant amount depends on whether an applicant is applying individually or as a partnership or coalition. Individual organizations may request up to: - $10,000 USD

Partnerships or coalitions of two or more groups may request up to

- $20,000 USD The larger funding limit for partnerships recognizes the potential for coordinated responses involving multiple organizations. Who Can Apply? Eligible organizations must meet the fund’s organizational requirements and demonstrate that their work is connected to gender justice and movement building.

Applicants must:

- Have an annual budget of less than $500,000. - Address issues connected to gender oppression or gender justice. - Demonstrate how their work strengthens community power and organizing capacity. - Respond to an opportunity or threat that has occurred within the last six months. Partnerships and coalitions involving two or more eligible groups can request the higher funding amount. Priority for Organizations With Limited Philanthropic Access The Mobilize Power Fund prioritizes organizations that may have fewer opportunities to access philanthropic resources.

Particular consideration is given to organizations that

- Are based in areas with limited access to philanthropic resources. - Do not have 501(c)(3) status. - Do not have fiscal sponsorship. This approach is intended to make rapid-response funding more accessible to smaller and less-resourced organizations working within gender justice movements. Why Rapid Response Funding Matters Movement-building organizations can face situations where waiting for a traditional grant cycle may prevent them from responding effectively. An unexpected threat, community need, political development, or organizing opportunity may require immediate action. The Mobilize Power Fund is designed to provide support in these circumstances, allowing eligible organizations to adapt their work and respond to changing conditions while strengthening community organizing and collective power. What Should a Strong Application Demonstrate? Applicants should clearly connect the urgent situation to their movement-building work.

A strong application should explain:

- What unexpected opportunity or threat has emerged. - When the situation occurred. - How it has affected organizing conditions. - Why a rapid response is necessary. - What activities the organization proposes to undertake. - How the proposed response connects to gender justice. - How the work strengthens community power. - How the activities increase organizing capacity. - Why the requested funding is appropriate. Applicants should also demonstrate that the situation falls within the fund’s six-month timeframe.

Partnerships and Coalitions

Two or more organizations can apply as a partnership or coalition and may request up to $20,000 USD. Collaborative applications should clearly explain: - The organizations involved. - The shared challenge or opportunity. - Each group’s rol