BEA Fund 2024

BEA FUND 2024 APPLICATION OVERVIEW 

I. ABOUT THE BEA FUND    

Frontline communities experience some of the first and most serious impacts of environmental injustice and yet, despite their rich analysis and experience with these injustices, and their leadership in creating solutions to address the root causes of these systemic injustices, they continue to be under-funded and under-resourced. The BEA Fund emerged from a shared recognition that for the environmental movement to be successful, grassroots groups must be supported and resourced to institutionalize community-based solutions to the ecological crisis.    

OUR UNDERSTANDING OF KEY TERMS                            

Environmental justice is broadly defined and includes climate justice, land, territory, and water rights, food sovereignty, and other ecological struggles.

Environmental justice groups are based in the community and the community has been defined with some geographic or identity-based definitions. EJ groups represent communities that are historically and systematically overburdened by pollution and climate change. The mission or values of the group are grounded in justice principles such as Jemez Principles or environmental justice principles. These groups are rooted in, accountable to, and representative of communities of color, low-income communities, and tribal and Indigenous groups who are most directly impacted by the issues being addressed. They are committed to building local power and leadership to influence the decisions that affect their communities.    

The Grassroots Organizing Sector is made up of community based organizations, tribal and Indigenous groups, and their networks and alliances; rooted in, and accountable to, communities of color, low-income communities, and tribal and indigenous groups who are most directly impacted by the issues being addressed; committed to building local power and leadership to influence the decisions that affect their communities; and, comprised of those working on EJ linked to broader struggles for positive social change and transformation.    

II. OUR GRANTMAKING APPROACH

The BEA Fund promotes four interlinked elements: 1) Support Community Organizing at the Forefront of Change; 2) Build Partnerships Across Sectors and Geographies; 3) Advance a Just Transition; and 4) Build the Capacity of the Grassroots Sector.

This year, the BEA Fund aims to resource grassroots groups with a total grantmaking amount of $2,000,000. We anticipate being able to resource 60-80 grant organizations this year with one-year general operating support.  
     
Applications open at noon EST on Monday, July 8, 2024 and close on Friday, August 2 at 11:59pm ET. Only online submissions will be accepted this year. 

III. WHO WILL MAKE GRANTMAKING DECISIONS?

The BEA Fund uses a participatory grantmaking model where all decisions are made by the Grant Review Committee. The 8 person committee is composed of representatives from the three sectors: Grassroots, Greens, and Funder Allies. Grant reviewers recommend organizations for grant awards, and the BEA Steering Committee approves these recommendations.        

IV. WHO & WHAT TYPES OF GROUPS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

Only active BEA Participants and vetted nominated groups are invited to apply to the BEA Fund this year. To be considered an active BEA participant, your organization must meet at least 1 of the following criteria:

  • Have sent an organizational representative to attend at least one grassroots caucus meeting in last 12 months;
  • Have sent an organizational representative to attend the 2023 BEA General Assembly;
  • Have sent an organizational representative to attend an ad-hoc committee that advances the work of the BEA (this includes: attending a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion town hall/workshop; serving on the General Assembly Planning Committee, Community Evaluation Advisory Committee, Grassroots Caucus Workgroup and/or Grant Review Committee)
  • Complete the BEA membership survey by Friday, June 21

If the organization is also a current or former BEA grantee, they must be up to date on all grant reporting requirements.

Only Grassroots, Big Greens and Funder Allies who meet 1 of the 3 criteria can nominate an organization to apply to the 2024 BEA Fund.      
                 
In addition, all groups must have 501c3 status OR be fiscally sponsored by a 501c3 organization.    

If you are unsure whether your organization is eligible to apply to the BEA Fund this year, please email Kara Rubio at kara@bea4impact.org.    

V. NOMINATIONS

Only Grassroots, Big Greens and Funder Allies who meet 1 of the 3 criteria above can nominate an organization to apply to the 2024 BEA Fund.

Submitting a nomination does not guarantee that an organization will receive an invitation to apply to the BEA Fund. BEA Staff will review the list of nominated organizations and "do the homework" to learn more about whether the organization might align with the three grantmaking priorities listed above, as well as the following definition we have used for our EJ Grassroots Caucus members and BEA Fund eligibility in past years.

Environmental justice grassroots groups are:

  • Based in the community and the community has been defined with some geographic or identity-based definitions.
  • EJ groups represent communities that are historically and systematically overburdened by pollution and climate change. These groups are rooted in, accountable to, and representative of communities of color, low-income communities, and tribal and Indigenous groups who are most directly impacted by the issues being addressed.
  • The mission or values of the group are grounded in justice principles such as Jemez Principles or environmental justice principles.
  • They are committed to building local power and leadership to influence the decisions that affect their communities.

This year, we are prioritizing invitations to apply to the BEA Fund for nominated groups who reflect the following criteria:

  • EJ groups led by Black and Indigenous staff/volunteers. Research and lived experience continues to show that Black and Indigenous-led grassroots groups in particular continue to be under-resourced in environmental grantmaking. 
  • EJ groups located in/serving communities in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming.

V. OUR GRANTMAKING PRIORITIES 

  1. Supporting organizations that are led by and serve communities most disproportionately affected environmental racism. Environmental racism disproportionately harms Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) as well as low income communities. Organizations that are aligned with this grantmaking priority can demonstrate the following qualities or characteristics:
    -The organization and/or work is BIPOC-led; the leadership of the organization and/or work comes from the communities that are served by the work. This includes the representation and meaningful engagement of women, LGBTQI, and/or young people in leadership and decision-making of an organization.
    -The communities served by the work are engaged in identifying, planning for and decision-making about the work, are building capacity for leadership, and there is a clear outline for leadership development.
    -The work serves BIPOC communities and/or others adversely impacted by climate and other environmental harms.
     
  2. Building collective power through intersectional solidarity and strategic partnerships. An enduring strength of the grassroots environmental movement is its belief in the value of the power of the collective. Building authentic relationships, forging strategic partnerships and alliances, and managing a base are vital strategies that the BEA Fund seeks to support. Organizations that are aligned with this grantmaking priority can demonstrate the following qualities or characteristics:
    -The ability to organize and work across differences with intentional focus on reaching a range of communities across race, age, class, ability, geography and other classifications.
    -Generate momentum for a shared environmental justice agenda with diverse partners, community members, and organizations
    -Share power to strengthen the infrastructure of the environmental movement by taking on different roles within networks, coalition, and partnership spaces based on an organization's strengths and skills 
       

  3. Investing in organizational stability and long-term sustainability. The BEA Fund addresses a critical gap in the environmental justice funding landscape and support groups on the path to financial sustainability. The BEA Fund is looking to support organizations who are actively building their skills to be able to secure resources to support long-term sustainability. Organizations that are aligned with this grantmaking priority can demonstrate the following qualities or characteristics:
    -Organizations who have a clear plan in place to achieve their long-term vision.
    -Organizations who have or are making progress towards building the internal infrastructure to ensure diverse funding to sustain their work including a fundraising plan and strong financial management and record keeping systems.     

 VI. HOW DO I APPLY?      

Only groups who meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to apply to the BEA Fund this year via email. Applications open at 12 PM Eastern Time/9 AM Pacific Time on July 8, 2024 and close on Friday, August 2 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time PM/8:59 PM Pacific Time. No late applications will be accepted.