If you grow it, they will fund

posted by Liz, on July 14, 2009

City Farm in Chicago

The movement to create a just and sustainable food system in urban settings is gaining momentum. It’s also gaining support from foundations that will put dollars behind innovative and groundbreaking work in this field.

We can see it in places like Milwaukee, where Will Allen, urban agriculturalist, founder of Growing Power, recently received a $500,000 MacArthur Foundation genius grant. Or in Saint Louis, Missouri, where Angie Beatty and Shawn McKie received support for The J.U.I.C.E. Project –a program that turns inner city corner stores into a place to discover nutritious and affordable produce, free exercise activities, health education, and art programs–from Echoing Green.

Do you have an amazing idea or already functioning non-profit org in need of funding? Below are funding opportunities to help nurture your seedlings into a bountiful harvest.

Grants and fellowships

Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Center (HUFED)

With the 2008 Farm Bill came The Community Food Project Competitive Grants Program (CFP-CGP) a program called The Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Center (HUFED). According to Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), HUFED will create a $3 million center to provide outreach, technical assistance and feasibility study grants to support the development of enterprises that will distribute and market healthy and locally produced foods to underserved urban, rural and tribal communities.

For more information, contact the Community Food Security Coalition policy program, (202) 543-8602, steph@foodsecurity.org.

Nau Grant for Change

Through their first annual Grant for Change program, sustainable clothing company Nau is providing a $10,000 grant to those who instigate lasting, positive change in their communities.

Nau is currently accepting nominations through an open system on their website. You don’t have to wait for someone to nominate your idea; self-nominations are accepted. Multiple nominations are accepted as well.

But act fast–nominations close on August 17, 2009, and voting ends on August 31, 2009.

Echoing Green

Echoing Green doesn’t just provide funding, they directly invest in the future of those creating new solutions to society’s most difficult problems. Using a highly selective process, this non-profit organization identifies visionary social entrepreneurs and then, through a two-year fellowship program, provides those orgs with seed grants, hands-on support, and networking opportunities to ensure their future success.

Learn more about Echoing Green’s selection criteria and application process

Ashoka

Similarly to Echoing Green, Ashoka rewards fellowships to leading social innovators using strict criteria. Applicants must be prepared with a socially impactful idea, they must be creative, entrepreneurial, highly ethical, and passionate. As they put it, Ashoka is looking for the Andrew Carnegies, Henry Fords, and Steve Jobses of the citizen sector.

Learn more about Ashoka’s selection criteria and process

Skoll Foundation

The Skoll Foundation sets out to advance systemic change to benefit communities around the world by investing in, connecting with, and celebrating social entrepreneurs. The Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship focus on the key issues affecting our world: tolerance and human rights, health, economic and social equity, peace and security, institutional responsibility, and environmental sustainability. From these issues, Skoll is specifically interested in awarding entrepreneurs working focusing on these critical sub-issue areas: climate change, nuclear proliferation, pandemics, conflict in the Middle East, and water scarcity.

Hurry! The next deadline for applications is August 12, 2009.

Learn more about eligibility and how to apply.

New Profit

Another venture philanthropist, New Profit seeks to support social entrepreneurs and organizations whose ideas have the potential to address the root causes of our nation’s most pressing social problems. Applicants must have established 501(c)3 status, be headquartered in North America, and meet New Profit’s selection criteria.

Learn more about New Profit’s selection and funding criteria here.

Grow your own funds, with a little help

(For registered non-profits only)

Global Giving

Global Giving connects donors with non-profit organizations through its online directory of causes. After donors give to their favorite project, they are emailed updates on the progress of the particular project as the non-profit organization updates their status.

Learn more about Global Giving’s eligibility criteria here.

Change.org

It feels like a social network, news outlet, and action center wrapped up in one, but at the root of Change.org is the promotion of causes and non-profits making change. Non-profits can register for a free administrator account, set up their profile, and post fundraising projects and events.

Learn more about using Change.org to raise funds here.

Razoo

Like Global Giving and Change.org, Razoo offers a way for donors to find inspiring giving opportunities. Non-profit organizations must be based in the US and registered on Guidestar.org to be listed on Razoo.

Learn more about getting listed on Razoo.

Get noticed

The seeds of knowledge may be planted in solitude, but must be cultivated in public.

~Samuel Johnson
(1709-1784)

Sure you’re doing good for the world, but are you being seen and heard?

Below, a couple of ways to cultivate your idea in public.

Attention Philanthropy

According to Worldchanging, non-profit independent media org,

Attention philanthropy is a gift of notice. In a noisy world, deluged in advertising, overrun with PR flacks and crowded with the superficial, one of the biggest barriers to success for a small, good idea or noble enterprise can simply be getting noticed in the first place… Attention philanthropy is all about shining a light on good work that’s worth supporting. It is grantmaking that deals in access, rather than cash…

Worldchanging has featured some great change makers on their site, like People’s Grocery in West Oakland, California, or small-scale farming network Growfood.org. Could you be the next to receive the gift of attention?

Learn more about Attention Philanthropy “grants.”

Zazengo

With Zazengo, your non-profit, corporation, group, or self can engage people in action while tracking your impact. You can create campaigns to motivate your fans and then promote those campaigns on media and content sites.

Learn more about how you can promote and track your cause with Zazengo.

Liz Neves is a Sustainable Living Consultant and founder of Raganella. You can follow her on Twitter @raganella7.