Catalyze Fund 2024 Rapid Response Fund

Overview 

As the election season unfolds, we’re all experiencing growing division and impacts of systemic problems. Young leaders and community advocates, from college campuses to Congress, are addressing immediate crises and working to resolve systemic problems. Supporting these community-led solutions that advance economic and social well-being and protect civil liberties is more critical than ever. That’s why Catalyze Fund is launching the Rapid Response Fund—to accelerate and amplify the work of frontline changemakers in this critical moment.

Funding Priorities & Criteria

This fund will award grants ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 to organizations working on:

1. Youth and Campus Mobilizing: Initiatives that bring together young people and students to respond to urgent issues and address systemic problems on their campuses and in their surrounding communities. This includes working on challenges like campus safety, educational equity, and local concerns.
2. Racial Justice Solidarity: Activities that address urgent needs related to advocating for Palestinian rights, migrant rights, and community safety. This includes providing safety and security support, legal assistance, and public education efforts.
3. Civic Engagement: Efforts that boost civic participation and advocate for a more inclusive and fair democratic process. This includes promoting voter engagement and fostering a diverse and representative democracy.

Funding will be available for the following types of activities:

• Immediate Crisis: Support for emergency relief, legal aid, and know your rights training. 
• Community Organizing and Policy Advocacy: Support for community mobilization, leadership development, coalition building, public awareness campaigns, and research to advance ongoing campaigns.
• Communications and Digital Media: Resources for crisis communications, online campaigns, digital security, and the development of digital tools to enhance ongoing campaigns.

Eligibility Criteria

Organizations must meet the following criteria to be considered for Rapid Response funding:

• Urgency: The request should address an immediate crisis related to the funding priorities listed above.
• Tax Status: The organization must be a registered 501(c)(3) or have a fiscal sponsor with the appropriate tax status. Grants cannot be used for lobbying purposes.
• Financial Stability: The organization should have a plan for meeting the overall project budget if the Rapid Response funding does not cover all costs.
• Budget Considerations: Priority will be given to organizations with an operating budget under $1 million. Organizations with larger budgets will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Leadership and Focus: Priority will be given to organizations that center Muslims in both leadership and programming—having Muslim leaders with organization-wide influence and a Muslim base that both shapes and benefits from the organization's services.

What the Fund Will Not Support

The Rapid Response Fund will not support:

• Long-term projects unrelated to immediate or urgent needs.
• Partisan political campaigns, electioneering, or ballot initiatives.
• Basic or individual needs, such as direct donations or scholarships.
• Non-emergency travel, conference expenses, or general organizational development.
• Research that does not directly support rapid response efforts.
• International aid or international development.

How to Apply

To ensure a streamlined and efficient process, please follow these steps:

1. Complete Application: Complete the application form here. If you have any additional questions please contact us at grants@pillarsfund.org. 
2. Application Review: After submitting your application, a Catalyze Fund team member will assess your eligibility and request. If additional information is needed, we may reach out via email or schedule a brief follow-up call. Applications submitted by Monday will be reviewed promptly, and you will receive a decision by the following Monday.
3. Decision and Notification: Within one week of receiving complete information or after a follow-up call, a Catalyze Fund team member will notify you of our decision. If your application is approved, our finance team will contact you if additional information is needed to process funding.
4. Approval and Disbursement: Upon approval, funds will be disbursed within 2-3 weeks. 
5. Declined Applications: If your application declined, Catalyze Fund will offer limited office hours to answer questions.

Application Questions

The following questions will be asked on the application to determine whether an organization meets our eligibility criteria for this rapid response cycle:

• Does your organization have 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor?
• Does your organization center Muslims in leadership and programming? (This includes having Muslim team members in leadership roles with organization-wide influence and a Muslim base that informs and benefits from your services.)
• Which of the following best describes the focus of your rapid response funding request?
• Youth and Campus Organizing
• Racial Justice Solidarity
• Civic Engagement 
• Describe the immediate crisis affecting your organization or community and explain how this grant will accelerate and amplify your work and impact. (Suggested maximum word count: 500 words)