Core Grantmaking
Core Grantmaking
We partner with organizations that build the power of Greater Washington communities to reimagine, recreate, reform, and transform systems in the pursuit of racial and economic justice.
At the Meyer Foundation, we believe systemic racism has led to our deeply inequitable economy and unjust systems, preventing entire communities from accessing prosperity and opportunity.
Our social contract – the accepted hierarchical cultural norms, practices, relationships, and behaviors – is unjust. Under this existing arrangement, worthiness and value are placed on production and profit and not people and planet. The result is the ongoing exclusion, exploitation, and theft from historically marginalized communities.
We believe that the social contract must be transformed to support a multi-racial inclusive democracy with transformed systems that work for all people, especially those directly impacted by racial injustice. This vision is an important component of the framework for our core grantmaking.
Through our grantmaking, we support work that strives toward a shared future–one that is just, where policy reflects the needs of people, where basic needs are met, people are safe, labor is valued, and all people belong. We invest in movement organizations and ideas that focus on relational power-building, community organizing, and advocacy.
Eligibility
To apply for a grant from the Meyer Foundation, applicants should:
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Be a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) public charity designation by the IRS (or be fiscally sponsored by one) and
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Work with and for the people and communities of Greater Washington, which Meyer defines as:
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Washington, DC
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- Montgomery and/or Prince George’s counties in Maryland
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Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon and/or Prince William counties and/or the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and/or Manassas Park in Virginia
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Most of the organizations Meyer supports are locally based and operate in Greater Washington. National or statewide organizations may apply for a project grant if the work is strongly aligned with Meyer’s strategy and priorities, takes place in Greater Washington, and is implemented in close partnership with local communities and organizations.
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If your organization is not yet a 501(c)(3) or does not yet have a fiscal sponsor, you may apply while you are securing that designation or finalizing the selection of a fiscal sponsor. However, grants can only be made to verified public charities (which means that you will need to have 501(c)(3) designation or a fiscal sponsor before we can approve and pay a grant).
If you have questions, contact us:
What We Support
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In addition to our eligibility requirements, organizations or projects seeking funding should:
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Address the root causes of inequity through systems change work. We define systems change as challenging and changing the culture, policies, practices, and priorities that create and perpetuate inequities.
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Build people power for purposes of advancing racial and/or economic justice.
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Leverage one or more of these tactics for change:
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Organizing & Base Building - Organizing is a grassroots method for building relationships and power, particularly among people and communities who have traditionally been excluded from decision making. Organizing may also be referred to as base building—recruiting and retaining a group of members from impacted communities who share values and goals toward changing material conditions of their community.
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Advocacy - Any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others. It includes public education, regulatory work, litigation, and work before administrative bodies, lobbying, voter education, and more.
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Coalition Building - A coalition is a collection of people and organizations with similar interests working together to influence outcomes around a specific cause. Coalition building is the process by which people and organizations come together to grow their base, coordinate efforts, deploy resources, and provide leadership and guidance to achieve objectives broader than a single organization might accomplish on its own.
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Actively participate in broader organizing, movement, and/or field-building work to advance racial and economic justice in Greater Washington.
Additional Info
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What Does Meyer Look for When Selecting Grantee Partners?
We are most interested in how your work and approach align with our strategy and vision. To evaluate Interest Forms or proposals, we look at:
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Building power and leadership: To what extent is your organization building and supporting the leadership and power of those closest to the issues and most affected by racial and economic inequities?
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Tactics: How does your organization apply one or more of the tactics of organizing and base building, advocacy, and/or coalition building?
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Movement building: How does your organization’s work contribute to broader work in DC, Maryland, or Virginia to advance racial and economic justice?
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What Types of Grants Does Meyer Make?
Meyer awards one-year and multi-year grants for general operations and projects. Meyer’s primary grantmaking strategy is to provide general operating support. We award project-specific grants) when a particular project aligns with Meyer’s goals, but the overall work of the organization does not, or where the organization is based outside of Greater Washington but is carrying out work in the region.
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Multi-Year Grants
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Organizations that are good candidates for multi-year support are those that most closely align with the approach described above. We are especially interested in multi-year support for:
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Community organizing groups who have: 1). a proven track record building the leadership of people with lived experience in the issue(s) being addressed, and 2). the ability to act and make change.
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Coalitions working on multi-year campaigns that address the priorities and/or concerns identified by their constituents.
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Anchor organizations hosting multi-stakeholder coalitions focused on changing policies and institutions that perpetuate racial inequity.
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Emerging organizations that have promising ideas and/or fill a critical gap in movements to shift systems toward racial and economic justice.
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Disclaimer: Many of the organizations the Meyer Foundation supports meet our criteria for multi-year grants. Because we do not have the resources to award multi-year grants to all the organizations that request or qualify for them, we prioritize organizations that most closely align with our strategy and vision.
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In addition to these grants, the Meyer Foundation also provides support for capacity building and rapid response.
What We Do Not Support
Meyer generally does not fund organizations that primarily provide direct services. We focus our support on organizations that use advocacy, community organizing and base building, and coalitions to change inequitable systems.
Some groups we support also provide services to their members or constituents. But those services are almost always part of their larger advocacy or organizing strategy. For example, an organization might provide food and diapers through a mutual aid program as a way to both meet the basic needs of members and nurture the trusting relationships with them that are an essential part of base building. In some instances, an organization might create a direct service pilot program that models what a racially equitable system could look like. A number of organizations and local governments launched guaranteed minimum income pilots during the pandemic and then used what they learned through those pilots to advocate for more just economic policies.
In addition, the Meyer Foundation does not fund:
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Capital for housing construction or development
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Start-up and operating support for housing developers
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Scholarships or financial assistance
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Medical or scientific research
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Programs that promote religious doctrine
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Individual public, public charter, or private schools
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Individuals (including scholarships and emergency assistance)
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Parent Teacher Associations
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Special events or conferences, except by invitation only
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Endowments
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Direct services (except in the above-described circumstances where these services are part of an advocacy or organizing agenda or strategy)
How to Apply
We encourage interested applicants to learn what drives our grantmaking by reading about our mission and our core grantmaking strategy.
The first step to apply is to submit a short Interest Form. The Interest Form helps us learn about your work and takes about 30 minutes to complete. There are no deadlines to submit Interest Forms: we accept and review them year-round, with a pause during December's holiday season. We'll respond within 30 days of your Interest Form submission to let you know whether we will consider it for funding and invite you to submit a proposal.
If invited, you will have an opportunity to submit a proposal that helps us understand more deeply how your work aligns with our strategy and goals for our core grantmaking.
All applications must be submitted via our online grantmaking portal (GivingData) and not via email or US mail. If you have questions, contact us:
Learn what drives our grantmaking.
The Interest Form for 2025 is now closed.
If invited, submit a proposal.
2025 Core Grantmaking Schedule & Award Timeline
| Submit Interest Form by: | For Awards in: |
|---|---|
| March 4 | Mid-May |
| June 4 | Mid-August |
| September 4 | Mid-November |
Our Online Application Portal
Hosted by GivingData, our grantmaking portal is compliant with every browser and works on mobile devices. The system is reliable and secure; for example, your work will automatically save every 30 seconds.
New users will need to register and activate an account in the system to submit an Interest Form.
Need more help?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see the Interest Form and Proposal Questions outside of the online portal?
How do we report on our grant?
Grant reports are typically submitted through the Meyer grantee portal and are due at the end of the grant term. Your award letter will include more details about report requirements. For most grants, Meyer offers the option of having a conversation with your Partnerships & Strategy Director instead of submitting a written narrative report (although you’re still required to submit financial reports and interim outcomes). Sharing your achievements, challenges, and lessons learned at the end of a grant year is an important way to enhance the joint learning and partnership between your organization and the Meyer Foundation.
Does Meyer make multi-year grants?
Yes. Organizations that are good candidates for multi-year support are those that are particularly well-aligned with our strategy. To learn more about the types of organizations we are especially interested in supporting, review the Grantmaking page on our website.
Should we apply for general operating or project support?
Meyer’s primary grantmaking strategy is to provide general operating support. We award project-specific grants in circumstances in which a particular project aligns with Meyer’s strategy but the overall work of the organization does not.
If we are awarded a grant, when and how will we receive it?
Grant agreements are emailed via DocuSign to the grantee partner’s CEO shortly after the grant is approved. Payment is made via Bill.com upon receipt of the cosigned grant agreement. Preview Meyer’s grant agreements for restricted grants and unrestricted grants.
How will we receive grant payment?
Meyer makes all payments via Bill.com upon receipt of a co-signed grant agreement. Our grant proposal asks you to indicate a finance contact to manage the connection to Bill.com if a grant is approved. If your organization already uses Bill.com, we ask for the payee organization’s Payment Network ID (PNI) in the Proposal Form. (Here’s how to find your PNI in bill.com.) Groups using a fiscal sponsor should indicate a finance contact at the sponsoring organization for payment. If your organization is new to Bill.com, this person will receive an email invitation from Bill.com to connect to the system once the grant is approved.
Our funding is not yet fully expended, but our grant report is now due. What should we do?
Please contact your Partnerships & Strategy Director or grants@meyerfdn.org if you believe you will not be able to submit your final report by the due date. We can often extend the project to allow you to finish spending the grant funds.
What should we do if we can’t meet the deadline for submitting our final report?
While submission of a final report is an important part of the grant process, we can almost always be flexible with the actual due date. Please contact your Partnerships & Strategy Director or email us at grants@meyerfdn.org if you wish to discuss a different submission date for your final report.
If our Interest Form or Proposal is declined, how long do we have to wait to resubmit?
If you are declined for funding, you must wait to apply until the following calendar year.
How does the Meyer Foundation engage with grantee partners & applicants?
We often do in-person and virtual meetings, as well as attend grantee partner activities, including actions, rallies, community meetings, etc.
Do I have to create an account to submit an Interest Form?
Yes. An account is required to apply for a grant. Once you click on the link to start a new Interest Form you will be directed to log into your account or create a new one. The account also allows you to save and return to your Interest Form or Proposal. If your organization is awarded a grant, you will also submit grant reports via the online account.
Can I transfer my online account to a different staff member?
Yes. If you are no longer the point of contact for a request, you can transfer your account to a new person by emailing us at grants@meyerfdn.org. A Meyer staff person will assist you in transferring your account.
Are there any system requirements for using Meyer’s grantee portal?
There are no special system requirements for using our portal. You may use any browser. You may also use a mobile device.
What are the deadlines to apply for a grant from Meyer?
In 2025, we will award most grants in May, August and November. Please see our 2025 Grantmaking Timeline to best determine when you should submit an Interest Form.
When does Meyer award grants?
In 2025, we will award most grants in May, August, and November. Please see our 2025 Grantmaking Timeline to best determine when you should submit an Interest Form.
My organization received a grant in 2024. When should we apply again?
Meyer accepts and reviews Interest Forms on a rolling basis and will award most grants in May, August, and November. Generally, we recommend that you apply when it makes the most sense for your organization, depending on when your fiscal year begins and ends, what your fundraising plan is, and when your staff can submit the request.
How much funding should we ask for?
We encourage you to ask for the amount your organization needs. While we may not be able to award the full amount you request, you won’t be penalized based on your request.
We are a national or statewide organization that has a program in Greater Washington. May we apply for a grant?
Meyer is committed to growing and partnering with local leadership. Most of the organizations the Foundation supports are based in and work in Greater Washington. If your national or statewide organization runs a program or project in close partnership with local communities or organizations, you could submit a project request for the part of your work that is strongly aligned with Meyer’s funding strategy, takes place in Greater Washington, and is done in close partnership with local community members.
Can I submit more than one Interest Form per year?
No. Meyer accepts only one per year, per organization. If an organization is leading a coalition, it can also apply as the lead for that coalition in addition to applying for a grant to support your organization’s work.
Who is my Partnerships & Strategy Director?
To be directed to the appropriate team member, please contact us at grants@meyerfdn.org. You can also find a full staff listing on our website.
Our organization works in more than one jurisdiction. Who is our Partnerships & Strategy team member?
To be directed to the appropriate team member, please contact us at grants@meyerfdn.org.
I’d like to discuss my organization’s work with a Partnerships & Strategy Director before submitting an Interest Form. Can I do that?
Meyer’s Partnerships & Strategy team tries to be accessible, transparent, and present in their respective communities. They will be happy to talk with you; however, for new applicants, the Interest Form is designed to be the first step in starting that conversation. If you have specific questions about the Interest Form itself, send them to us at grants@meyerfdn.org. If we have additional questions or need additional information about your organization or project after reading your Interest Form, someone from Meyer will be in touch with you.
If I have questions about the Meyer Foundation’s proposal while I am completing it, what is the best way to have those questions answered?
Please feel free to reach out to the Partnerships & Strategy team or email us with your questions at grants@meyerfdn.org.
If we have completed the common grant application, may we submit it instead of the online application?
If you are invited to submit a proposal, you may opt to submit a proposal written for another funder (including a common grant application) if it addresses all of the narrative questions on Meyer’s proposal.
Our organization operates under a fiscal sponsor. May we apply for a grant?
Yes. Groups with fiscal sponsor arrangements may apply for funding. A fiscal sponsor is a nonprofit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable projects. The fiscal sponsor must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has a formal relationship with the organization working on the project and can provide a signed Memorandum of Understanding or letter with the application.
Please include the fiscal sponsor information when you submit your Interest Form. We ask for additional documentation, including your current sponsorship agreement, if you are invited to submit a proposal.
If our organization does not yet have a 501(c)(3) public charity determination from the IRS, but has applied for one, can we apply for a grant from Meyer?
Yes, you may apply for funding while your determination is funded. However, to receive a grant, you will have to either have a 501(c)(3) determination or a fiscal sponsor. Meyer only awards grants to 501(c)(3) entities.
What if my organization does not currently have a federal tax ID number?
An organization must have public charity status or a fiscal sponsor to receive a grant from the Meyer Foundation. You can submit an Interest Form without a tax identification number and if your idea moves forward, we will discuss this in more detail with you.