On Purpose: What to Know About Our Grantmaking in 2026

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For many communities, beginning a new year on a hopeful note is especially challenging this time around. The past year was marked by increased attacks on virtually every corner of civil society: immigrant communities facing renewed and relentless targeting; families and individuals navigating economic instability; and Black, Indigenous, and other historically marginalized communities experiencing a rise in hate emboldened by those abusing power. The policies and rhetoric of this administration have deepened fear, normalized hate, and have further strained already fragile, inequitable systems. For many, 2025 was not just challenging — it was destabilizing.

And yet, I am starting this year with immense gratitude. The dedication, vision, and relentless spirit of our community partners throughout these challenges continues to inspire our team at Meyer. Through organizing, direct action, mutual aid, innovation, and collective resistance, communities in Greater Washington continued to build, protect one another, and demand better. Thank you!

At the Meyer Foundation, we understand that one of our most meaningful roles is to resource our community partners in their pursuit of liberation. We are a movement ecosystem sustainer that funds organizations and projects that challenge and change systems by addressing the root causes of racial and economic injustice. As we have for more than 80 years, Meyer continues to evolve to meet the challenges communities face in our region, and meeting those challenges requires us to consistently evaluate every aspect of our work.

For Meyer, this includes deepening our commitment to the organizations most closely aligned with our grantmaking strategy. Our team has been engaged in deep reflection and strategic refinement to clarify where we believe we can be most focused and effective in our support.

Read on to learn how we’re approaching our core grantmaking program, rapid response program, capacity-building offerings, and more this year:

Core Grantmaking

In 2026, we seek to deepen our impact and progress toward our vision of a region where all can thrive. We’ll continue to resource movement building work, and a big part of our strategy will be to award larger, longer-term multiyear grants to a smaller group of organizations that are strongly aligned with our systems approach and core grantmaking priorities.

To do this, we’ve made the difficult decision to begin to transition some organizations that we no longer consider strongly aligned with our goals to resource organizations and projects that build movements and drive systemic change. We understand this decision may be both disappointing and difficult, and we approach these transitions with profound respect and gratitude for the work all our grantee partners continue to do.

In keeping with our practice over the past 10 years, those transitioned organizations will receive a final grant from Meyer in 2026. Partnerships & Strategy Directors have already had conversations with all organizations that will be transitioned this year and the reasons behind our decisions.

To focus our resources on current grantee partners, our grants portal will also be closed to new applicants for the year. Our rapid response portal will be open in February, and we’ll continue to accept capacity-building requests on an invitation-only basis.

Our Community Partnerships & Strategy team invites all current grantee partners to register to join us for a webinar on Monday, February 2nd, 2026, 11:00 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. to learn more about our 2026 grantmaking from the team. We will make a recording available to those who cannot attend live.

The Meyer Foundation commits to open and regular communication with all of our community partners throughout this shift. Our updated core grantmaking webpage, 2026 Interest Form, and 2026 Proposal Form will be available soon. Our Community Partnerships & Strategy team invites all current grantee partners to register to join us for a webinar on Monday, February 2nd, 2026, 11:00 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. to learn more about our 2026 grantmaking from the team. We will make a recording available to those who cannot attend live. To receive a link to register, current grantee partners may contact us here.

New for 2026: We’ve added narrative change back to our list of the tactics for change that we support on our Interest Form.

Rapid Response Grants

Our rapid response program will continue in 2026 and will allow us to quickly mobilize resources to our core grantee partners in response to urgent and unpredictable needs amid growing threats to their work. Leni Dworkis, who has recently taken on a new role at the Foundation, will continue to lead our rapid response program.

New for 2026: We will accept applications for rapid response funding that may build off rapid response projects that Meyer previously funded in 2025. Organizations may apply for funding up to two times within the year; and organizations may now apply for rapid response funding in the amounts of $10,000, $20,000, or $50,000. Learn more about our rapid response program that will open to current core grantee partners next month.

The Black Abundance Collaborative

Building on the momentum of the Fund for Black-Led Change, led by Stephanie Sneed, Meyer will launch the Black Abundance Collaborative. This program will allow Meyer to continue our commitment to resourcing local Black-led and Black-centered organizations in Greater Washington. Stay tuned for more information from Stephanie about the Collaborative and a look back at five years of the Fund for Black-Led Change.

Convenings

Meyer will continue to facilitate collaboration, shared learning, and solidarity among movement-builders by creating spaces for deep connection. These intentional spaces will also aim to foster collective skill-sharing and strategizing among our grantee partners across the region and areas of focus. Stay tuned for dates and details about our 2026 convening schedule.

Capacity Building

A longtime priority for the Meyer Foundation, led by Karen FitzGerald, we will continue to evolve and expand our capacity-building offerings with a renewed emphasis on rest and restoration, as well as direct technical assistance as the region responds to the instability and targeted attacks of the last year. This includes continuing to offer our sabbatical program grants, designed to promote deep rest to renew mind, body, and spirit. Learn more about our capacity-building program offerings here and stay tuned for 2026 updates.

Meeting the Movement Fund

Last year, our board of directors approved an increase in our annual payout, allowing us to commit additional resources toward the critical work of our grantee partners amid increasing threats and uncertainty for the sector and our communities. Through the Meeting the Movement Fund, grantee partners can receive direct assistance from a team of consultants and strategists in their most urgent areas of need to continue accelerating progress in our region. We have begun sharing the offerings available to grantee partners this month. Stay tuned for additional dates and registration details throughout 2026.