The Babcock Foundation invites proposals from local, statewide, regional and national nonprofits serving the South that have track records of helping people and places move out of poverty and achieve greater social and economic justice. We look for the most promising opportunities to support power building work to advance racial equity and social and economic justice. A likely candidate for funding would align with the Foundation’s mission, vision and values and demonstrate the following characteristics:
- Accountability to low-wealth communities: Our grantee partners have meaningful connections with low-wealth people and are accountable to communities through their governance structures. These organizations have people of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences, and people directly affected by systems of oppression in leadership positions, including their boards of directors, steering committees and executive roles.
- Clear analysis and strategies: We look to partner with groups that have a clear analysis of how race and power are operating in a given context at a given moment. This analysis informs strategies for increasing impact, fostering trusting relationships with communities and leveraging political will to dismantle harmful systems and policies at the local, state, regional and/or institutional level.
- Networks, alliances and resources: We look to support goal-oriented, values-aligned networks to leverage resources, share strategies and achieve impact in ways that make sense in their places. These networks may be formal or informal, short-term or long-term, and structured in a variety of ways. We encourage networks that include both grassroots organizations and statewide or institutional partners.
- Long-term view: Change rarely happens overnight, particularly in the South. Our partners take a long-term view of what is needed to change systems and policies, build power, and advance social and economic justice and racial equity.
- Strategic and opportunistic: In addition to supporting long-term, patient systems change work, we aim to be nimble and responsive when the moment to act is now to improve the lives of people and communities.
The Foundation also remains open to new thinking about how to address poverty in the South. One way we learn about promising work across the region is through our open inquiry process. We are pleased to receive organizational summaries from organizations that meet our eligibility requirements and fit with our program description.
The Foundation funds work that builds power to advance racial equity across an 11-state Southern footprint: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Opportunity offered by:
Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
Opportunity type
Location(s) where available
Alabama
Arkansas
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Carolina
South
South Carolina
Tennessee
Virginia
West Virginia
Areas of focus
Business/Economy
Education
Equity/Inclusion
Government/Politics
Health
Poverty