BGFF Open Application FAQ – 2023

Applications are open: February 18, 2023 and the close March 31, 2023.

Yes!

• This year our grantmaking cycle once again is open to organizations that center and are led by Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth. This year’s funding cycle will focus on programming that elevates their artistic vision, activism and/or innovation.
• And, for the first time, in this grantmaking cycle BGFF will invest in youth-led projects!  Read more about this opportunity below.

For this grantmaking cycle, BGFF will invest in organizations working alongside or serving Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth. Organizations should be currently facilitating programming (in-person, virtually,or both) that centers artistic vision, activism and/or innovation of Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth. For examples of organizations BGFF has funded in the past, you can learn more about some of our current BGFF grantee partners.

Criteria for organizational funding includes the following:

• Organizations must be based in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Organizations must be 501(c)(3) registered, be a fiscally sponsored project, or have another tax-exempt classification.
• Organizations must center the artistic vision, activism and/or innovation of Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth. Programming can be in-person, virtual or both.
• Organizations launching new programming in 2023 that will center the artistic vision, activism and/or innovation of Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth.
• If your organization is currently funded by the Black Girl Freedom Fund or any other fund at Grantmakers for Girls of Color, you are not eligible to apply for this funding cycle. However, youth within those organizations are welcome to apply for the youth-led projects funding opportunity (information below).

The link to apply for organizational funding is HERE.

For this grantmaking cycle, BGFF will award thirty $10,000 grants to Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth who are launching or growing their own projects focused on artistic vision, activism, and/or innovation. This grant application is for Black girls, Black femmes and/or gender-expansive Black youth, ages 13-25, and must center the artistic vision, activism and/or innovation of Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth.

Projects must be housed within a non-profit organization or other tax-exempt entity that can receive the funding on behalf of that young person. We are not legally authorized to provide direct funding to individuals.

To apply for this funding, click on the “Youth-led Projects” application. Tell us about your project and how your project centers the artistic vision, activism and/or innovation of Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth.

Criteria for youth-led project funding includes the following:

• Applicants must be Black girls, Black femmes, or gender-expansive Black youth, ages 13-25.
• Applicants must be based in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Youth-led projects must center the artistic vision, activism and/or innovation of Black girls, Black femmes, and/or gender-expansive Black youth.
• Projects must be housed within a registered, 501(c) 3 non-profit organization or other tax-exempt entity. We cannot provide direct funding to individuals. The link to apply for youth-led projects is HERE.

Yes this is possible so long as the young person is applying for the youth-led project funding.

For this funding cycle, our selection criteria will prioritize organizations, projects, and programming that centers these themes. Other thematic areas will be prioritized in future grantmaking cycles.

Decisions will be made by young people! Applications will be reviewed and determined with the BGFF Grantmaking Council, which is composed of Black girls, Black femmes and gender-expansive Black youth. Council members will also be co-creating the criteria and vetting process by which grants will be evaluated. Applicants can expect notification and updates about whether or not they have been selected to receive funding in June 2023. Selected organizations and projects can expect to receive funding in the Fall of 2023.

A 501(c)3 organization is a non-profit organization registered with the IRS. If your organization has status pending, you are still eligible to apply but cannot be awarded funds until you have officially received your IRS letter of determination.

A fiscally-sponsored project or organization is an entity that does not have its own 501(c)3 status as a non-profit, but operates under the umbrella of a registered non-profit.  Fiscally sponsored projects must be able to provide a Memorandum of Understanding or binding agreement between the project and the non-profit agency. You can learn more about fiscal sponsorship here.

If your organization is not a registered 501(c)3, or you do not have a 501(c)3 serving as your fiscal agent or sponsor, you must have another tax-exempt status to receive funding. At this time, we are only accepting applications from tax-exempt entities. 

This opportunity is limited to the United States and territories. Organizations in Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible, and encouraged, to apply.

If you have particular accessibility requests, challenges or concerns related to submitting an application, please contact: blackgirlfreedomfund@grantmakersforgirlsofcolor.org before March 15, 2023.

You may submit questions about Grantmakers for Girls of Color’s Black Girl Freedom Fund (BGFF) to blackgirlfreedomfund@grantmakersforgirlsofcolor.org before March 15, 2023. This will give us time to respond before the application deadline, and give you time to apply.