Funding Criteria for All Grants
-- Seed Fund
-- Emergency Fund
-- Technical Assistance Fund
-- Youth Fund for Social Change
-- The Fire This Time Fund
Grantmaking Process
FAQ

Crossroads Fund supports organizations in the Chicago metropolitan area doing social change work. We define social change work as people in communities organizing together to change the conditions, institutions, and policies that create and maintain inequality and oppression. Crossroads supports work that incorporates grassroots leadership, cross-issue organizing and solid planning.

Below are descriptions of Crossroads’ various grant programs. All applications must meet our general funding criteria and social change guidelines.

Join our Organization Mailing List

Crossroads also sends out periodic information of interest to Chicago organizations, including announcements on workshops, events and grant opportunities.  (This list is used for announcements from Crossroads only and is not a discussion group. Your information will not be traded or sold.)

Seed Fund

The Seed Fund supports new, emerging and small community based organizations that are actively engaged in social change work. Funding is provided for general operating, start up costs, or project expenses. The maximum grant in this program is $10,000.

Eligibility: Organizations with annual expenses under $300,000 in the last completed fiscal year

Deadline: March 1,  2009 

Decision: June

Application & Guidelines

Technical Assistance Fund

The Technical Assistance (TA) Fund supports specific technical assistance needs of smaller organizations. This grants program focuses on projects that reach beyond a group’s regular, ongoing work to build the organization’s internal capacity. The maximum grant in this program is $3,000.

Funding Types:

• technology (please contact the office prior to completing the application)

• training

• conferences

• hiring a consultant or facilitator for evaluation, planning or a retreat

Eligibility: Organizations with annual expenses under $300,000 that have been in operation for at least 3 years. Priority is given to organizations that have been funded by Crossroads in the last 2 years.

Deadline: September 1, 2008 &  March 1, 2009

Decision: 6 weeks after deadline

Application & Guidelines

Youth Fund for Social Change

The Youth Fund provides resources to youth working on social justice issues in their communities. The Youth Fund supports youth activists who want to change and challenge existing policies and/or organized structures that prevent their communities from achieving equality. Grants are between $1,000 and $5,000.

Eligibility: Youth (age limit is 26 years) with an existing project or a concrete new idea on achieving social change, OR Youth Organizations that have youth-lead projects that focus on social change issues.

Deadline: To be announced.

Decision: To be announced.

Application & Guidelines

Emergency Fund

The Emergency Fund supports community groups in organizing quick actions in response to sudden developments outside of the organization’s control. The Emergency Fund does not support: expenses resulting from budget shortfalls or lack of planning; on-going, regularly scheduled programs; or start-up costs. The maximum grant in this program is $500.

Eligibility: Organizations with annual expenses under $300,000. Priority is given to Crossroads grantees.

Deadline: Applications accepted at any time

Decision: 7 working days from application submission

Application & Guidelines

Fire This Time Fund

The Fire This Time Fund supports creative arts, media and social entrepreneurial projects initiated by young, independent artists, educators and activists who are committed to community-based social and political change.

Eligibility: People up to 35 years of age affiliated with an organization are eligible for project-based grants of $1,000 to be spent within a calendar year (January 1 – December 30).

Deadline: To be announced.

Decision: To be announced.

Application & Guidelines