Resources Supporting Capacity-Building to Meet the Moment

[Artwork by Alma Landeta via San Francisco Foundation]

We see remarkable resilience and proactive strategies emerging from Black Funders Network (BFN) member organizations as a response to the current government and the community landscape shifts. A common thread weaving through the work of BFN member organizations is a deep commitment to capacity building – strengthening internal structures, knowledge, and ability to act effectively and sustainably. We have collected information about some of the capacity-building efforts led by BFN members. We hope this information will be helpful to you as you fund and partner with community-based organizations.

If you are a BFN member organization that would like to add your grantmaking strategy to this list, email info@blackfundersnetwork.org.

Organization	Support Strategy	Description
California Wellness Foundation	Leading for Power and Change Grantmaking Program	The Leading for Power and Change grantmaking program focuses on amplifying marginalized voices and building power by investing in long-term leadership development, organizational strength, and movement building for systemic change.
James Irvine Foundation	$12 Million Commitment to Support Low-Income Workers	The Movement Innovation Collaborative (MIC) is an effort led by community organizers and worker advocates to strengthen organizations and their coordination with one another. The goal is to advance economic and social change for communities and low-income individuals across the state of California.
San Francisco Foundation	Rapid Response Fund	The San Francisco Foundation has gathered resources focused on organizational safety and security threats. These resources include toolkits, resource guides, pro bono legal support, rapid response grants, and consultations. Their Rapid Response Fund for Movement Building provides quick, one-time grants to frontline grassroots organizations addressing urgent events while strengthening marginalized communities.
Tides	Stronger Together Fund	The Stronger Together Fund connects donors to the organizations on the ground that are pushing back against structural inequities—and the suffering that comes with them.
William & Flora Hewlett Foundation	29+ Legal Technical Assistance Grants ($25,000 each)	William & Flora Hewlett Foundation provided over 29 legal technical assistance grants in 2024 to enhance grantees' understanding of the current legal landscape relevant to their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) work.