Grassroots Grant
Supporting Innovation and Community-Based Change
About This Grant
This grant invests in grassroots, early-stage, or severely under-resourced social change efforts with annual budgets under $500,000. It is designed to power innovation and flexibility by backing visionary, community-centered ideas with an unrestricted grant of $10,000/year for two years. Two Grassroots Grantees will be selected each year. Applications will be evaluated by a WaWF member committee. PopUp event attendees will select the grantees.
Deadline for consideration for the Grassroots Grant is the 1st Wednesday in September. Application opens six weeks prior to deadline.
Eligibility Requirements
- Tax Exempt Status. Organization must currently qualify as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) or 7871 of the Internal Revenue Code or be fiscally sponsored by another tax-exempt organization.
- Connected to Washington. Organization must operate programs or provide services within the state of Washington. Advocacy organizations may advocate on the local, state, or federal levels, but the systems change sought must be for Washington residents, and must operate from within the state of Washington.
- Annual budget under $500,000. Organization must have an annual budget under $500,000.
Grant Criteria
We support organizations and social change efforts that advocate to improve the lives of women, girls, and/or gender-expansive people most impacted by inequity. Applicants should be intentional in their efforts to improve the lives of women, girls, and/or gender-expansive people, accountable to the communities they serve, and demonstrably show they can make lasting progress toward equity and reducing disparities. We invite applications from organizations that meet all of our grant criteria below.
Intentional
Organization or program is explicitly focused and intentional on advocating for those women/girls most impacted by inequities
Accountable
Organization or program is accountable to women/girls most impacted by inequities.
Accountability in action can look like one or more of the following:
- Leadership: Ensures that women/girls are visibly leading and/or develops leadership of women/girls
- Co-Creation: Actively engages women/girls in ongoing and shared decision- making, planning, and assessment
- Connection: Draws on the strengths, assets, and lived experience of women/girls.
Demonstrable
Organization or program can demonstrate how their work reduces disparities and/or achieves more equitable outcome.
2026 Grassroots Application CLOSED
Apply through the JustFund(opens in new tab) common application and answer the three additional questions we have added. Deadline for consideration for the Grassroots Grant is the 1st Wednesday in September. Application opens six weeks prior to deadline. Awards announced at PopUp Event, on or around the 2nd Wednesday in December.
Previously Awarded Organizations
WaWF’s first Grassroots Grant will be announced in December 2026