Capacity Grants Program

Our small staff has never had sufficient capacity to develop a comprehensive media and communications strategy let alone implement it. Yet we know that policymakers - our primary target - are influenced by media coverage. Grantee Partner

Program Overview

Purpose of the Program

Capacity Grants are intended to provide grassroots and frontline organizations with catalytic support for movement building activities and communication strategies. The Fund prioritizes activities that will clearly strengthen an organization’s capacity to effectively understand and reach target audiences; activities that will help to tell the story of your constituencies and work in a more impactful way; as well as investments that will improve your organization’s strategy, infrastructure, and skills to more effectively organize your base and meet communication needs and opportunities.

Currently, this program is invitation-only and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Program Focus

The Capacity Grants Program prioritizes organizations led by and serving BIPOC communities; farmers; farmworkers; fisherpeople; and food workers.

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to: short-term communications coaching or consulting; purchase of communications equipment; updates to communications tools, platforms, or systems; communications-based professional development opportunities, including targeted trainings and conferences; and movement-building activity that an applicant organization deems beneficial.

Range and Term

Grant amounts will be contingent on demonstrated need, alignment with the purpose and criteria of the program, and the Fund’s giving capacity in any given cycle.

Applicant Criteria

  • Be a grassroots organization with 501(c)(3) status (or with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor);
  • Clearly demonstrate a commitment to equity and racial, social, and economic justice;
  • Clearly demonstrate a commitment to integrating leadership of core constituents within the organization’s staffing, advising, and/or governance structures;
  • Clearly demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship and resilience.

  • Nonprofit organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) status or do not have a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status;
  • Individuals or scholarship programs;
  • Other foundations or regranting programs;
  • Businesses or business associations;
  • Schools, Colleges, or Universities;
  • State agencies or government programs;
  • Organizations that have already received a Capacity Grant from the Food and Farm Communications Fund within the past year.

  • Currently, this program is invitation-only and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Photo Credits

Cover > Farmworker Association of Florida's Campesinos Garden.