Abelard Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Abelard Foundation supports early-stage grassroots nonprofits in a broad range of issue areas that address civil rights, particularly in the criminal justice reform space and democracy work.
IP TAKE: This progressive funder only gives out about a dozen to a few dozen grants a year. Grants generally prioritize previous grantees making this a crowded space. While this is a highly accessible funder, it’s grantmaking space is competitive. The good news is that once you’re an Abelard grantee, your organization stands a chance of funding for multiple-cycles. Abelard really likes to help its grantees over the long-term making it a supportive funder. The foundation takes some grantmaking risks when funding and, luckily, is approachable and responsive — just be patient since it may take a bit to receive a response.
A central focus of giving here is community organizing, which is important to consider no matter what complementary strategy your work uses. Discuss how your organizing strategy develops local leadership to help them empower their constituents. Abelard will also consider grantmaking strategies that connect local organizing work and policy at the state or regional level, even beyond.
PROFILE: The Abelard Foundation was established in 1958 as a successor to the Albert B. Wells Charitable Trust. It consists of East and West branches that handle grantmaking in different parts of the country. Abelard works with early-stage “grassroot groups and community organizers striving to establish a more equitable society.” While the foundation does not appear to maintain specific program areas, Abelard primarily focuses on “supporting early-stage nonprofit organizations” that perform “local progressive social change activities that expand and protect civil liberties and civil and human rights.”
Grants for Criminal Justice Reform, Democracy, and Human Rights
While Abelard does not have a program strictly dedicated to criminal justice reform or democracy, it conducts work through an equity lens that can apply to dozens of fields. Abelard’s grantmaking strategy centers on community organizing that strives for “a more democratic, just and equitable society.” To qualify for an Abelard grant, grantseekers are encouraged to “engage in other complementary strategies, e.g. advocacy, electoral participation, research” that occur alongside community organizing. Past grantees in the criminal justice reform space include Action Institute NC, Wisdom, and Ex-Prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement. Human rights grantees include
Grants for Work and Opportunity
The Abelard Foundation does not have a distinct program dedicated to economic development or opportunity, but it conducts grantmaking in this area through an equity lens focused on local organizing. Past grantees for work and economic opportunity include New Labor, Workers Dignity Project and Warehouse Workers for Justice.
Important Grant Details:
The Abelard Foundation gave away just over $400,000 in a recent year. Abelard’s grants average around $10,000. The foundation accepts applications throughout the year through an online application form. The board meets twice a year, in the spring and fall, to make its decisions.
To be eligible, your foundation’s budget cannot exceed $300,000 and you must apply to the Abelard branch according to which side of the Mississippi you’re located, east or west. Abelard funds some organizations that work at the national level provided that they “have a strong, local membership base.”
This foundation considers the main beneficiaries of its work as low-income and vulnerable people who seek to affirm their civil or human rights.
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