Common Stream
/OVERVIEW: Common Stream supports organizations throughout the United States that use community organizing as a primary strategy for effecting change in the areas of environmental conservation, economic justice, youth organizing, and LGBTQ rights.
IP TAKE: This inclusive funder awards both general operating support and project specific grants. It also awards single and multi-year grants; however, it’s not particularly accessible and has a competitive grant space, making it harder for new organizations to get noticed. A positive leader in its fields, this foundation likes to support grantees in a variety of ways for those who get funding.
PROFILE: Common Stream is a Massachusetts-based funder that primarily supports “organizations that use community organizing as a primary strategy for effecting change.” Its mission is to address the “unfair distribution of power and resources” that divide American citizens by “race, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, and culture.” Its five main funding areas are Defense of Wild Areas, Environmental Justice, Economic Justice, Youth Organizing, and LGBTQ Rights.
Grants for Environment
Common Stream’s grants for the environment take two forms: “to protect and sustain the health of critical eco-systems” and “challenge environmentally destructive forces and work to build sustainable, healthy communities for all species.” They prioritize funding for programs and organizations that acknowledge and seek to preserve the interdependence of the planet’s natural systems.
Grants for Environmental Conservation and Justice
The foundation conducts conservation grantmaking through both its Ecological Justice and Defense of Wild Areas programs. The programs support organizations that seek to protect critical ecosystems and combat environmentally destructive actions. Its defense of wild areas initiative supports forest and water conservation and protection as well as critical wildlife habitats. Finally, Common Stream’s environmental justice program supports organizations combating “environmental racism and classism in order to foster health and sustainable communities.” Past conservation grantees include the Chelsea Green Space and Recreation Committee and the Alaska Conservation Foundation. To learn more about the types of organizations Common Stream Supports and at what level, grant seekers can explore its grants page.
Grants for Animal Welfare and Wildlife
The foundation generally supports animal and wildlife organizations through its defense of wild areas and ecological sustainability programs. Its defense of wild areas program awards grants to the conservation and protection of forest, water resources, and critical wildlife habitats. This program also awards grants to groups fighting for the long-term protection of wild places. Common Steam’s ecological stability grants support to organizations protecting critical ecosystems and combating environmentally destructive actions.
Past animal and wildlife grantees include the Northeast Wilderness Trust and the Sitka Conservation Society. To learn more about the types of organizations Common Stream Supports and at what level, explore its grants page.
Grants for LGBTQ
In the LGBTQ grantmaking space, Common Stream supports organizations that work to improve the safety of LGBTQ youth in schools and communities, promote economic justice, combating discrimination, and use theatre as an empowerment and educational tool. Past LGBTQ grantees include the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice and the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth.
Grants for Racial and Indigenous Justice
Common Stream supports racial justice through its Youth Organizing grants, which support organizations working to address “society’s exploitative economic system [that] benefits the few at the expense of the many,” and “see themselves as active participants in a broader movement for progressive change. “ The foundation priorities grantees working primarily in low-income communities, communities of color, and Indigenous communities. Previous grantees include Youth United for Change, North Carolina Lambda Youth Network, Bikes Not Bombs, and Native Movement. To learn more about the types of organizations Common Stream Supports and at what level, grant seekers can explore its grants page.
Grants for Work and Economic Opportunity
Common Streams Economic Justice grantmaking supports a wide range of grassroots community organizations, including “tenant groups campaigning to keep their homes and keep them affordable,” “neighborhood organizations working to revitalize areas blighted by economic disinvestment and government neglect,” “immigrant and refugee organizations helping to ease transitions for new arrivals,” “indigenous groups working to protect and sustain their cultures,” “women’s and senior citizen groups organizing for better social services, housing, and health care,” and “labor coalitions that use their collective power to strengthen specific campaigns for justice and to win far-reaching policy reforms.” Past Grants include Arise for Social Justice, Boston Women’s Fund, and Coalition Against Poverty.
Important Grant Details:
Grants typically range from $5,000 to $50,000. Common Stream does not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests for funding.
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