Grant Programs

FY24-25 Equity Mini Grant Fund Applications Now Closed for Fall 2024

Learn everything you need to know about the Equity Mini Grant... Download the Equity Mini Grant Playbook in English here!	Aprenda todo lo que necesita saber sobre la Equity Mini Grant... ¡Descarga el manual de mini subvenciones de equidad en español aquí!

History, Mission, & Objectives

The City of Austin’s Equity Office provides leadership, guidance, and insight on equity to improve the quality-of-life for all Austinites. We work across all City departments and with major institutions, non-profits, and grassroots organizations working to build capacity, develop leadership, and organize together to advance racial equity in Austin. We define racial equity as the condition when race no longer statistically predicts a person’s quality-of-life outcomes in our community. The Equity Office offers several grant programs intended to help local community organizations and community organizers access funding with minimal barriers. The funds are open to a wide range of applicants, but special priority will be given to grassroots efforts that are often volunteer-run or operated at an annual budget of $500,000 or less. We also prioritize awarding grants to proposals led by communities negatively impacted by systemic inequities and to organizations that co-create their proposals with the directly impacted communities they seek to serve.

Offered annually since 2018, the Equity Mini Grant fund offers a flexible funding opportunity intended for community organizations and grassroots organizing efforts striving to address significant quality-of-life disparities in our community. The work of the Equity Mini Grant Fund has taken many forms. Over the last several years, these funds have supported grassroots and volunteer-led efforts tackling significant challenges in our community, including COVID-19 recovery efforts, public safety, homelessness response, and immigrant inclusion. These grants are broadly applicable. Disparities in outcomes exist in every system and institution and cannot be undone in one-off or single-issue projects. The ideal project would work to address disparities holistically, placing the experience and leadership of people most impacted at the center of every phase of the work. If a project is working to build coalitions in partnership with other organizations addressing the same issue, it would be an even stronger candidate for a mini grant award.

In administering the Equity Mini Grant Fund, the Equity Office is committed to rejecting the paternalistic mode by which the non-profit industrial complex traditionally operates. In other words,  the Equity Office recognizes the problematic operations of traditional community funding. We seek to foster alternative ways to support and respect the vision of individuals and organizations working alongside communities directly impacted by historical inequities and violence. This funding opportunity seeks to facilitate access to those who have not historically been able to participate in City programs like this and highlight community-led solutions. Participants are expected to understand the root causes of disparities and share the vision and goal of seeking community liberation, not creating dependencies.

We understand that systems within the City of Austin have caused harm to communities, and we do not presume to limit the creativity and resilience of those we continue to harm. On the contrary, if your work is building from the leadership of communities most directly impacted, you are likely eligible to receive funding through this mini grant program. We encourage a diverse range of grassroots, community-driven initiatives, volunteer led organizing, and local non-profits to apply and share their unique perspectives and solutions.

The Equity Office recognizes the problematic operations of traditional community funding and we seek to foster alternative ways that support and respect the vision of individuals and organizations that work alongside communities (and not for) most affected by historical violence.  This fund intends to facilitate access to those that have not been able to participate in programs like this and at the same highlight community-led solutions. Participants are also expected to understand the root causes of disparities and share the overarching goal of seeking community liberation and not create dependencies. 

FY25 Equity Mini Grant Fund

This program seeks to provide unrestricted funds to community-driven initiatives (new projects or on-going work) at three different grant award levels: $10,000, $20,00, and $30,000; with funds anticipated to be released starting in January 2025. Given the continuing work in communities throughout Central Texas to develop interventions around the displacement of our most vulnerable residents, the FY25 Equity Mini Grant Fund seeks to support grassroots efforts that are organizing community-centered solutions addressing the following priority areas:

• Immigrant inclusion
• Solidarity with Unhoused People
• Anti-displacement/displacement prevention

**Bonus Points will be awarded to any application that incorporates cultural organizing (as defined by the Highlander Research & Education Center) within their proposal. More information below in the 'Eligibility' section.

Eligibility

• Applications are being accepted from non-profits, student groups, for-profit businesses, homeowner associations, faith-based groups, grassroots organizers/coalitions, community-driven initiatives/collectives, and more.
• These funds are intended for grassroots organizations and community-driven initiatives that lack sustained financial support. Applicants with annual operating budgets that do not exceed $500,000 will be prioritized. Staff size, funding sources, timelines, and other operating parameters will also be considered.
  
  • Applications from organizations with budgets that exceed $500,000 will still be considered.
  • Appeals to these eligibility requirements will be considered on a case-by-case basis; please email equity@austintexas.gov.
  • Consideration of appeals will be considered based on need, unique qualifications, and community impact. We may also look at other conditions to determine strategic alignment and reach.
• To receive funding, awardees are not required to be 501(c)3 registered non-profits, but organizations/entities (or their fiscal sponsor) must register as a vendor with the City of Austin before funding can be awarded. 
• Only one submission is allowed per applicant/organization.
• There are no insurance requirements for this grant.
• Applicants must serve the Austin-Travis County area.
• We ask that organizations commit to completing the following tasks: 
  • Participate in Equity Office sponsored trainings.
  • Host a site visit for Equity Office Staff and participate in Equity Action Team meetings.
  • Produce a final report (either written or video submission) to share results, reflections, impact of funds, challenges, and stories.

How to Apply and Next Steps

Complete the application form on the application portal (with written responses or video submission response) by October 15th, 2024 at 11:59 pm.

You may save your application and review and update at any time, but it must be submitted no later than October 15, 2024, at 11:59 pm to be considered.

Applicants will be notified of selection decisions by late December 2024.

If you have any questions, need additional support completing your application, or would like to request a paper application to complete, please email equity@austintexas.gov or call 512-974-1797.

Application, Scoring Rubric & Evaluation

Application

All responses must be submitted on Mercury Grants, which hosts the electronic application portal accessible here. 

Applications can be submitted traditionally with typed responses to every question or, applications can be submitted as a video recording of yourself responding to each question. The application software requires setting up a login username and password. Once established, you will be able to save and resume your written application progress at your convivence or upload your video submission via MP4 video file or YouTube link.

To see the application questions, login to the Mercury Grants portal here, or view application questions in the Equity Mini Grant English Playbook or the Equity Mini Grant Spanish Playbook. 

Scoring Rubrics

Scoring Rubric and Evaluation Guide Here (English)

Guía de evaluación y rúbrica de puntuación aquí (Spanish)

The Equity Office welcomes requests for applications in other languages. For broader language access, please reach out to equity@austintexas.gov or call 512-974-1797 by September 15th, 2024.

Past Equity Mini Grant Initiatives & Mini Grant Fund Recipients

Past Equity Mini Grant Initiatives

Our inaugural Equity Mini Grant Fund was created in 2018 in response to Ordinance 20170913-001 directing the Equity Office, in the form of a Budget Rider, to develop a funding framework for quality of initiatives by allocating $75,000 to an Equity Mini Grant Fund. Our office was able to push for a more approachable, accessible granting framework and was proud to announce its first recipients in April 2018. We have since expanded our programs to include the Reentry Services Grant meant to transform outcomes for formerly incarcerated people. There are two categories: The Hub Award, which provides $200,000 for those 501(c)3 non-profits who provide wrap-around services to formerly incarcerated individuals, and the Spoke Award, which provides $50,000 to entities providing direct services to formerly incarcerated individuals as they 'reenter' society. There are also additional topic or issue focused grant openings, such as the Reimagining Public Safety Grants, and potential for future grant openings supporting work for the immigrant and refugee populations.

Past Mini Grant Fund Recipients

• 1st Window Grant Recipients (FY18-19)
• 2nd Window Grant Recipients (FY19-20)
• 3rd Window Grant Recipients (FY21-22)
• 4th Window Grant Recipients: Public Announcements coming soon!
• 5th Window Grant Recipients: Application window now closed as of Oct. 15th, 2024

Contact Information for Application Questions & Additional Support

Have questions or want to schedule time with Equity Office staff? Please email equity@austintexas.gov or call 512-974-1797. 

 

A calendar schedule of office hour appointments will be made available during the application window for the FY25 Equity Mini Grant Fund. Past applicants and new applicants are welcome to schedule consultation meetings to discuss your proposals and answer any questions about the application process.