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Program
Contact:
Renee
Fazzari
renee@generalservice.org
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GSF
Change Theory
The General Service Foundation dedicates all of our resources to bringing
about a more just and sustainable world. We aim to achieve our goals by
nurturing and learning from strategic partnerships, embracing risk and
possibility, and aligning every aspect of our organization with our deeply
held values which include a commitment to leadership, integrity, diversity,
experimentation, accountability, justice, and excellence.
GSF
believes that national change is often inspired by state leadership and
policy change, which in the best cases comes directly from a group of
organized community members empowered to influence the state's political
landscape. We think the best organizations to lead this civil society
effort are grassroots organizations with a base of citizens they can organize
and mobilize to petition on behalf of shared values and needs. Because
this work is challenging, long-term and necessarily small scale, we believe
base organizing groups best translate their energy and stakeholder power
into the political realm through participation in a coordinated state-level
non-partisan infrastructure that clarifies and amplifies their voice.
Program
Goal
Launched in 2006, the goal of the Foundation's grantmaking
program in Colorado is to a) build the capacity of key base-building organizations
committed to justice and equity in the state, and b) facilitate collaboration
among our grantees and also between our grantees and other sectors (including
media, research, leadership, policy, and advocacy groups) to create a
powerful, permanent infrastructure capable of affecting state-wide policy
change over the long term.
What
is a base-building organization?
GSF defines a base-building organization as a multi-issue
group that engages and empowers underrepresented and low-income communities
in democratic, electoral, and legislative processes to build community
power. Traditional membership-based and membership-led community organizing
can qualify, as can institutional organizing or coalition models. The
groups we support work on multiple issues of importance to the communities
they represent, not on drafting support for causes prioritized by the
organization's leadership. Our grantees aim to create a ripple effect
that enrolls wider and wider circles of citizens into the organization
or movement, resulting in a bigger and broader base. We believe this engagement
can create the strong, vibrant democracy required to inspire just and
equitable state policy.
What
do we mean by permanent infrastructure?
Organizing at the neighborhood level alone will not bring about the wide-scale
policy change required to improve the lives of underrepresented constituencies.
But when several base-building organizations work in collaboration
together and create connections with other issue or service oriented groups,
together they have the capacity to achieve state-level change. Overarching
infrastructure connecting base-building groups to each other - and to
media, research, leadership, policy, and advocacy groups - does not exist
in Colorado, but bits and pieces are forming and GSF is keenly interested
in supporting that development.
GSF
looks for the following indicators that a base-building group is committed
to big-picture thinking about building permanent infrastructure: 1) a
proven track record of collaboration with others inside the region; 2)
a commitment to sharing expertise and best practices outside the region
and nationally; and 3) an articulated vision for how state policy change
occurs in Colorado and the part the group plays to bring that about.
Criteria
for Choosing Groups
If you are a base-building group with the capacity
to affect policy in Colorado by working in partnership with others in
the state, we invite you to apply for this program. Current base building
grantees receive between $25,000 and $35,000 each year with potential
additional funds for technical support. With limited funds left over,
we accept very few new grantees and new grants are within the $10,000-25,000
range. New grantees must closely collaborate with current grantees (please
see grants list). If you would like more information about your fit with
the program, please email Renee Fazzari (renee@generalservice.org) before
submitting a letter of inquiry.
GSF
also awards a very limited number of grants to advocacy, policy, media,
research or leadership development groups that are explicitly connected
to the base-building groups we support. These grants range from $10,000-25,000
and applications are by invitation only.
In
assessing potential grantees, the Foundation will place a priority on
those organizations and projects that both fit our definition of a base-building
group and meet all of the following criteria:
Engaging
Constituencies:
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The organization works to address needs identified by the underrepresented
and low-income communities that are directly impacted.
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The organization either focuses directly on developing, strengthening,
and empowering local leaders or facilitates this activity through
partner institutions.
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Educational and leadership programs are in place to help community
members understand the political system that they hope to effect.
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Organizational members work both through elections and with the legislature
to build power for their community.
Leadership
& Diversity:
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The organization is dedicated to enhancing the skills, knowledge and
responsibilities of its staff and members.
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The organization and/or its programs are led by individuals who reflect
the diversity of its constituency and membership.
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The Executive Director is not the sole driver of the organization, but
instead has support and buy-in from the Board of Directors and/or strong
secondary leadership. A Board of Directors policy to annually evaluate
the Executive Director is a plus. .
Last,
all applicants must address the following question in their proposal or
inquiry:
Ideally,
what components of a state-wide infrastructure do you feel need to be
in place to achieve just and equitable policy in Colorado? Please describe
which of those components are in place, which your organization provides,
and which would need to be created to achieve success.
Letter
of Inquiry Submission Process
Please submit a 2-5 page letter that provides basic
organizational information and addresses your fit to the above criteria
via our online application program. To submit, click on
"Click Here to Apply Online" located at the bottom of this page.
You will need your Federal Tax ID, any pertinent organizational contact
information.
Paper
applications will not be accepted.
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