Opportunity Fund Grants
On occasion, Needmor will award an Opportunity Fund grant to provide one-time support for large-scale efforts that address racism, inequality, and poverty at a systemic level. While linked to (or developed in support of) local organizing efforts, the projects considered for this fund should involve multiple strategies for advancing an equity-centered narrative and shaping public policy at the regional or national level.
2024 Needmor Awards Two Opportunity Fund Grants
The Needmor Fund for Social Justice is honored to recognize the work of two outstanding groups for special Opportunity Fund grants this year. Arise Chicago and Action St. Louis will each receive a $50,000 special project grant that supports their important and timely work in the field of community organizing.
Action St. Louis is a grassroots racial justice organization that seeks to build political power for Black communities in the St. Louis region. Action St. Louis builds campaigns that leverage organizing, communications, advocacy, and direct action to mitigate harm against our community while fighting for long-term transformation. Their opportunity fund grant will help support the BOSS program- Black Organizing Summer School.
BOSS is a comprehensive training program that addresses the critical need for skilled organizers throughout the St. Louis region. With a primary focus on filling vacancies in community organizing and communication (digital organizing) roles, BOSS aims to cultivate a new generation of bold leaders who are equipped to advance social and racial justice to build Black political power. The BOSS curriculum was created specifically for and by Action St. Louis through a collaboration with national organizations: the Advancement Project and The Movement for Black Lives which use grassroots methods to galvanize the community at large. This intense eight-week program provides participants with the historical, tactical, and analytical knowledge and skills necessary to build winning campaigns.
Arise Chicago is a membership-based community resource for workers, both immigrant and native-born, to learn about their rights and organize with fellow workers to improve workplace conditions. Since opening its doors in 2002, the Arise Chicago Worker Center has collaborated with nearly 50,00 workers to recover over $9 million in owed wages and compensation. ACWC's workplace justice campaigns train workers to know their rights, file complaints with government agencies, organize direct actions, and access legal representation. Their opportunity fund grant will help support work they are doing in support of the federal Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE) policy.
Under DALE, immigrant workers involved in labor disputes have access to temporary work permits and valid Social Security numbers. The program has the power to dismantle racist, structural inequalities and bring greater stability to immigrant communities. A temporary work permit allows workers to speak up about unsafe conditions, unpaid sick days, and other workplace abuses. DALE is providing upward mobility to immigrants, allowing them to fight to improve working conditions and wages. After workers secure a valid SSN under DALE, they can combine taxes paid under previously used SSNs without penalty from the employer. The application is complicated and labor intense, with significant resources needed to substantiate cases and work with multiple federal agencies to complete.