Archstone Foundation sees the dire impact COVID-19 has had on communities of color. We see the health and financial inequities that history has created, and that structural racism maintains. We must try to respond to the special needs of these communities as part of our mission to improve the health and well-being of older Californians and their caregivers, and through our grantmaking.
That’s why we are offering a new grant opportunity, "Stimulating Innovations and Building Capacity to Support Diverse Communities and Advance Racial Equity.” The grant is for California organizations that serve a diverse population, whose work aligns with Archstone Foundation’s mission, and who directly serve adults 65 and older. Requests will be considered for up to $50,000 over one year, specifically for organizations serving racially/ethnically diverse and/or LGBT older adults and whose leadership reflects the population served. Given the recent COVID emergency, proposals that respond to the needs revealed by the pandemic will receive special consideration in the review process.
The new opportunities fall in the same two Requests for Proposals (RFPs) released by Archstone Foundation in August, but are now specifically aimed at helping California nonprofit organizations serving diverse older adults achieve new levels of effectiveness by strengthening their capacity or supporting the implementation of innovations.
Capacity Building Grants offer operational support that may include planning activities, board and leadership development, strategic relationships, internal operations, developing new sources for earned income, and augmenting evaluation capacity.
Innovations Grants enable a nonprofit to implement a new evidence-based program or service line, reach out to a new underserved population, or to substantially modify existing services. Innovations Grants are intended to provide the startup support and to customize an already existing innovation with reasonable evidence of its benefits. Innovation awards are not intended to support the development from scratch of new programs (a far more difficult, expensive, and time-consuming process), but rather to support the implementation, customization, and/or expansion of programs that already have evidence.
Listen and Learn
Both funding opportunities enable the Foundation to listen and learn from those who are struggling with racism and injustice, while trying to serve the needs of low-income, diverse older adults. Due to limited funds available, the Foundation anticipates funding one grant in response to this RFP at this time and reissuing the RFP annually. For more information, please visit our Requests for Proposals (RFPs) page.
We invite you to share this funding opportunity with eligible colleagues and organizations. Please use the comments box below to provide feedback and/or to ask questions about the application process and eligibility requirements. Additionally, please feel free to contact our Grants Manager, Tanisha Davis, at tdavis@archstone.org with any application questions or comments.
With these new grant opportunities, we look forward to helping California nonprofits improve their capacity and stimulate innovations to better serve older, low-income, diverse persons, and address health disparities in the community.
