Grantees
CASE STUDY
Featured Grantee: New America
New America’s New Practice Lab practices a new form of public problem-solving, working at the intersection of ideas and on-the-ground experimentation to improve the design and delivery of family economic security and well being. Too often programs and policies are designed without direct knowledge of, or input from, the families and individuals they seek to serve.
With funding from the Families and Workers Fund and drawing on lean sprint and human-centered design methodologies, the team created a living playbook to provide critical, real time insights and concrete, tactical recommendations to seize an unprecedented, fast-moving opportunity on unemployment insurance systems transformation and benefits access for workers.
“The Families and Workers Fund enabled us to rapidly respond to a short, critical window of time in which states are making key decisions about where to invest in their unemployment benefits delivery systems, with potential impacts for decades to come. Their focus on workers and equity gave us the freedom and resources to surface multiple solutions for expanding access to unemployment benefits that states can adopt right away.”
Tara Dawson McGuinness, Co-Founder and Fellow
New Practice Lab at New America
Learn more about New America by visiting the website https://www.newamerica.org/.
OPEN CALLs FOR GRANT FUNDING
The Families and Workers Fund is eager to hear from organizations doing important work to build an equitable economy that uplifts all. In moments of policy action, or others with timely impact potential, we are excited to re-open applications for grant funding.
The Families & Workers Fund is not currently running an open call for grant funding. We encourage you to sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of this page to receive updates.
HOW WE CAN HELP
Grant seekers: how our values and your organization come together.
We exist to help you build the more equitable economy our country needs and deserves. To help you continue to thrive, grow, and increase your influence and impact. As a funder with a surge mentality that works toward systems change, we back organizations and partnerships that center equity and have a unique opportunity for accelerated scale during the current, economic recovery period. We can provide flexible capital and other support to help you seize the moment.
What we fund
- Organizations that center equity, such as by designing programs by and with directly impacted people and uplifting diverse leaders who have lived experience in the problems you seek to address.
- Efforts with a track record of impact and results in clear, externally verifiable ways, such as through data tracking or evaluation.
- Approaches may include workforce development, employer partnerships, policy and advocacy, civic tech, narrative change, and/or social innovation.
- We may be able to consider some non-501c3s on a case-by-case basis.
What we don’t fund
- Any work that is not directly related to our two impact goals.
- Top-down strategies that were not designed with the people you aim to serve.
- International work outside the US and US territories. Place-based work that is not intended to scale or spread outside of one community.
- New ventures – we do not provide funding to launch new entities or advance untested ideas.
- Organizations primarily seeking debt or equity investment.
If our strategies and values align with your organization, then please do get in touch. We look forward to collaborating with you.
GRANTMAKING PHILOSOPHY
Our grantmaking philosophy
We believe our role is to be your champion and ally in our shared impact goals. Trust is also key, and that’s why we typically provide general operating support or core support grants.
We also provide support beyond the dollars: communications, technical assistance, growth and fundraising support, as well as opportunities for collaboration with other grantees in our network.
For us, communication is key. All grantees have regular check-ins with our staff, usually on a quarterly or as-needed basis, and we ask all grantees to provide annual quantitative and qualitative outcome data.
Take a look at the impact of our current grants, and what we envision for our future.
