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PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 30, 2012 at 5:00 pm CST.

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About the Gulf Coast Fund For Community Renewal and Ecological Health

The Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health is a regional grantmaking and advocacy institution, committed to protecting the Gulf region’s most vulnerable communities and ecosystems by investing in strategies that advance justice, human rights, equity, and sustainable environments from Florida to Texas. Since its inception in the weeks after Hurricane Katrina, the Fund has been led by Gulf Coast communities most affected by the legacy of social, environmental and economic injustices brought on by decades of disenfranchisement. The operations of the Fund are currently overseen by a group of Managing Advisors—representing a broad spectrum of expertise and perspectives, and reflecting the diversity of Gulf Coast communities. The Gulf Coast Fund is a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

Purpose of the Fund

• Supporting local efforts to engage, empower and benefit under-served Gulf Coast communities.
• Promoting healthy, just and resilient renewal of Gulf Coast neighborhoods, cities and ecosystems.
• Building transformative regional movements through connecting local initiatives and leadership.
• Engaging diverse local leaders in regional issue-framing, grant making, and fund leadership.
• Modeling authentically informed, effective and community-accountable regional philanthropy.

About this grant cycle

In the Fall 2012 Grant Cycle, the Gulf Coast Fund anticipates distributing ten to twelve grants of up to $10,000. Applicants are strongly encouraged to keep this grant award level in mind.

The application process for the Fall 2012 Grant Cycle will have two phases.

Phase One: All interested organizations are invited to submit an application by October 30^th. This document contains all Phase One application instructions.

Phase Two: A small group of applicants will be asked to submit further application materials to continue to Phase Two. Phase Two notifications will be sent on or around November 14^th. Phase Two applicants will have three weeks to respond, and final grant decisions will be announced by December 31st.

The Fund’s Advisors have designed this process for the Fall 2012 Grant Cycle recognizing that fewer grants will be awarded than in previous cycles. The goal is to implement a process that is still open to everyone, yet doesn’t require organizations to submit an extensive application unless there is a strong possibility it will be funded. If you have questions, please contact the Fund’s staff at 504-522-2423 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Priority For The Fall 2012 Grant Cycle

The Gulf region has begun to experience a welcome influx of public and private resources aimed at addressing a wide range of social and environmental issues critical to communities, states and the region. Whether RESTORE Act funds, other BP-related dollars, Community Development Block Grants, the Federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities, or other public and private resources, all efforts designed to benefit the region must address authentic community needs and citizen-desired benefits. Improved accountability to stakeholders is the best way to ensure this happens.

In recent years, significant gains have been made by advocates and communities in bringing the Gulf region more attention and resources from federal, public and private entities focused on a wide range of issues, including: fair and affordable housing, job creation, sustainable community development, coastal restoration, public education, health and safety, and a range of civil and human rights. It is the Fund’s intention that grant awardees in this cycle will build upon and advance these gains and implement strategic, innovative and community-engaging initiatives that will ensure just and effective allocations of resources coming to the region.

It is the Fund’s expectation that awardees will work individually and collectively to further increase public participation and accountability in a wide range of policy, planning, development, scientific and other discussions and processes that will determine resource allocations, and community impacts. Proposals to organize, educate, defend and empower diverse citizen advocates from the most vulnerable and deserving Gulf Coast communities will be most favored.

The strongest applications will be focused on ensuring equitable deployment of resources and address one or more of the Fund’s long-standing Priority Areas of Funding, outlined below.

Gulf Coast Fund Priority Areas of Funding

The Fund supports projects that strengthen and amplify local organizing, social justice concerns and movement building, and that address the underlying causes that have contributed to the severity of recent disasters—be they natural or human-made—in the Gulf Coast. The Fund focuses on communities that have been historically disenfranchised due to race, class, gender, nationality and/or immigration status. The majority of Fund grantees are organizations led by people of color and/or historically disenfranchised constituencies that reflect and are grounded in the communities in which they work. Further, the Fund seeks to support the building of community-level regional power that can inform and affect local, regional and national policy.

The Fund considers only those proposals that are developed by or in collaboration with Gulf Coast communities around self-determined needs, and that demonstrate how they will address one or more of the following issues:

• Right of Return and Right to Whole Communities: Facilitate, promote and create space for residents to move back to areas affected by hurricanes and other natural or human-made disasters; support efforts to retain and rebuild communities region-wide—e.g. rehabilitation and rebuilding of housing, restoring/creating effective storm protection, fair elections, restoring of cultural institutions, public schools, public transportation, jobs, mental health services, public health and health care.

• Ecological Health: Restore and support coastal wetlands and healthy coastal ecosystems.

• Environmental Justice and Health: Monitor and clean up health and environmental hazards such as landfills; work toward the equitable cleanup of historically and newly contaminated areas; hold polluters accountable for environmental contamination and risks to human health; measure and track environmental contaminants and health impacts; promote innovative solutions such as green chemistry; and protect right-to-know laws.

• Just and Sustainable Recovery: In the wake of natural and human-made disasters, incorporate sustainable solutions such as green and healthy buildings and smart and fair growth, protecting the right to safe and healthy communities; promote clean energy and reduce fossil fuel use and production in the Gulf Coast; monitor where private and public sector monies are going and ensure that funds are being effectively drawn down and utilized.

• Worker and Immigrant Rights: Protect all workers’ health and safety, protect low-wage workers and fight contractor abuses such as hazardous exposure, non-payment of wages and immigration status-related threats; promote analysis, advocacy and organizing which empowers African American, minority, and immigrant workers.

• Cultural Arts: Support community-based arts initiatives that promote the well-being of communities and preserve the cultural heritage of the Gulf Coast, with particular emphasis on the traditions of the African American, indigenous and minority communities.

• Youth and Education: Recognize and address the needs of children and youth in coastal communities; promote just and equitable access to quality education for all school-age children in returning communities and in internally-displaced families.

Projects may use any number of strategies, including but not limited to community education, grassroots organizing, advocacy, policy development, media work, litigation and public interest education. Special attention is given to projects that address one or more of the following:

• Mental Wellness – in a manner that is culturally-sensitive, innovative, and collaborative
• Resilience & Revitalization – helping the most vulnerable people and ecosystems recover
• Equity & Movement Building
• Amplifying New Voices
• Influencing Public Policy & Working with Governments
• Shared Learning
• Collective Advocacy and Education
• Networking & Collaboration
• Leadership Development
• Right to Self Determination
• Sustainable Human and Community-Based Development
• Accountability
• Empowerment of Women
• Civic Engagement

Geographic Restrictions

The Fund focuses on areas in the Gulf States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas affected by disenfranchisement and environmental degradation. The recovery and rebuilding of these areas in a just and sustainable manner is the initial priority for the Fund.

Eligibility

Any organization that has 501(C)(3) or 501(C)(4) tax status, or has a fiscal sponsor with 501(C)(3) status, is eligible to apply for funding.

Organizations may submit only one application per funding cycle.

NOTE: Organizations that have recently received an emergency grant from the Gulf Coast Fund ARE eligible to apply in this grant cycle.

Budget Requirements

Preference is given to applicants with a budget under $250,000 although organizations that fall outside of this range may apply.

Grant Size and Duration

One year grant requests in the $5,000-$10,000 range will be considered. Grants will be $5,000 to $10,000 due to the size of the Fund. Smaller grants may also be considered if requested.