How to Apply

How To Apply For Funding

Organizations not currently receiving Akonadi Foundation funding should send in a Letter of Interest (LOI) using the following guidelines.

What kinds of grants does Akonadi Foundation make?

The Akonadi Foundation provides general support and project specific grants to organizations working as part of powerful social change movements working to eliminate structural racism and create a racially just society.  The size of a one-year Akonadi grants ranges from $10,000 to $75,000.   Because Akonadi is committed to long-term partnerships with the organizations we fund, very few, if any, new grants are made each year.

Akonadi Foundation accepts LOI’s for two grantmaking programs:

• Building a Movement (BAM) Fund

• Race and Place (RAP)Fund

For more information on BAM and RAP, please follow the links to other pages of this website.  The Akonadi Foundation also provides grants through the Strategic Opportunity Support (SOS)Fund.

 
What are the eligibility criteria for BAM and RAP?

Akonadi Foundation will consider funding proposals from organizations that meet the eligibility criteria for each fund listed below:

Building a Movement Fund Eligibility Criteria

•    Strong racial justice and/or structural racism analysis with a clear relationship between analysis and organizational practice, and a deep understanding and promotion of a structural racism framework;
•    Comprehensive analysis that recognizes the relationship between power, policy and culture in movement building;
•    A track work of successful work toward a long-term vision of racial justice;
•    Leadership body accountable to constituency of stakeholders;
•    Demonstrated commitment to racial justice movement building (i.e., moving large numbers of people to action using shared strategy, shared principles and shared goals to eliminate structural racism and create a racially just society).

Race and Place Fund Eligibility Criteria

•    Organization is engaged in Oakland-based work that contributes to racial justice movement building.  (Note: Akonadi is committed to supporting a cross section of cultural work, community power building, and policy creation and advocacy);
•    Focuses explicitly (not necessarily exclusively) on racial justice as a core element of its work;
•    Demonstrated commitment to multi-racial and cross sector alliance building in Oakland, even if based in one particular race/ethnic group);
•    Demonstrated commitment to racial justice movement building (i.e., moving large numbers of people to action using shared strategy, shared principles and shared goals to eliminate structural racism and create a racially just society).

What is the Letter of Interest Process?

If you are interested in requesting support from the Akonadi Foundation, please carefully consider how your organization reflects the eligibility criteria listed above. If you feel your work meets these criteria, please submit a two-page (maximum) letter of interest (LOI) that answers the following three questions:

1. What is your organization’s mission and what are its long-term goals, and programs?

2. How does your organization define its role in racial justice movement building?

3. What are the most important current efforts your organization is undertaking?

4. Who is the primary contact (name, phone, and email) for the LOI?

LOIs must be submitted as hard copies through the mail to:

Only one copy of the LOI is necessary. LOIs will not be accepted through email.

LOIs will be accepted/processed with the following schedule:

RAP LOIs   

                Due in Akonadi office by 4 p.m., July 17, 2008
                LOI decisions announced by July 24, 2008
                Invited full proposals due September 5, 2008
                Grant decision in November 2008

BAM LOIs            

                Due in Akonadi office by 4 p.m. January 8, 2009
                LOI decisions announced by January 15, 2009
                Invited full proposals due February 6, 2009
                Grant decision in May 2009

Full proposals will not be accepted unless they have been requested through the LOI process.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

Q. Should we contact Akonadi to discuss an LOI we plan to submit, an LOI we
have already submitted, or an LOI that was declined?
 
A.  The Akonadi Foundation has a very small staff that is dedicated to
getting funding out as strategically and efficiently as possible.  We regret
that we do not have the capacity to have discussions with all the
organizations that seek Akonadi grants.  In order to ensure the most
streamlined and transparent process, we do not encourage organizations to
contact us in these situations.
 
If you are planning to submit an LOI, we strongly encourage you to review
Akonadi’s funding program eligibility and criteria and submit an LOI if you
believe your work fits well.  LOIs will be assessed based on the strength of
the answers provided to the LOI questions.
 
If you have submitted and LOI but have not received a message from us
confirming receipt of your letter of inquiry within two weeks of the
submission deadline date, please contact us.   As we review your request, we
will contact you if we need additional information. You are always welcome
to send in updated materials while your application is under consideration.