Grantee stories. SJF thought leadership.
By Alin Badillo Carrillo
Behind Teton County’s postcard beauty lies a hidden divide.
Our multicultural neighbors—immigrants who arrived with little more than hope, their children who grow up translating for their parents, and the 1.5 generation who carry one country in their heart and another in their daily life—make up 40% of the local workforce.
As the wealthy get wealthier, a handful of major financial institutions are gaining enormous and disproportionate power over which social justice movements get funding and which don’t.
Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported on a new study showing many funding promises made to Black-led organizations after “2020’s racial reckoning” were never kept. It’s an important story, and we at Social Justice Fund Northwest are glad it’s sparking needed conversations about how BIPOC-led organizations are funded.
Women are pillars of refugee communities who support families, strengthen networks, and lead change. They make up roughly half of resettled populations nationwide, yet often face disproportionate challenges, from economic barriers and mental health needs to increased risk of gender-based violence.
By Emily and Adiza Greetings from Emily and Adiza, project managers at Social Justice Fund Northwest (SJF)! As we prepare to launch the 2026 Tenant and Housing Justice Giving Project later this month, we want to share what we’re working on and what’s guiding our thinking. Why Giving Projects? Giving Projects are an important part […]
Not long ago, Black farmers were a powerful force in U.S. agriculture—one in seven nationwide, and nearly half in the Deep South. Today, Black farmers make up less than 1% of farmers in Washington State, according to USDA Census of Agriculture data. Black Agriculture Leadership Council (BALC)was founded in 2024 by Jonathan “JT” Jones-Thomas, […]
Not Our Native Daughters (NOND) is a Native- and survivor-led organization dedicated to ending the trafficking, exploitation, and murder of Indigenous peoples through education, advocacy, policy reform, and community empowerment. Centering Indigenous justice and healing, NOND works to create a future where Indigenous women, girls, and youth are safe, supported, and free from violence. Lynnette […]
Life can be harsh and isolating for Idaho’s trans and gender-diverse community—but a new nonprofit and its fierce founder are standing up to make sure they get the support and protection they need. Trans Affirm, Inc., just one year old, is fighting to make life safer and more visible for trans and gender-diverse people in […]
For 25 years, Edúcate Ya has uplifted Portland’s Latino/a/e community, a group with deep Oregon roots—from the early 19th-century to 20th-century railroad and farm workers. Founder Rafael Arellano, born in Cuernavaca, Mexico, began teaching Spanish as a teen and has spent decades helping others navigate life in the U.S. He moved to Portland in the […]
This August, Social Justice Fund NW (SJF) is excited to celebrate both Black Philanthropy Month and Black August. Black liberation is one of our core values, and we see this month as an important opportunity to ground in learning, and to elevate and support Black liberation movements and organizations. What is Black August? Black August […]
Montana Two Spirit Society is a Missoula-based nonprofit with deep roots in the state and a legacy that spans more than three decades. Rooted In Tradition and History Founded in 1996 by David Herrera—Mestizo and adopted Blackfeet—and Steven Barrios of the Pikuni Blackfeet Nation, the organization brings together the regional Two-Spirit community to promote health, […]
At Social Justice Fund NW (SJF), we center leadership and resourcing that’s rooted in lived experience and shared values. Our team represents identities that have been historically excluded from power. We’re not just reacting to the moment–we’re building an audacious future for collective liberation. SJF’s Black Femme Leadership Valériana Chikoti Bandua-Estes (she/her), executive director, is […]
May might be AAPI Month to a lot of people, but at UTOPIA PDX—Portland’s only queer Pasifika nonprofit—it is Pacific Islander Heritage Month, with everything viewed through a disability justice lens. From The Islands to Portland Kāme‘o Kahawai, UTOPIA PDX executive director, is Kānaka ‘Ōiwi (Native Hawaiian of ancestral bones) or Kānaka Maoli Māhū (Native […]
At the end of every year, Social Justice Fund Northwest (SJF) shuts down for a few weeks to ensure our staff have time to be with loved ones, fill their cups, and prepare for the year ahead. SJF will be on Winter Pause from December 15, 2025, to January 4, 2026. We know it’s critical […]