The 2014 Economic Justice Giving Project was comprised of 17 amazing participants who began the project in September 2014 and raised $106,300! By activating their own networks, participants were able to raise funds to make 10 grants to support great organizing work in WA, OR, WY and MT.
Social Justice Fund members own and lead the grantmaking process.
We are proud and honored to present the 2014 Economic Justice Grant Awardees:
Community to Community (Bellingham, WA)
C2C is a place based, women-led grassroots organization working for a just society and healthy communities. As they make the steps towards transitioning to a solidarity economy center, these funds will be used to finalize the cooperative development curriculum that combines economic, environmental, racial and social justice that weaves undoing oppression modules.
Got Green (Seattle, WA)
Got Green works to ensure that low income communities and communities of color in Seattle and South King County gain equal access to and reap the benefits of the green movement and green economy: green jobs, healthy food, energy efficient and healthy homes, and quality public transportation. This grant will help Young Leaders in the Green Movement launch a campaign to make internships leading to sustainable careers subject to Seattle’s new living wage; it will advance and promote the leadership of low income women and women of color through an expanded Food Access Team; and it will support the South Seattle Jobs Committee to pass a City ordinance for targeted local hiring of unemployed workers from disadvantaged communities on city-funded construction projects.
Voz Workers’ Rights Education Project (Portland, OR)
Voz is a worker-led organization that empowers immigrants and day laborers to gain control over their working conditions through leadership development, education and community organizing. Voz operates the MLK Jr. Worker Center, which connects hundreds of workers a week with local employers and jobs. Funding will support Voz’s local collaborative efforts within the Not One More Deportation Campaign, Stop Wage Theft Campaign, Private Prison Divestment, and merging Activists Coming Together (A.C.T.) Network to end Police/ICE Collaboration in Multnomah County, Oregon to #not1more, and mobilizing for Unidos Con Francisco Campaign.
Women’s Housing Equality and Enhancement League (Seattle, WA)
WHEEL is a grassroots organizing effort of homeless and formerly homeless women working to increase dignity, safety and resources for homeless women and to advocate for systemic changes towards ending homelessness. Funding will go to support WHEEL’s organizing work through public demonstration, letter writing campaigns, meetings with service providers and powerful leaders, leadership development, operating and creating self-managed programs and coalition work.
Montana Women Vote (Missoula, MT)
MWV is a statewide coalition that organizes with and alongside low-income women as informed voters, policy advocates, and community leaders. MWV believes that civic action, policy change, and leadership development can together shift the balance of power and improve the lives of women and families experiencing poverty. This grant will help Montana Women Vote to expand and deepen economic and gender justice work through community organizing, leadership development, and political education with and alongside low-income women in Montana.
OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon (Portland, OR)
OPAL organizes low-income communities and people of color to achieve a safe and healthy environment where we live, work, play and pray. Bus Riders Unite (a project of OPAL), the only transit riders union in Oregon, works to build power and develop leadership for transit-dependent riders in the Portland metro region to achieve equitable outcomes in transportation decision-making. This grant will support BRU efforts to win a free or significantly reduced fare for low-income riders to ensure continued and increased access to opportunity.
Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes (Seaside, OR)
Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes’ mission is to revitalize its Tribal Heritage and Culture, and to gain Federal Restoration. This grant will fund the tribe’s “push” to be restored to a federally recognized Tribe by having House Bill, 5215 re-introduced in Congress and passed. The tribe will use the funds for economic strategic planning, community organizing, travel to Washington D.C. to testify, and support in making changes to the bill if requested by Congress, and for protecting and helping Tribal Restoration keeping them free from maltreatment as they work move this historic bill forward to restore the tribe as a recognized Indian Tribe.
Standing Against Foreclosure & Eviction (Seattle, WA)
SAFE is a community organization whose mission is to fight for racial, social and economic justice and gender equality by fostering working class power through direct action, coalition building, education, and advocacy. SAFE’s efforts are primarily focused on those facing unjust foreclosures and bank evictions in the greater Seattle area. This funding will be used to hire paid staff for SAFE’s growing organization. This staff member would serve as a communications coordinator between Outreach, Message, and Tactical working groups and bring progress reports to the Board.
Equality State Policy Center (Casper, WY)
ESPC works through research, public education and advocacy to hold state and local governments accountable to the people they represent, and help Wyomingites participate effectively in public policymaking. ESPC will use funds to expand reach throughout the state, build progressive coalition, and particularly to work with low-income, minority, and working people in Wyoming. ESPC’s goal is to work towards more equitable public policies and enhanced transparency in state and local government. ESPC will use several strategies, including educating the public through media and online communication, empowering and mobilizing supporters to speak out on these issues, and pressuring policymakers on specific solutions.
Rural Organizing Project (Scappoose, OR)
ROP’s mission is to strengthen the skills, resources, and vision of primary leadership in local autonomous human dignity groups with a goal of keeping such groups a vibrant source for a just democracy. ROP seeks to put rural communities at the center of the fight for economic justice with an aspirational view of the small town “Commons.” ROP will use a Rural Oregon Listening Project and Living Room Conversation to develop shared analysis that connects the dots between Right-wing strategies to divide and dominate our communities for corporate profit. ROP will work with member human dignity groups to develop local economic justice organizing campaigns that push-back against corporate control of politics, the economy and our democracy.