Grassroots community organizations are increasingly becoming the lifeline for those facing immigration proceedings, particularly for minors who, unlike Liam, do not have immediate family members with them. In New York City, the Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE) has connected unaccompanied minors with legal representation and other services since 2014.

“This process was about working with grantees, asking them what they needed and helping them get there, not telling them what they had to do with little flexibility.”

The Request-for-Proposal (RFP) and other parts of grantmaking often leave out smaller, grassroots community organizations who are closest to those they serve. Using our Community-Based Restorative Justice Program and Grassroots Policy Incubator as examples, we dig into ways that funders and grant managers can create a more inclusive process that uplifts new ideas without sacrificing program quality and accountability.

There’s a shortage of funding and capacity-building opportunities available to small grassroots organizations in NYC, which is why the Grassroots Policy Incubator has been designed specifically to support their needs.