Our Grantmaking Process
Our primary focus is on grant funding that builds power for health, racial, social and economic justice through organizing. Universal makes funding decisions at different points throughout the year that support implementation of its strategic priorities. We work to make our funding process open to dialogue and easy to use.
We prioritize funding groups that:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the connections between different forms of oppression facing Black & Brown people and are committed to address other forms of oppression based on class, race, gender, physical and mental ability
- Have organizational structures and practices in place that reflect anti-racist social justice principles
- Have active participation from the communities most affected by issues that the group works on
- Are inclusive and reflect the diversity of the geographic region in which they do their work
OPEN OPPORTUNITIES
2024 Capacity Bridging Fund
Universal defines capacity bridging as different from capacity building. Capacity building often focuses on the perceived deficits of an organization or group -- capacity bridging honors the strengths organizations and groups bring to their work, helps organizations and groups to meet their goals, and helps to resource organizations and groups with supports they identify as necessary to achieve those goals.
Our 2024 Capacity Bridging Fund application is open until funds are expended.