Funding Opportunities - Deaconess Foundation

Our grants support the accelerated change in conditions through policy, advocacy, and/or organizing efforts building and wielding power to transform systems to respond to the will of the people. Deaconess, through trusted relationships and grant funding, expects impact in abolishing racial and structural inequities that are felt in the day-to-day lives of all people across the Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois footprint. To this end, the mantle is placed on Deaconess’ Funded Partners with us to play a key and critical role in the movement laying the groundwork for liberation and community well-being.

RESULTS

Deaconess provides flexible funding to nonprofit organizations in support of coalition and base building, grassroots advocacy, community organizing, public policy development/change, and advocacy efforts that pursue positive systemic change for the improved health and wellness of all people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois. We expect efforts supported through these grants to propel our work and the movement for community well-being in alignment with our strategy to achieve liberation in seven generations.

Health Care

All children of the St. Louis region should have universal access to comprehensive mental, physical and dental care, supported by a trauma informed care approach, a network of school-based health centers and the benefits of Medicaid expansion.

Economic Mobility

Families in the St. Louis region should be able to achieve economic stability within one generation in an environment marked by fair chance employment practices, family-supporting wages and asset-building supports.

Justice and Equity

All children of the St. Louis region should receive just treatment under the law, with specific emphasis on contact with the state’s systems for juvenile justice and foster and adoptive care.

Early Childhood Education

All children of the St. Louis region should enjoy full access to quality early childhood care and education from birth to Pre-Kindergarten.

Now accepting funding proposals for Seeding the Future grants here.

Fall & Winter 2023 Opportunities

Description

Seeding the Future Grants are general operating funds awarded for one year to organizations with proposals that align with Deaconess’ intended impact. Funding supports organizational and civic infrastructure expansion, advancement of issue-specific public policies, and/or efforts impacting systems transformation through an intergenerational approach for the improved health and wellness of people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois. This grant is designed to cultivate a partnership pipeline for the Movement Transformation Cohort.

As part of trust-based philanthropy practices, Deaconess uses guided and ongoing discussions with our partners to identify progress and areas of support in lieu of a reporting process for this grant.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions will be provided here soon.

Request for Proposals Opening & Closing Dates

The online portal is now open and requests for proposals may be submitted on a rolling basis. To be considered for the monthly review, proposals must be submitted by 11:59 pm on the following dates:

Friday, September 22, 2023
Friday, October 20, 2023
Friday, November 10, 2023

The 2024 quarterly submission deadlines are:

Friday, February 23, 2024
Friday, May 31, 2024
Friday, August 30, 2024
Friday, November 1, 2024

Award

General operating awards will be between $15,000 and $20,000 annually.

Preview Questions Submit a Proposal

Description

Movement Transformation Grants will be awarded to organizations that will be invited to be in partnership with Deaconess Foundation. Recipients will receive annual grants over a three-year period for general operating support. These grants provide a stable source of flexible funding for organizational and civic infrastructure expansion, advancement of issue-specific public policies, and/or efforts impacting systems transformation for the improved health and wellness of people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois.

As part of trust-based philanthropy practices, Deaconess uses guided and ongoing discussions with our partners to identify progress and areas of support in lieu of an application and reporting process for this grant.

Invitations will be extended in September 2023.

Award
The total distribution amount that will be awarded ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 per year for general operating funds.

Description
Policy Campaign Grants will offer up to $100,000 in general operating funding to support timely and urgent issue-based campaigns to advance public policy through grassroots advocacy, civic engagement and community organizing aligned with our desired impacts.

Policy Campaign Grants are designed to support expanded capacity to movement infrastructure. This strategy propels our work and the movement of child and community well-being and achieving liberation in seven generations.

Grants may support:

Efforts which advance coordinated local or state public policy advocacy and organizing campaigns driving meaningful, systemic change;
Development of research and analysis, convenings and community campaigns that generate innovative approaches to solving policy challenges; and/or
Opportunistic or innovative initiatives that are well-positioned to advance policy change (i.e. Ballot initiatives, collective impact efforts, etc.).

Grants will be awarded for one year and may be awarded to collaborative efforts (multiple organizations applying under one application).

Request for Proposals Opening & Closing Dates

Request for proposals opens and will be available: November 27, 2023
Request for proposals closes: February 1, 2024

Award

The total distribution amount that will be awarded is $100,000 for general operating funds.
Grants will be awarded for one year and are non-renewable.

Frequently Asked Questions
To view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) from the previous grant cycle click here.

Community-Stewarded Funds

The Racial Healing + Justice Fund is the commitment to change the conditions of systemic racism that reinforce disparities and endanger lives and to heal the core of our community.

Deaconess Foundation, Forward Through Ferguson, and Missouri Foundation for Health, with the thought leadership of InPower Institute have collaborated to establish the St. Louis Racial Healing + Justice Fund to invest in healing community trauma and changing the conditions that reinforce systemic racism.

How to Apply

Collaborative Grants

The Deaconess Nursing Scholarship Program honors the nursing heritage of the Deaconess mission by supporting local students with demonstrated financial need. These grants are administered through a partnership with the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis and the St. Louis American Foundation.

Please contact the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis with questions at info@sfstl.org or (314) 725-7990.

Historical Grants