We seek to advance policies, strategies and tactics that support community-led planning on land use and infrastructure developments and community-driven alternatives that promote ownership and stewardship of land.
We champion increased organizing and advocacy practices that hold public and private sector infrastructure development actors accountable to communities of color and low-wealth communities in their planning, land use and development practices. We place an emphasis on supporting advocacy efforts led by low-wealth communities and communities of color.
We foster greater knowledge about alternatives designed by and for frontline communities to current infrastructure systems and ensure that information is widely accessible to communities of color and low-wealth communities as well as to public and private sector actors that can advance more equitable practices.
We seek to increase democratic engagement among people who are politically marginalized due to race and/or income as well as promote leadership, capacity building and deep investment in leaders of color to support long-term power building and self-determination.
We believe that people who are most disproportionately impacted by discriminatory land use practices are best positioned to inform the decisions regarding their community assets and infrastructure.
The goal of the Land Use Through Community Power strategy is to create the conditions necessary to build community power to promote community ownership, and stewardship of critical community assets and infrastructure. By building community power, communities of color and low-wealth communities will have the agency to guide investments and will have the opportunity to create alternative systems that promote racially, environmentally and economically just outcomes.
We work to promote policies, strategies, and tactics that support true community-led planning and successful campaigns to establish permanent, and community-controlled, land use decisions that lead to community power while creating improved environmental quality in a manner that serves community needs and disrupts the current cycle of disinvestment and gentrification. We believe that by investing in alternative pathways to wealth creation and ownership, we help to ensure that everyone benefits from development and investment.
VIDEO: Helen Chin, Program Director for Sustainable Environments discusses why and how the foundation supports Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities to advance equity.
You can explore recent Land Use Through Community Power grants below.
And view other Sustainable Environments grants in our database.
|
Year Approved
|
Organization
|
Status
|
Amount
|
Duration
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |
Strategic Actions for a Just Economy
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $75,000 | 12 months |
| 2024 |
Neighborhoods First Fund
The purpose of this grant is general program support to Neighborhoods First Fund. |
Active | $700,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
People United for Sustainable Housing, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $450,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
National Housing Institute/Shelterforce
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $160,000 | 24 months |
| 2024 |
People's Advocacy Institute
The purpose of this grant is general program support to the People’s Advocacy Institute (PAI). |
Active | $400,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative
The purpose of this grant is general program support to East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative. |
Active | $1,000,000 | 24 months |
| 2024 |
Stand Up Nashville
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $250,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
Black Farmer Fund
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
Instituto Para La Agroecología, Investigacion, y Accion (IALA-PR)
The purpose of this grant is general program support to the Institute for Research and Action in Agroecology, IALA-PR. |
Active | $300,000 | 24 months |
| 2024 |
Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
Pie Ranch
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $150,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
The Equity Alliance
The purpose of the grant is general operating support. |
Active | $150,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Corbin Hill Food Project
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
North Carolina Association of Black Lawyer Land Loss Prevention Project
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $400,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Good Old Lower East Side, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $270,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
North Star Fund
The purpose of this project grant is to support North Star Fund’s Community Food Funders program, including the Seeding Power Fellowship program. |
Active | $195,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Center for Heirs Property Preservation
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $500,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
National Housing Institute/Shelterforce
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Closed | $75,000 | 12 months |
| 2023 |
Southwest Georgia Project For Community Education, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
HEAL Food Alliance
The purpose of this grant is general program support for HEAL Food Alliance, a project of Movement Strategy Center. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Corbin Hill Food Project
general operating support |
Active | $25,000 | 12 months |
| 2023 |
National Black Food and Justice Alliance
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $500,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
ISAIAH
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Closed | $250,000 | 12 months |
| 2022 |
People's Advocacy Institute
Project support to People’s Advocacy Institute for the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition. |
Closed | $50,000 | 12 months |
| 2022 |
Black Farmer Safehouse
The purpose of this grant is project support for the Black Farmer Safehouse fund. |
Active | $1,000,000 | 27 months |
"To address climate and environmental inequities, we need to think holistically about the role of race and what justice means. We need to look at all aspects of our life. And acknowledge that the root of many injustices is the commoditization of…
How can we in philanthropy do a better job of supporting the kind of collaboration and shared learning that grassroots organizations need to grow their movements? In 2019, the Surdna Foundation Sustainable Environments team set out to better…
With the closeout of the Sustainable Environments Program's Transportation, Regional Food Supply, and Urban Stormwater Management lines of work, Surdna produced a series of learning summaries that capture the lessons learned from funding in those…
Helen Chin has just led the Surdna Foundation’s Sustainable Environments Program through a strategy refinement process. “Now,” she says, with satisfaction, “We are able to connect more robustly with what’s bubbling from the ground…
When we talk about “building the capacity” of frontline and grassroots leaders who are changing structures, policies, and systems, what does that really mean for funders? Many funders use antiquated and static systems of inquiry to identify and…
When you’re poor, you have to make tough choices. “I couldn’t afford to pay my heat bill. My gas got turned off,” says Bob Cook, who lost his $30,000-a-year job a few years back while working…
You can explore recent Land Use Through Community Power grants below.
And view other Sustainable Environments grants in our database.
|
Year Approved
|
Organization
|
Status
|
Amount
|
Duration
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |
Strategic Actions for a Just Economy
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $75,000 | 12 months |
| 2024 |
Neighborhoods First Fund
The purpose of this grant is general program support to Neighborhoods First Fund. |
Active | $700,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
People United for Sustainable Housing, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $450,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
National Housing Institute/Shelterforce
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $160,000 | 24 months |
| 2024 |
People's Advocacy Institute
The purpose of this grant is general program support to the People’s Advocacy Institute (PAI). |
Active | $400,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative
The purpose of this grant is general program support to East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative. |
Active | $1,000,000 | 24 months |
| 2024 |
Stand Up Nashville
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $250,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
Black Farmer Fund
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
Instituto Para La Agroecología, Investigacion, y Accion (IALA-PR)
The purpose of this grant is general program support to the Institute for Research and Action in Agroecology, IALA-PR. |
Active | $300,000 | 24 months |
| 2024 |
Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
Pie Ranch
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $150,000 | 36 months |
| 2024 |
The Equity Alliance
The purpose of the grant is general operating support. |
Active | $150,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Corbin Hill Food Project
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
North Carolina Association of Black Lawyer Land Loss Prevention Project
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Active | $400,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Good Old Lower East Side, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $270,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
North Star Fund
The purpose of this project grant is to support North Star Fund’s Community Food Funders program, including the Seeding Power Fellowship program. |
Active | $195,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Center for Heirs Property Preservation
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $500,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
National Housing Institute/Shelterforce
The purpose of this grant is for general operating support. |
Closed | $75,000 | 12 months |
| 2023 |
Southwest Georgia Project For Community Education, Inc.
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
HEAL Food Alliance
The purpose of this grant is general program support for HEAL Food Alliance, a project of Movement Strategy Center. |
Active | $300,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
Corbin Hill Food Project
general operating support |
Active | $25,000 | 12 months |
| 2023 |
National Black Food and Justice Alliance
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Active | $500,000 | 36 months |
| 2023 |
ISAIAH
The purpose of this grant is general operating support. |
Closed | $250,000 | 12 months |
| 2022 |
People's Advocacy Institute
Project support to People’s Advocacy Institute for the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition. |
Closed | $50,000 | 12 months |
| 2022 |
Black Farmer Safehouse
The purpose of this grant is project support for the Black Farmer Safehouse fund. |
Active | $1,000,000 | 27 months |