Land Use Through Community Power

The Outcomes We Seek

  • Increased Community Control, Ownership, and Stewardship of Land and Infrastructure

    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.

  • Increased Organizing & Advocacy Practices

    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.

  • Increased Community-Led Planning & Community Designed Alternatives

    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.

  • Increased Democratic Participation

    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.

 

Selection Criteria

Leadership Reflects the Communities They Serve

We prioritize support for organizations led by individuals who represent and reflect the communities they serve.

Deep Relationships in the Communities

We support organizations whose leaders have developed deeply rooted relationships in the communities they serve.

Investments that Build Community Assets and Preserve Integrity

We support organizations and projects that create and advocate for infrastructure (re)investments that build community assets while preserving the integrity of existing communities for their residents.

Community Control Decisions that Affect Them

We support work that helps communities of color and low-wealth communities exercise more control over land use development and infrastructure decisions that affect them, including investments related to transportation.

Build Capacity

We support groups that help our grantee partners develop the skills, knowledge and institutional and network capacity to advance their work.

Land Use Through Community Power

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
2022 East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general program support to East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative.

Closed $250,000 12 months
2022 Detroit People's Platform Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is to support Detroit Peoples Platform in creating and implementing strategies to address economic and racial inequality across the city of Detroit.

Active $375,000 36 months
2022 Public Advocates Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of grant is general operating support.

Active $350,000 36 months
2021 Make the Road New York Path Created with Sketch.

General Operating Support to support advocacy efforts related to Invest in Our New York.

Closed $50,000 12 months
2021 Neighborhoods First Fund Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general program support to Neighborhoods First Fund.

Active $650,000 36 months
2021 Strategic Actions for a Just Economy Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of the grant is general operating support.

Active $225,000 36 months
2021 Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is to provide general program support to The Malcom X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Center. 

Closed $50,000 12 months
2021 Black Farmer Fund Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $300,000 36 months
2021 Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Active $300,000 36 months
2021 Pie Ranch Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is to provide general operating support to Pie Ranch.

Closed $100,000 12 months
2021 Corbin Hill Food Project Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

 

Closed $300,000 36 months
2021 ISAIAH Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $500,000 24 months
2021 North Carolina Association of Black Lawyer Land Loss Prevention Project Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $400,000 36 months
2021 People's Advocacy Institute Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is to provide general program support to the People’s Advocacy Institute’s (PAI) work to advance community-led initiatives for self-determination and community-driven solutions to social inequities.

Closed $300,000 36 months
2021 Right to the City Alliance, Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Active $450,000 36 months
2021 Stand Up Nashville Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $150,000 36 months
2021 The Equity Alliance Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $150,000 36 months
2020 Good Old Lower East Side, Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

General operating support.

Closed $270,000 36 months
2020 North Star Fund Path Created with Sketch.

to support North Star Fund’s Community Food Funders program, including the Seeding Power Fellowship program.

Closed $150,000 36 months
2020 HEAL Food Alliance Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general program support for HEAL Food Alliance, a project of Movement Strategy Center.

Closed $225,000 36 months
2020 Strategic Actions for a Just Economy Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of the grant is general operating support.

Closed $100,000 12 months
2020 National Black Food and Justice Alliance Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this $50,000 general program support grant to the National Black Food and Justice Alliance (via fiscal sponsor Praxis Project) , is to support COIVD 19 rapid response efforts through the Alliance Mutual Aid and Action Fund. This fund will offer seed grants to NBFJA members from 500 – 5,000 in the areas of Food Security, Community Wellness and Cooperation and Mutual Aid.

Closed $50,000 6 months
2020 Common Market Philadelphia, Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this is general operating support.

Closed $100,000 12 months
2020 Center for Heirs Property Preservation Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $300,000 36 months
2020 Southwest Georgia Project For Community Education, Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $400,000 36 months

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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
2022 East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general program support to East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative.

Closed $250,000 12 months
2022 Detroit People's Platform Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is to support Detroit Peoples Platform in creating and implementing strategies to address economic and racial inequality across the city of Detroit.

Active $375,000 36 months
2022 Public Advocates Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of grant is general operating support.

Active $350,000 36 months
2021 Make the Road New York Path Created with Sketch.

General Operating Support to support advocacy efforts related to Invest in Our New York.

Closed $50,000 12 months
2021 Neighborhoods First Fund Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general program support to Neighborhoods First Fund.

Active $650,000 36 months
2021 Strategic Actions for a Just Economy Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of the grant is general operating support.

Active $225,000 36 months
2021 Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is to provide general program support to The Malcom X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Center. 

Closed $50,000 12 months
2021 Black Farmer Fund Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $300,000 36 months
2021 Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Active $300,000 36 months
2021 Pie Ranch Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is to provide general operating support to Pie Ranch.

Closed $100,000 12 months
2021 Corbin Hill Food Project Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

 

Closed $300,000 36 months
2021 ISAIAH Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $500,000 24 months
2021 North Carolina Association of Black Lawyer Land Loss Prevention Project Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $400,000 36 months
2021 People's Advocacy Institute Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is to provide general program support to the People’s Advocacy Institute’s (PAI) work to advance community-led initiatives for self-determination and community-driven solutions to social inequities.

Closed $300,000 36 months
2021 Right to the City Alliance, Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Active $450,000 36 months
2021 Stand Up Nashville Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $150,000 36 months
2021 The Equity Alliance Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $150,000 36 months
2020 Good Old Lower East Side, Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

General operating support.

Closed $270,000 36 months
2020 North Star Fund Path Created with Sketch.

to support North Star Fund’s Community Food Funders program, including the Seeding Power Fellowship program.

Closed $150,000 36 months
2020 HEAL Food Alliance Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general program support for HEAL Food Alliance, a project of Movement Strategy Center.

Closed $225,000 36 months
2020 Strategic Actions for a Just Economy Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of the grant is general operating support.

Closed $100,000 12 months
2020 National Black Food and Justice Alliance Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this $50,000 general program support grant to the National Black Food and Justice Alliance (via fiscal sponsor Praxis Project) , is to support COIVD 19 rapid response efforts through the Alliance Mutual Aid and Action Fund. This fund will offer seed grants to NBFJA members from 500 – 5,000 in the areas of Food Security, Community Wellness and Cooperation and Mutual Aid.

Closed $50,000 6 months
2020 Common Market Philadelphia, Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this is general operating support.

Closed $100,000 12 months
2020 Center for Heirs Property Preservation Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $300,000 36 months
2020 Southwest Georgia Project For Community Education, Inc. Path Created with Sketch.

The purpose of this grant is general operating support.

Closed $400,000 36 months