Programme Objectives and Focus Areas

The Movement, Backbone & Reflex objectives, focus on our core grant-making activities. Learn more about our theory of change here and our approach to progressive philanthropy here and of course check out our grantees.

Grant-making

All of our grants are open for expressions of interest year-round. Contact us at hello@guerrillafoundation.org and we’ll get the ball rolling.

1. THE MOVEMENT – Fund for Grassroots Movements

• Fund bold campaigns that mobilise individuals through creative means.
• Fund movement organisations and activists that are central in tackling big issues and have a systemic change perspective.

2. THE BACKBONE – Fund for Activism Structures

• Support organisations and activities that educate & build capacity for community organisation and mobilisation, develop skills and thus boost the credibility of activists, collectives or associations (e.g. online infrastructure, educational programs).
• Support activist platforms and effective ways for activists/citizens/stakeholders to connect and organize.
• Fund organisations that help create stronger connections between grassroots and top-tier change efforts (e.g. lobbying etc.) to increase the legitimacy of the latter.

3. THE REFLEX – ‘Go Guerrilla’ Fund for Urgent Actions

• Fast, smaller grants that respond to the need for urgent mobilisation and actions (e.g. protests) to react swiftly to emerging and unexpected sociopolitical situations and emergencies affecting activists.
• Cover immediate needs of activists (e.g. legal support, meeting/convening costs, mobilisation costs).
• Grants up to 5,000 EUR

Target Groups

• Grassroots organisations that organise and mobilise individuals, particularly those from marginalised backgrounds.
• Movement organisations with a collaborative pan-European orientation particularly those that are addressing relevant issues from a systemic perspective.
• Individual activists that are central to a specific movement and want to implement a relevant project beyond organisational borders.
• Organisations and projects that provide structures for learning, communicating, organising & mobilising – online and offline.

What we are NOT Funding

• Primarily artistic or academic projects (even if they relate to social movements / activism).
• For-profit efforts.
• Religious organisations and political parties.
• Re-granting organisations.
• Government programmes.

Selection Criteria

In the first step of the selection process, the Guerrilla Foundation team will seek out relevant organisations that work on issues that interest us and are currently important. These are the criteria that they will use to differentiate between these relevant organisations:

Systemic Perspective – Is the project addressing root causes? Is it working towards systemic change, moving away from the symptomatic approach to a more holistic framework? Sustained action on achieving a core mission as opposed to one-off activities.

Catalytic – Bold and promising early stage initiatives. And/or initiatives that have a tough time finding funds elsewhere. How important is what we have to offer for this organisation?

Embodiment of Progressive Values – Does the organisation promote and embody the progressive values of equity, fairness, non-violence, democracy, and sustainability?

Absorption Potential – Financial & management ability, size of grant in relation to overall project/programme/organisation budget, stable organisation with low turnover & capable staff.

Multiplier Effect – Is there the potential to create large impact on an issue, field or network of organisations? How effective and creative is this organisation/individual at communication of its impact, ideas etc How central and/or collaborative within the ecosystem is this organisation/individual?

*We used to donate to COTAP on an annual basis to offset the CO2 caused by our flying, then we stopped. Carbon-offsetting does seem to be a ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ card for polluters to keep polluting while greenwashing their hands. Instead we give grants to activist groups such as Stay Grounded or Yes to Life, No to Mining, that are trying to radically revision and restructure major carbon emitters while trying to limit our own pollution to the barest minimum.