Grant Portfolios
Environmental Justice & Protection
Objectives Increase the number of Georgians who:
1. Shape and benefit from environmental policies, practices, and systems that are just and effective.
2. Prosper in safe, healthy, sustainable, and protected environments.
Desired Outcomes
By utilizing strategies reflected in our values, practices, objectives, and grant criteria, we seek to contribute to just systemic change that results in the following:
1. Increased Passage & Implementation
Increased passage and implementation of policies, practices, and systems that advance environmental justice and protection.
2. Stronger Collaboration
Stronger collaboration among organizations, collaborations, and networks that pursue environmental justice and protection efforts.
3. Stronger Capacity
Stronger capacity of organizations, collaborations, and networks that pursue environmental justice and protection, as evidenced by: (a) Stronger policy advocacy, civic engagement, and grassroots community organizing work. (b) Stronger equity and justice lenses across their work. (c) Stronger organizational health, leadership, and membership.
4. More Georgians
More Georgians, especially communities of color and rural communities: (a) Participate in policy advocacy, civic engagement, or grassroots community organizing for environmental justice and protection. (b) Prosper in safe, healthy, sustainable, and protected environments.
Process & Two Priorities
January 15 is the deadline for our annual, open grant process. Apply by submitting a Letter of Connection, after you review our Strategic Direction Summary.
Note: In 2021, our trustees approved two long-term priorities for each of our main grant portfolios. For grant portfolio I: Environmental Justice & Protection, they approved (1) water and (2) climate/energy. We often award two-year grants for water in spring of odd years and two-year grants for climate/energy in spring of even years.
List of Grantee Partners
Download our annual list of grantee partners for our Environmental Justice & Protection grant portfolio.
McIntosh County
Desired Outcomes
1. Thrive in School & Graduation
2. Thrive in Life, Career, & Community
Process
McIntosh County grants are by invitation only.
For decades, we administered different and impactful forms of a named scholarship program – the Annemarie & Richard J. Reynolds, Jr. Scholarship – to honor the Reynolds’ commitment to the people of McIntosh County. In partnership with Communities in Schools and the McIntosh County School System, we are pursuing the next phase of the program. Now, we are focused on a wholistic and collaborative approach that includes year-round support for students, families, schools, and communities. Specifically, Communities in Schools will pursue the following four goals, built off of its successful partnerships in neighboring Glynn County.
1. Establish the program at the local high school, McIntosh Academy, and hire a Site Coordinator to support social, emotional, and academic needs of students, families, communities, and staff year-round.
2. Analyze and improve programs and service delivery during the initial phase with possible expansion to additional counties in southeast Georgia, as well as better connect learnings and opportunities across Glynn and McIntosh Counties with the help of a Program Manager.
3. Achieve long-term systemic change in McIntosh County’s ability to provide outstanding educational opportunities for its students.
4. Administer a named scholarship program – the Annemarie and Richard J. Reynolds, Jr. Scholarship – for graduating seniors of McIntosh Academy.
Special Partners
To learn more about our work and special partners, please read the news article featuring Communities in Schools, the McIntosh County Superintendent, and The Sapelo Foundation. Or, visit Communities in Schools’ website.
Tool I: Organization Development Fund
Objective Support internal, individual efforts of one organization or network.
Desired Outcome
Advance the desired outcomes of Grant Portfolios I-III.
Process
Monthly, open grant process for direct grantee partners that seek up to $2,000.
Tool II: Collaboration Development Fund
Objective Support external, collaborative efforts across two or more organizations or networks.
Desired Outcome
Advance the desired outcomes of Grant Portfolios I-III.
Process
Quarterly, open grant process for direct grantee partners that seek up to $5,000.
Tool III: Smith W. Bagley Advocacy Award
Objective Celebrate one organization or network, in memory of our late president.
Desired Outcome
Advance the desired outcomes of Grant Portfolios I-III.
Process
Annual, closed grant process.
Tool IV: Mini-Sabbaticals for Advocates-in-Residence
Objective Support mini-sabbaticals for advocates-in-residence at Musgrove on St. Simons Island.
Desired Outcome
Advance the desired outcomes of Grant Portfolios I-III.
Process
Annual (July 15 – September 15), open grant process for current and recent direct and indirect grantee partners.
Social Justice
Objectives Increase the number of Georgians who:
1. Shape and benefit from civic and social policies, practices, and systems that are just and effective.
2. Prosper with full rights, protections, access, and agency in our democracy.
Desired Outcomes
By utilizing strategies reflected in our values, practices, objectives, and grant criteria, we seek to contribute to just systemic change that results in the following:
1. Increased Passage & Implementation
Increased passage and implementation of policies, practices, and systems that advance social justice.
2. Stronger Collaboration
Stronger collaboration among organizations, collaborations, and networks that pursue social justice efforts.
3. Stronger Capacity
4. More Georgians
More Georgians, especially communities of color and rural communities: (a) Participate in policy advocacy, civic engagement, or grassroots community organizing for social justice. (b) Prosper with fuller rights, protections, access, and agency in our democracy.
Process & Two Priorities
July 15 is the deadline for our annual, open grant process. Apply by submitting a Letter of Connection, after you review our Strategic Direction Summary.
Note: In 2021, our trustees approved two long-term priorities for each of our main grant portfolios. For grant portfolio II: Social Justice, they approved (1) voting rights and (2) criminal justice. We often award two-year grants for voting rights in fall of odd years and two-year grants for criminal justice in fall of even years.
List of Grantee Partners
Download our annual list of grantee partners for our Social Justice grant portfolio.