BY TFN STAFF
The Funders Network (TFN), in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), is pleased to announce the opening of the latest round of the Partners for Places grant program.
The deadline to submit proposals is March 19.
Partners for Places is a successful matching grant program that improves communities by supporting equitable sustainability projects that build partnerships between local government leaders, community groups and place-based foundations in the U.S. and Canada.
National funders invest in local projects developed through these partnerships to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy and well-being for all residents.
Through these investments, Partners for Places fosters long-term relationships that make our communities more resilient, prosperous and equitable.
These one-to-one matching awards provide partnership investments between $25,000 and $75,000 for one-year projects, or between $75,000 and $150,000 for two-year projects, with a 1:1 match required by one or more local foundations.
Interested in applying?
Download the Round 18 Invitation to Apply and the Round 18 Application and Award Guidance Document.
Strategic Direction
Collaboration and partnership are at the heart of the Partners for Places program.
Since 2012, the matching grant program has helped foster dozens of new partnerships between local government sustainability leaders and place-based funders across the U.S. and Canada — relationships that often continue long after the original Partners for Places project has been completed.
In recent years, the grant program has adopted a strategy that leads with racial equity and a sharper focus on how best to advance equitable and sustainable communities.
Starting with the Round 17 Invitation to Apply released in July of 2020, the primary partners have been expanded to include local frontline community-led groups.
This collaborative partnership model is intended to more deeply embed the values and practice of racial equity into local community decision-making processes. Read about the Round 17 grantees here.
About Partners for Places
Partners for Places is led by TFN in partnership with the USDN. As in previous grant cycles, we are excited to partner with Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, a practitioner network that supports communities seeking to grow green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) programs, to support outreach efforts.
To date, Partners for Places has awarded nearly $8.2 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to over $17 million in investments.
The program is currently supported by five investor foundations: The JPB Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, The Kresge Foundation, The New York Community Trust, and Pisces Foundation.
Submitting a Successful Proposal
Partners for Places currently administers two grant programs: General Grants, and a Mini Grants program.
General Grants in Round 18 will:
1. Create or improve collaborative partnerships between a local government sustainability and/or water department(s), frontline community-led group(s), and place-based funder(s).
2. Advance an equitable sustainable climate action and/or GSI project that addresses frontline community priorities.
3. Apply a racial equity approach to both the collaboration and the project planning/implementation.
The application deadline for Round 18 is March 19, 2021 (by 11:59 p.m., any time zone).
Please visit the Partners for Places webpage for more information. Here you can view our promotional video, download the Round 18 Invitation to Apply, which includes the Grant Application and Budget form. You may also consult the Round 18 Application and Award Guidance Document.
Additional Resources
Register for our Round 18 Informational Webinar designed to help potential applicants prepare a proposal on Feb.16 at 4 p.m. ET. Register here.
Read this feature story about Partners for Places in Inside Philanthropy here.
For more information about the Partners for Places program, please feel free to reach out to Ashley Quintana at ashley@fundersnetwork.org.
