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 Sept. 18.
This latest round of funding includes Invitations to Apply for two funding opportunities:
Invitation to Apply: General Grant
Invitation to Apply: Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Grant
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.
A New Strategic Framework
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 Invitations to Apply released this month (Round 17), the primary partners have been expanded to also 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.
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 programs, to support outreach efforts and participate in reviewing stormwater infrastructure project proposals.
To date, Partners for Places has awarded nearly $7.4 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to over $16 million in investments.
The program is supported by seven investor foundations: The JPB Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, The Kresge Foundation, The New York Community Trust, Pisces Foundation, The Summit Foundation, and Surdna Foundation.
Submitting a Successful Proposal
Partners for Places currently administers three grant programs: General Grants, Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Grants and a Mini Grants program.
In July 2020 Partners for Places is offering two grant opportunities as part of Round 17:an Invitation to Apply for a General Grant and an Invitation to Apply for a GSI Grant.
General Grants
General Grants in Round 17 will:
1. Create or improve collaborative partnerships between a local government that is a USDN member or a USDN-affiliated regional partner network, frontline community-led group(s), and place-based funder(s).
2. Advance an equitable sustainability project that addresses frontline community priorities.
3. Apply a racial equity approach to both the collaboration and the project planning/implementation.
Download Invitation to Apply: General Grant
Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Grants
GSI Grants in Round 17 will support planning processes or projects that local government/utility water directors, and local, place-based funder(s) consider important to advancing GSI goals in their communities.
Download Invitation to Apply: GSI
The application deadline for Round 17 is Sept. 18, 2020 (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 Invitation to Apply: General Grant and the Invitation to Apply: GSI Grant. (Both of those documents include Grant Application and Budget forms.) You may also consult the Partners for Places Application and Award Guidance document to learn more.
Additional Resources
Register for our Round 17 Informational Webinar designed to help potential applicants prepare a proposal on Aug. 12 at 3 p.m. ET. Register here.
Learn about our latest round of grantees here.
Read this feature story about Partners for Places in 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.
Featured image at top: The City of Los Angeles is one of dozens of Partners for Places grantees working with local funders and partners to create more vibrant, healthy and prosperous communities Photo credit: Great Streets L.A.