Ben & Jerry’s Foundation
OVERVIEW: The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, the philanthropic arm of its ice cream company namesake, is devoted to supporting grassroots efforts for activism and change. Access to affordable housing, public health protections, criminal justice reform, environmental and marine conservation, are components of its economic justice initiative.
IP TAKE: Most of Ben & Jerry’s grantmaking takes place in Vermont. Its national program is much more limited in scope. Fitting with the populist perception of the ice cream company’s two founders, this accessible foundation seeks to return power to the hands of the people, so any programmatic work must flow from an overt, strategic, constituent-led approach that also relates to health and wellness. In other words, it seeks to fund grassroots or smaller organizations. If you’re a conservative outfit, look elsewhere for funding as this is a progressive funder.
PROFILE: The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Vermont-based ice cream company, was established in 1985 with a gift of stock from one of its namesakes, Ben Cohen. The other namesake, Jerry Greenfield, was named president of the foundation—a position he still holds. The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation’s mission statement is “to engage Ben & Jerry’s employees in philanthropy and social change work; to give back to our Vermont communities; and to support grassroots activism and community organizing for social and environmental justice around the country.” It operates through its three main programs: Community Action Team and Equity and Justice, which focus on Vermont, and its national program, Grassroots Organizing for Social Change.
Grants for Work and Economic Opportunity
Ben & Jerry’s Equity and Justice program works to address the “economic, social and environmental impacts of poverty.” It prioritizes “innovative programs that are working toward fundamental change in Vermont and that approach their work through the lens of social justice and equity.” The program’s areas of interest include: Equity in education, Access to safe and affordable housing, Criminal Justice Reform, Access to jobs with livable wages, Workers Rights, Access to affordable health care, and Access to healthy and affordable food. Recent work-related grantees include Vermont Workers’ Center and the Women’s Small Business Program at Mercy Connections.
Grants for Civic and Democracy
Grassroots Organizing for Social Change is Ben & Jerry’s only national grantmaking program. The foundation supports grassroots organizations—defined as “collective action from the bottom up”—that “challenges the status quo, demands changes in policy and practice, educates communities about root causes, and advocates and agitates for systemic and just solutions.” Its Community Action Team program offers general or project support through small grants, generally under $2,000, to “various local, community-based Vermont non-profit programs and community celebrations. In addition to making small grants, the CATs plan community service projects for all employees at their sites.” Past Grants for civic engagement include Californians United for a Responsible Budget, Clean Air Coalition of Western New York, and Dakota Rural Action.
Grants for Public Health
Ben & Jerry may fund public health initiatives through its Vermont Community Action Teams, which award small grants to “local, community-based Vermont non-profit programs.” The company’s social justice mission includes a commitment to the health of citizens around the U.S., particularly those who have been underserved, marginalized and dismissed. For the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation “social justice” is linked with “environmental justice.” The foundation is keenly aware of how environmental protections affect the health of local residents. It is, therefore, keen to support organizations and program work that bridges environmental protections with health and welfare protections for local citizens. These grants broadly funds “basic human needs” services such as “access to housing, food, health care, elder and child care.” It should also be noted that during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, this program area has shifted its main priority to addressing the effects of the crisis.
Grants for Criminal Justice Reform
Ben & Jerry’s Equity and Justice program works to address the “economic, social and environmental impacts of poverty.” It prioritizes “innovative programs that are working toward fundamental change in Vermont and that approach their work through the lens of social justice and equity.” The program’s areas of interest include: Equity in education, Access to safe and affordable housing, Criminal Justice Reform, Access to jobs with livable wages, Workers Rights, Access to affordable health care, and Access to healthy and affordable food. Recent criminal justice grantees include Mercy Connections’ Stand By Me program, and Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform.
Grants for Environmental and Marine Conservation
While the foundation does not have a program dedicated specifically to conservation, it conducts related grantmaking through its Grassroots Organizing Through Social Change program, which remains its key program for distributing U.S.-wide support. Within its environmental giving, the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation is also keenly aware of how environmental protections (or erosions) greatly affect the health of local residents. It is therefore especially keen to support organizations and program work that bridges marine protections with health and welfare protections for local citizens.
Past conservation grantees include the Western Colorado Congress (Grand Junction) and the Yaak Valley Forest Council. Past marine conservation grantees include Communities for Clean Water (Santa Fe, NM) for its “Toxic Cleanup Campaign,” a public relations and community engagement campaign to “pressure policymakers” and “expose threats” to regional waters, as well as “propose positive missions”; and the AGUA Coalition (Visalia, CA), a “grassroots coalition of low-income and people of color communities, dedicated to improving water quality in the San Joaquin Valley,” among many others.
Grants for K-12 Education
Ben and Jerry’s Vermont funding program maintains two separate initiatives: community action and economic justice, both of which have supported K-12 initiatives and populations. The foundation’s small community action grants support local non-profit programs, celebrations and service initiatives, and economic justice grants are directed toward nonprofit organizations that address “the economic, social and environmental impacts of poverty.” The capacity building program supports one nonprofit each year, with the goal of broadening its recipients’ reach and functioning. Rather than focusing on specific causes or issues, Ben and Jerry’s national Grassroots Organizing for Social Change program directs funding toward organizations that are constituent-led and focused on community outreach as a means of achieving goals. Past grantees in the areas of education include Vermont’s Seedlings Program and theater programs at public schools in Burlington and Lyndonville, Vermont.
Important Grant Details:
The Ben and Jerry’s Foundation operates a National Grassroots Organizing Program and a Vermont Grant Program. Its national program offers grants of up to $30,000 and prioritizes organizations “that are led by and center the leadership and agency of Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color.” National program grants are limited to organizations that are U.S.-based and U.S.-focused with annual operating budgets under $350,000. The foundation accepts unsolicited applications to this program. Deadlines for submissions are subject to change and are currently set on June 15, July 15, and August 15 by 4 pm ET.
The foundation’s Vermont Grant Program is separated into two categories. Its Community Action Team and Equity and Justice programs. Community Action Team grants give funding preference to organizations focusing on underserved populations, addressing basic human needs, and improving access to housing, food, healthcare, elder care and child care. Grants are typically less than $2,000 with grant applications accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed monthly.
Equity and Justice grants give funding preference to organizations working in fields related to equity in education, affordable housing, criminal justice reform, access to jobs with livable wages, workers’ rights, access to affordable healthcare, and access to health and affordable food. Vermont-based organizations with annual operating budgets of under $500,000 are eligible to apply. The Equity and Justice program awards grants of up to $20,000. The foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications for this program beginning in the middle of March and ending at the beginning of May. Application deadlines are subject to change.
Ben & Jerry’s Foundation has an open grant application process, with two LOI deadlines each year (typically April and October) for its Grassroots Organizing for Social Change program.
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