Galaxy Gives Foundation
OVERVIEW: Galaxy Gives supports criminal justice reform, civics and democracy, and other social justice issues in New York City and beyond.
IP TAKE: Galaxy Gives, which partners with “movement leaders fighting injustie, is a funder who’s known for “betting on bold, successful justice reform projects.” This funder prioritizes making grants to organizations led by people who are a part of the communities Galaxy’s funding seeks to serve. In the case of Galaxy Gives, this foundation backs organizations led by the formerly incarcerated, crime victims or family members of people in the system.
Galaxy Gives offers “flexible multi-year, general operating investments needed to transform the system,” making it a particularly good funder to know in the criminal justice reform space. It gives to both grassroots and established organizations, though it leans towards grassroots work. It is also accessible and has an open application system, but it’s giving is generally geographically limited to six states, something potential grantees will want to keep in mind. To start the application process here, first submit both an Organization form and a Letter of Inquiry, and Galaxy will let you know if you’re a good fit and can proceed with an invitation to apply.
PROFILE: Established in 2017 and based in New York City, Galaxy Gives seeks to “invest in leaders, organizations, and campaigns that work to dismantle the current punitive justice system, build power for the communities most harmed, and forge transformative solutions.” This is the foundation of the Novogratz family and a funder that invests in leaders who are fighting for a more just world. Mike Novogratz co-founded Galaxy Digital, which is a digital assets and blockchain technology investment firm. Sukey Novogratz, his wife, is a philanthropist, author and the co-founder of Galaxy Gives.
Galaxy Labs is a startup studio that supports initiatives that build a more just, kind and equitable society. This funder primarily invests in criminal justice reform, but it has also supported emerging artists, leadership, democracy, and healing.
The Galaxy Gives Foundation clearly outlines its funding approach on its website, stating the ways in which it does not believe philanthropy can fulfill the roles of the public sector.
Grants for Criminal Justice Reform
Galaxy Gives, which predominately gives to criminal justice reform across several areas, states that it works to end the criminal justice system’s reliance on punishment as a form of control and instead focus on “building a society committed to healing, restoration, and safety [by] investing in communities that have been targeted by racism and criminalization, we will contribute qualitatively to realizing a multiracial democracy.” It does this both through grants and fellowship programs.
Criminal justice reform is Galaxy Gives primary grantmaking area and has received at least half of all grants since 2017. To receive funding, prospective grantees must demonstrate that their work is “culturally anchored and reflective in its proposed projects of a deep understanding of racial justice and the political realities of mass incarceration.”
It prioritizes support for groups led by individuals who have been directly impacted by the areas they seek to transform.
Previous grantees include the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, the REFORM Alliance, and The Bail Project, for which Mike Novogratz is chairman of the board. Other grantees are available here.
In addition to its grantmaking, Galaxy Gives has several fellowship programs, all focused on transforming the criminal justice system. The Galaxy Leaders Fellowship provides a one-time, unrestricted award of $150,000 to an annual cohort of 10 fellows. According to the program’s press release, 90% of fellows are previously incarcerated or had a close family member incarcerated, are crime survivors, or work within the system. The fellowship’s goal is to support “emerging leaders that are working to dismantle our nation’s reliance on incarceration and criminalization.” This opportunity has two tracks, outlined below:
The Galaxy Leader Changemaker Fellowship is a one-time, unrestricted award of $150,000 for advocates, grassroots organizers, faith-based and non-profit leaders, and others with unique perspectives whose work focuses on ending mass incarceration.
The Galaxy Leader Artmaker Fellowship is a two-year, one-time, unrestricted award of $150,000 that supports artists, curators, and cultural organizers working in the visual, literary, and performing arts. It helps fund the development of new work with the goal of moving “mov[ing] the needle on issues that go to the heart of our nation’s over reliance on incarceration.”
At least for 2024, the Fellowship program has moved to a nomination process rather than one that accepts unsolicited applications.
Grants for Civics and Democracy
Galaxy Gives invests in democracy and civic engagement through its Democracy investment area. Galaxy invests in groups that support grassroots organizing, political education, and increasing voting access for groups historically excluding from the democratic process. Most of its funding through this area goes to One for Democracy, a group of philanthropists and CEO’s pledging 1% of their net worth toward efforts to support Democracy.
Grants for Community Development
Galaxy Gives supports community development groups through its Leadership and Healing funding areas.
Galaxy primarily supports community leadership through its Galaxy Leaders Fellowship program, which it uses to invest directly in leaders who are working to end mass incarceration, heal our communities, and expand democracy. It also prioritizes funding for those who have been most harmed by the systems of oppression they are trying to dismantle.
The Healing area works to create healed individuals and communities and provide the “deeper inner healing,” which is often needed to “precede or accompany those systemic changes to transform and evolve […] society towards a genuinely multiracial democracy.”
Important Grant Details:
Galaxy gives has given over $100 million since 2017, and about half of that has gone to criminal justice groups. Grants can range from $5,000 to over $1 million, but the most common amount is closer to $25,000.
Grantseekers apply by submitting an LOI and an Organization Information Form.
After reviewing these, Galaxy Gives will indicate their interest and request a formal grant application.
It only supports groups in Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, New York, and California.
It invites grantseekers to reach out with general questions or inquiries.
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