The Fund for Racial Justice and Equity (FRJE), powered by United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, seeks to transform people and communities by investing in Black and Brown leaders and organizations. It is guided by a team of Black and Brown community leaders who are experts in their fields with decades of collective lived experience. Together, they developed the Fund’s strategic framework and investment process that expands opportunity and access to equitable funding. By removing barriers currently faced by leaders of color, we ensure that resources are available to support the programs, people and services centered around the voices and experiences of those most affected by racism. This investment process is committed to equitable funding practices throughout the application, review and distribution processes.

We have the following intentions:

• Support Black and Brown leadership
• Invest in people
• Support risk-taking and innovation
• Promote trust and integrity

FRJE is open to Lehigh Valley nonprofit organizations that are led by and explicitly serving Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ and disability communities or the intersections of these identities. Provide programming in one of the following areas: leadership development, economic advancement, health and wellness and/or stories of Black and Brown excellence and success. Grants between $10,000 – $50,000 will be available for programming in Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon Counties.

This grant will fund agencies and programs for one year, January 2025 – December 2025.

September 9, 2024 – Application opens
October 7, 2024 – Final day to submit applications
October 2024 – Applications will be reviewed
November 2024 – Applicants will be notified of funding decisions 
January 2025 – Funding begins 

All applications are to be completed through our web-based grants management system, e-CImpact. United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley agencies already using e-CImpact can log in and see the application in the menu to the left of the screen under “Apply/Report”. New agencies can use the same link to create an account in e-CImpact and access the application after following the instructions to “click here to create your account”.  

Questions
For questions about the application process on e-CImpact, please contact Tanya Engler at [email protected]. For all other questions about this grant, please contact Priscilla Rosado at [email protected]. 

• Organizations led by and explicitly serving BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and disability communities or the intersections of these identities. We define “led by” as the executive director and/or a significant percentage of senior-level staff and/or Board members identifying as being part of the above communities.
• The organization provides health and human services programming serving Lehigh, Northampton and/or Carbon Counties.
• Organization must hold 501(c)(3) status for at least one year or have a fiscal sponsor. 
• Organization does not discriminate against (hiring process and recipients of services) on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, age, or service in the uniformed services. Specific exclusions necessary to the essential operation of a program(s) will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. (Example: women’s shelter)  
• You may submit multiple applications/proposals, but you will only be eligible for funding for one of the proposals.