Lookbook

Reset Philanthropy. An Introduction to JustFund

A Letter From Our Founder

Dear Prospective JustFunder,

Consider this: In 2020 alone, an estimated $472 billion was granted to nonprofit organizations, yet only 4% of funding went to organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). The grantmaking process is often exclusionary and expensive, making it primarily accessible to nonprofits with the “right” expertise and networks. For all the intended good, this drastic funding inequity is a reminder that philanthropy often perpetuates the same social and economic inequalities that it seeks to alleviate.

For historically excluded communities to thrive, we need more equitable practices and fewer barriers and roadblocks to seek and distribute funding. I started JustFund in 2017 with a new vision of philanthropic grantmaking in mind: one that is rooted in equity, built on trust, and that can fuel the movement for social and racial equity. In the pages that follow, you’ll learn about our innovative grantmaking solutions that start with the JustFund Common ApplicationTM. JustFund is more than a platform; we offer a fundamentally different approach to philanthropy— designed to disrupt old models of giving and build new ones rooted in equity, transparency, and trust.

With over 10,000 organizations, 1000 funders, and over $210M moved to date, our values-aligned community of JustFunders is collectively building a new way to give. Read on to learn more about how you can join us on the journey to reset philanthropy, together

Warmly,

Iara Peng Founder & CEO iara@justfund.us

About JustFund

When JustFund launched in 2017, we had an ambitious vision: to simplify grantmaking and fuel a movement to equitably and efficiently move money to those on the forefront of change. JustFund, built by funders and organizers of color, is the nation’s first grantmaking platform that leverages a common application alongside a broad offering of grantmaking solutions.

Like most modern American systems, philanthropy—and the technology that powers it—was borne from unjust systems. Despite its intended good, philanthropy can often perpetuate the same social and economic inequalities that it seeks to alleviate. At JustFund, we are committed to resetting philanthropic practices so our most vulnerable communities can thrive.

It’s really that simple: just fund.

TheProblem

The grantmaking process can be exclusionary and expensive, making funding most accessible to elite nonprofits with the right network. It’s costly for organizations and funders to seek and distribute funding and difficult for funders to find groups to fund that are outside their existing networks.

BIPOC-led nonprofit organizations received 4% of total philanthropic dollars in 2020.

Black-led nonprofits remain 91% smaller than their white-led counterparts.

Source: Racial Equity and Philanthropy: Disparities in Funding for Leaders of Color Leave Impact on the Table. The Bridgespan Group and Echoing Green, 2020

The Common App

Applying for grants takes time away from mission-advancing work. 40% of applications take a week+ and cost $5k+. The JustFund Common ApplicationTM makes it easy for grantseekers to apply to multiple funding opportunities.

Why it Works Our Solution

Moving More Money

There’s an estimated $160 billion in assets in Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), not being invested into Black and Brown communities. JustFund works with DAF partners and supports high net worth donors to move more money to chronically underfunded communities.

Built on Trust

We believe money moves at the speed of trustTM and work to ensure funders can move critical resources equitably, transparently, and securely. A strong transactional grantmaking practice builds trust so that funders can develop transformative relationships with their grantees.

JustFund aims to simplify grantmaking and fuel a movement to equitably and efficiently move more money to those on the forefront of change. JustFund is the nation’s first platform that leverages a common application, allowing applicants to save hundreds of hours applying to many funding opportunities over time. The JustFund Common ApplicationTM is the flagship feature among a broad offering of innovative grantmaking solutions.

We use a common application platform that saves organizations time, and allows them to apply to multiple funds with the click of a button.

Funders can use the portal to find and fund using dozens of filters, including learning what other funders support.

Our services are as simple or as customized as you need them to be, and our experts can be by your side for all your grantmaking needs.

Our Services

Whether you are a collaborative fund looking for a way to streamline your grantmaking, an individual or institution looking for new organizations to fund, or a network wanting to track aligned giving and inspire members to take action, we have a service for you. Compare JustFund’s dynamic service offerings designed to help you move more money to movements in a simple and streamlined way.

Our Community

To date, we’ve moved over $210 million collectively supporting 1000+ funders and 10,000+ organizations. Meet some of them below.

Case Studies

CASE STUDY #1

Trust, Transparency, and Building Ties to Community  Regional, Collaborative Funding with the Atlanta Emergency Response Collaborative

“As a group of funders, we quickly realized that relying on our own networks was not going to get us to those small, grassroots community-led organizations. We didn’t have those relationships. JustFund gave us the opportunity to hold each other accountable to push toward greater equity in all our foundations. JustFund gave us the platform to start that conversation.”

Amy Clarke, Atlanta Emergency Response Collaborative

When the COVID-19 pandemic first exploded in the United States, Cousins Foundation— a small family foundation in Atlanta, Georgia— knew they had to think creatively to get funds to organizations experiencing drastically increased need. As urgency grew, Cousins Foundation teamed up with 19 other Atlanta-based funders to form the Atlanta Emergency Response Collaborative (AERC).

AERC members were seeking a way to communicate quickly and efficiently with each other and bring much-needed transparency to their funding. Becoming a Network on JustFund allowed members to accept a common proposal across all 20 funders, to see what groups were being funded in Atlanta, and by whom. Members of AERC could track in real time the needs of their community and decide how to best direct their funding. The JustFund portal also sped up the funding processes within each foundation and expanded the trust within the regional funding network. As a result of increased transparency in funding, AERC members felt more confident funding organizations that had already been vetted by their peers. This process saved time, expanded their giving networking, and helped funders move money more quickly individually, and collectively to organizations.

While the collaborative was initially focused on finding a grantmaking platform that could facilitate a common proposal, AERC members describe JustFund as a true thought partner. JustFund’s equity-centered grantmaking approach pushed AERC members to hold each other accountable for embedding equity throughout their practices and to deeply engage with the communities they are working alongside.

The transparency that JustFund offers also allowed members of AERC to continue finding new organizations and prioritize giving based on where they saw the most need. To date, the collaborative has moved $5,551,244 through JustFund, and supported over 181 proposals.

Case Studies

CASE STUDY #2

Flexibility in Funding as a Driver of Change

Pooled Funding with Amplify Fund

“We wouldn’t have been able to do this work without JustFund. We have been building our strategy and process over the last three years, but had we not linked up with JustFund as a partner, we would not have been able to move money in the way that we want, with the values and principles that we want.”

Melody Baker, Amplify Fund

At Amplify Fund, the team operates with a core belief that flows into every aspect of their work: community power is a catalyst for just and equitable development. To support organizations working at the intersection of power building, racial justice, and equitable growth, Amplify Fund knew that traditional practices in philanthropy wouldn’t achieve the meaningful results they were seeking. Amplify Fund wanted to center racial justice in how they fund, not just who they fund, providing a more equitable model of grantmaking that could be replicated by their peers.

In order to make a key shift in how to fund, Amplify sought flexibility in their grantmaking solution. Having a smaller staff, Amplify Fund needed a tool that prioritized transparency, simplicity, and accessibility in order to maximize their team’s efforts while still keeping their core values front and center of the work.

And above all, Amplify Fund aimed to streamline their grantmaking process in order to save their grantees time and move money more quickly and directly. They sought flexibility in designing a process that felt effective yet “minimally invasive” with the depth and breadth of additional, time-confusing application requirements. Through these shifts, Amplify Fund aims to give grantees valuable time back to be doing what they do best – organizing movements.

With the flexibility and high-level support provided by JustFund’s expert team and technology, Amplify Fund has expanded the capacity of their staff and moved $5.6M via 245 grants to organizations that are driving change within their communities.

Case Studies

CASE STUDY #3

Utilizing Find and Fund for Maximum Impact

Individual Funding with Beth Braun

As an individual funder, Beth Braun is always thinking about impact. Throughout her many years of grantmaking with a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), Beth has realized that investing in smaller, grassroots organizations is where she can really help make a difference. The autonomy that comes with being an individual funder means she can freely follow her funding passions: climate justice, democracy, and the intersections between the two. But without the built-in network that large foundations have access to, individual funders like Beth often lack the relationships and access to research tools to identify the breadth of organizations that would benefit from their grants.

Using JustFund’s Find and Fund feature, Beth has been able to easily search for organizations that match her passion areas and often only need a small-scale grant to achieve their goals. She also credits the JustFund newsletter with highlighting new funding opportunities and making the process of deciding who to fund even simpler. And because JustFund offers a human-centered approach to grantmaking, Beth has built meaningful relationships with the people advancing the movements she cares about most.

Whether it’s supporting the work of climate workers in the Amazon Rainforest or investing in political organizing efforts led by Native women, Beth has been able to find organizations that share her passions and know that her grants will make a meaningful impact through JustFund.

“JustFund has opened my eyes to the many, many different entities that are working right at the intersection of what I care about.”

Beth Braun, Individual Donor

Pay it Forward

Did you know: As a nonprofit, we offer a deeply discounted rate to all clients in order to ensure equitable access to our values-aligned grantmaking services and to grow the JustFund community of funders working to reset philanthropy.

Through our Pay it Forward model, clients who are financially able add 20% to their base price, allowing JustFund to keep the platform free for nonprofits seeking grants, and accessible to all types of funds and funders, including grassroots organizations needing support with regranting.

Are you able to go above and beyond? We also invite direct grant funding to accelerate the continued development of the JustFund platform.

Become a JustFunder

Are you ready to become a JustFunder? We can’t wait to hear from you.

At JustFund, we provide grantmakers with a values-aligned grantmaking solution rooted in equity and built on trust. Ready to join our growing community? Schedule a Funder Demo today and we can help identify the right solution for you.

Here are three other ways you can connect with us and stay engaged:

Engage on Social Media

You can follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to hear all about what’s new with the JustFund community.

Tell a Friend

Help spread the word and share what you’ve learned about JustFund with your network.

Give a Grant

To keep this vital work moving forward, we’re always appreciative of direct grant funding. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of funders who recognize the importance of normalizing a common proposal, centering core values through every stage of grants management, and sharing a common portal for funders to find and fund historically excluded organizations. Connect with us if you are interested supporting JustFund and our unique technology through a direct grant.

“Seeking and distributing funds in a simple and equitable way shouldn’t come at the cost of anyone’s core values. That’s why JustFund is more than a platform or a tool to simplify grantmaking. We’re a growing community of valuesaligned funders and organizations who put equity at the center of their work, and we’re ready to reset philanthropy, together.”

— Iara Peng, CEO