Now more than ever, the past year has shown us the power of grassroots organizing, and the value of leaning on and caring for our own communities. At CSD, building equity has always been at the heart of our projects, and today, we’re excited to introduce the next step toward that vision: the CSD Unites Community Foundation (UCF). We can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get to work, together.
WHO WE ARE
CSD Unites Community Foundation dreams of working collaboratively with deaf-led organizations and communities to achieve long-term and widespread impact. The Foundation invests in community-driven initiatives that effect systemic change and create opportunities for our deaf peers. These investments are made via the disbursement of microgrants, facilitation of capacity-building networks, and support of community mobilization efforts. It’s a big vision, but we know it’s achievable when we work together.
HOW IT STARTED
Since its establishment, CSD Neighborhood and its sub-program, CSD Unites, has remained committed to investing in people and organizations. We’ve grown our network of talented organizers and created coalitions ready to tackle inequities and systematic barriers in our deaf communities. One such success was the “Who Will Answer” campaign—a project that established the National Deaf Hotline, the first 24-hour ASL hotline for domestic abuse and sexual assault assistance. Unites also took on the inaccessibility of election information by establishing SignVote which has grown into a coalition of 17 organizations, and fundraised for the Deaf Queer Resource Center (DQRC), which enabled DQRC to obtain 501(c)(3) non-profit status. CSD Neighborhood has evolved into the Foundation in order to fulfill CSD’s vision for a broader, stronger community support system.
HOW IT’S GOING
COVID-19 has radically shifted so much in our world, and long-standing systemic barriers have made navigating the impact of the pandemic especially difficult for marginalized communities. In response, the Foundation established our COVID-19 Resiliency Efforts as a way to quickly address the needs of organizations working with members of our deaf communities across the country. Our Resiliency Efforts are two-tiered: we are releasing microgrants for organizations impacted by COVID-19, and we are inviting community members to contribute and expand the Foundation’s existing pool of funding for those microgrants. The Foundation will be accepting applications for COVID-19 Emergency Response Grants, as well as donations to support the COVID-19 Resiliency Fund until March 4th. We aim to support work addressing the needs of marginalized communities facing injustice or oppression. Projects that increase accessibility, foster innovation, and promote sustainable community change are especially encouraged. Organizations can request anywhere from $1,000-10,000, depending on the scope of the project.
FUND OR APPLY FOR GRANTS
Read more about the application process here, or contribute to the COVID-19 Resiliency Fund here. Your donation will go directly toward expanding the funds available for microgrants and resources to sustain positive community change. The Foundation is always working to identify grant target areas so we can release microgrant opportunities that best address the needs of our community throughout the year. Please keep an eye out for more information about these upcoming campaigns.
The Foundation is honored to be part of creating opportunities for deaf communities everywhere, and our COVID-19 Resiliency Efforts are just the beginning. Want to stay up to date? Subscribe to our newsletter to learn about our latest projects, and ways you can get involved. You can also follow us below.
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Deaf Organizations Fund is a 501(c)3 public charity, tax ID: 92-3792141.
