Let Us Breathe Fund

The Let Us Breathe Fund, operated by North Star Fund, provides financial support to Black-led organizations actively engaged in grassroots organizing in New York City and the Hudson Valley. This initiative was launched in 2015 in response to increased activism following the police killing of Eric Garner, with the goal of addressing systemic racism and inequity perpetuated through discriminatory laws, policies, and practices. The fund seeks to reverse the philanthropic sector’s historical neglect of Black-led movements by distributing general operating grants to small, community-rooted organizations working to create systemic change. The Fund supports organizations that engage in grassroots organizing defined as building collective power among communities affected by injustice. Eligible groups identify root causes of injustice and aim to dismantle or replace inequitable systems through strategic campaigns. These campaigns are driven by members of the impacted communities, who are recruited as leaders and key strategists. Organizations must also have a clear vision for systemic change and be able to identify the decision-makers they aim to influence. Let Us Breathe grants are $20,000 general operating grants. The program funds both emerging and established Black-led groups. New organizations, while not required to meet every organizing criterion, should prioritize mass mobilization, leadership from impacted communities, and alignment with systemic change objectives. Eligible applicants must have operating budgets under $800,000 and cannot be primarily direct service providers unless those services lead into organizing and leadership development strategies. The current application window opens on February 19, 2025, and closes on March 31, 2025, at 9 PM ET. New applicants must submit their application through North Star Fund’s profile on JustFund.us. The application includes a profile setup, answers to additional application questions, and uploads such as a budget, staffing details, and proof of nonprofit status or fiscal sponsorship. North Star Fund staff are available to assist with inquiries, and optional workshops are held to guide first-time applicants through the process. Applications are reviewed by Community Funding Committees, composed of volunteer organizers with local knowledge. Some applicants will be invited for site visits about a month after the deadline, and funding decisions are expected approximately three months following the close of the application period. While applications are accepted year-round for rapid response grants, the general grant cycle recurs annually, with the next expected application window likely beginning in February 2026.

Attend the How to Apply workshop to understand criteria; ensure clarity on how organizing strategy aligns with systemic change and anti-Blackness focus.