Is your trust-based grantmaking process breaking enough rules?

How this participatory grantmaking project is using transparent practices to support immigrant and refugee populations in the Peel Region

Why It Matters

Many small organizations are limited from accessing grants through their lack of charity status, and operational power, while still being a driving force for vital projects. Without grantmakers who will adapt to their unique needs, these grassroots community groups will be stunted from growing their impact in their communities.

This story is in partnership with World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund. See our editorial ethics and standards here.ย 

Most grant applications are like exams. There are strict rules, there are time limits, everything needs to be filled out, no talking to others, no peeking at other peopleโ€™s answers, no asking for help, and most importantly, there are no exceptions.ย 

But the thing is, not everyone does well in exams. Some people canโ€™t work well under pressure; others might need several days to actually finish it. We know exams arenโ€™t the only way to test a personโ€™s intelligence โ€” there are other ways to spotlight someoneโ€™s skills. In the case of grants, thereโ€™s more than one way for applications to show that an organization does meaningful, critic

Join a community of 2000+ impact-oriented professionals like you. Get full access to this story and all Future of Good content, including tickets to our digital events and networking, with a membership.