Call for Ideas: Pillars Fund Now Accepting Grant Submissions from Muslim Nonprofits

Posted By Pillars Fund  /   July 14, 2022

CHICAGO — Pillars Fund is now accepting ideas through September 1 for their 2023 Catalyze Fund grants.

Pillars is a Chicago-based foundation, and its network of Muslim donors has been supporting Muslim-led social change for more than a decade. In 2022, Pillars invested $2 million in organizations developing thoughtful, multidisciplinary approaches to inequity and injustice. In 2023, the foundation plans to distribute its largest annual funding amount to date.

To qualify for Pillars’ grants, organizations must meet the following criteria:

• Prioritize Muslim leadership and serve Muslim communities
• Be based in the U.S. and serve populations living in the U.S. 
• Align with one of Pillars’ three focus areas: reimagining public safety, promoting mental health and wellness, or building civic power 
• Have 501(c)(3) status or be sponsored by a fiscal agent by September 29, 2022

“Whether they are challenging systems of mass surveillance, cultivating stronger community civic engagement, or conducting research to better understand Muslim wellness, Pillars grantee partners are taking on our country’s most pressing challenges,” said Amirah Fauzi, Program Director, Catalyze Fund, Pillars Fund. “In this Call for Ideas, we look forward to hearing from transformative leaders, and we are excited to grow our grantee network next year.”

First-year grantees receive one-year awards starting at $25,000—exact amounts depend on a range of factors, including the project or organization need and available funds. Organizations that have already received Pillars’ grants are often eligible for increased award amounts when they reapply the following year. 

Alongside awards, Pillars offers all its grant recipients flexible funding, professional development opportunities, digital media support, and networking within nonprofit and philanthropy spaces to develop relationships among established institutions.

Grant submissions are due September 1, 2022, at 12 p.m. Central Time.

More information about Pillars grants and how to apply is available on the Pillars website. 

ABOUT PILLARS FUND

Pillars Fund amplifies the leadership, narratives, and talents of Muslims in the United States to advance opportunity and justice for all. Since our founding in 2010, Pillars has distributed more than $7 million in grants to Muslim organizations and leaders who advance social good. We invest in community-focused initiatives, push back against harmful narratives, uplift Muslim stories, and organize Muslim donors to give together strategically. Learn more at pillarsfund.org.