Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation Inc

The Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation supports grassroots organizations and movements in the United States working to change environmental, social, economic and political conditions to bring about a more just, equitable and sustainable world.FUNDING PRIORITIESWe support democratic and inclusive grassroots organizations and movements of affected communities that:• work statewide or within a state, or on tribal lands;• engage in community organizing and advocacy; and• connect local concerns with broader, systemic issues. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE•Advocate for public policies that will prevent and reduce toxic pollution and environmental degradation in low-income communities and communities of color and demand accountability from public agencies and officials and increased responsiveness to environmental justice concerns. •Develop and implement strategies for economic revitalization and environmental sustainability in communities suffering from environmental damage and the lack of economic opportunity.•Challenge the expansion of corporate power and rights and hold corporations accountable for their impact on the environment. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS•Advocate for public policies that advance sustainable farm and food systems and demand accountability from public agencies and officials and increased responsiveness to sustainable farming and food systems. •Increase community control over food systems to advance local food production, regional processing and distribution, just jobs, fair trade, and resource-efficient processes along the food value chain. •Counter the further corporate concentration of food production and the industrialization of agriculture.•Develop and implement a market place framework that includes the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental indicators. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS•Advocate for local, state and national policies that protect and expand the rights of all women and girls to access comprehensive reproductive health services and information. •Expand the reproductive rights agenda to include a wide range of reproductive health and justice issues, including but not limited to abortion, and place these issues within a broader social justice framework.•Broaden the base of reproductive justice activists at the state level to ensure that young people, low-income, people of color and immigrant communities are engaged in all levels of advocacy and leadership.Note: The Foundation does not fund NARAL Pro-Choice America or Planned Parenthood affiliates.SUSTAINABLE NEW YORK CITY•Organize and advocate for public policies that promote sustainable practices and protect the city’s environment and the health of its residents.•Develop broad and effective coalitions and networks to integrate and advance social, economic and ecological justice.•Demand accountability from public agencies and officials and increased responsiveness to environmental concerns.We also support regional and national collaborations and networks, and on occasion, technical assistance groups that help to build the capacity of grassroots organizations. Additionally, we look for opportunities to support cross-issue and cross-movement work with the goal of building a broad, progressive social justice movement. And we consider requests that address issues in rural and urban communities.We prefer to make general support grants and do not limit the number of renewal grants. We believe this helps organizations increase and sustain their effectiveness.We seek out organizations led by people of color and/or working in low income communities. We support efforts to develop the leadership skills of, and foster the participation by, low income people and people of color.We encourage requests that address multiple priorities, as well as those that bring together organizations and activists from diverse movements. With first time grants, we try to bring diverse voices and approaches, and young people into the movements for social change.