The PIOW Community Grant Program is back!
Applications are open now through November 30, 2023. Learn more about this program and apply below!
Questions? Email grants@piow.org.
About Pride in Our Workplace
Pride in Our Workplace was founded with a mission to provide all LGBTQ+ professionals with ways to amplify their voices and create thriving workplace cultures. By centering the LGBTQ+ perspective within our most important conversations, we’ve helped LGBTQ+ professionals and allied businesses drive positive change. Now, it is time for us to give back to the grassroots organizers dedicating their time to support LGBTQ+ communities throughout Massachusetts.
About the Program
The Pride in Our Workplace Community Grant Program will utilize PIOW’s sponsorship dollars to provide direct financial support to underfunded nonprofits and grassroots organizations making or aspiring to make an impact on members of the LGBTQ+ community. QTBIPOC-led organizations or those with a mission of serving QTBIPOC communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Grant recipients will receive:
- Funding: one-time seed grants between $500 – $2,000
- Skill Development: the opportunity to meet industry experts and receive practical operational support
- Visibility: the opportunity to share your story at events and across PIOW’s social channels in 2023 – 2024
- Community: access to a growing community of LGBTQ+ professionals, nonprofit industry peers, and potential collaborators rallying for your success
The deadline for applications is November 30, 2023 at 11:59 pm ET.
Application and Eligibility Requirements
Grant Application Requirements
- Complete and submit the grant application by November 30, 2023 at 11:59 pm ET.
- Submit an organizational budget and supplemental documents through the grant portal or separately via email to grants@piow.org by November 30, 2023 at 11:59 pm ET.
Eligibility Requirements
- The organization is primarily based in Massachusetts.
- The organization has been in operation for at least six months.
- The organization’s proposed activity or mission benefits the LGBTQIA+ community in Massachusetts.
- The values of the organization align with those of Pride in Our Workplace.
- The organization has an annual operating budget under $250,000.
- The organization can legally receive funding in MA or has a fiscal sponsor through which it can receive funding.*
*Organizations without a 501(c)(3) designation will still be considered for funding. If you haven’t received a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation, EIN number, or letter of recognition from the MA Attorney General’s Office, you will be asked to clarify your operating model and long-term organizational goals.
Grant Application
2023 Applications Open
Apply by Nov 30, 2023
We want to make sure you’re saving your work as you fill in this application. We recommend downloading our full application as a Word Doc, Google Doc, or PDF. From there, you can copy + paste your information from your completed document directly into our application portal when you’re ready, and you’ll have a saved copy of your responses to reference in future grant proposals.
Click here to access downloadable versions of our grant application.
FAQ + External Resources
Operational and Project Budgets
What is the difference between an operational and project budget, and which do I need to provide for this application?
For this application, we ask that you provide your operational budget for 2022 and your current operational budget for 2023 in whatever form you have them. Because funds from this grant will go towards the general operation of your organization and bolstering workforce capacity, you won’t need to submit a project budget. You’re welcome to submit an accompanying budget narrative if you think it would help our selection committee make their decision.
- Need to create a budget? The Wallace Foundation offers a downloadable budget template, overview documents, and a video tutorial clarifying the budget creation process on this resource page.
- Looking for tips on writing a budget narrative? Check out this guide.
- Want to know more about operational vs project budgets? The Council of Nonprofits offers a comprehensive resource page with links to better define all things nonprofit budgeting.
My operating budget is above the $250,000 maximum listed as an application requirement, but I still think my organization would be a good fit for this program. Should I apply?
If your organization has an annual budget higher that $250,000, you likely won’t qualify for grant funding. If you believe that your organization is in a unique position and should qualify for this program, you are welcome to submit your application with additional details in the form of a grant narrative for your 2022 and 2023 operating budgets.
Tax-Exempt Status
Does my organization have to be registered as a 501(c)(3) to apply for funding?
Applicants do not have to be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code to apply. However, receiving your 501(c)(3) designation will create additional funding opportunities for your organization in the future.
The National Council for Nonprofits provides a guide for organizations hoping to file for tax-exempt status here.
What is an EIN and is it required to apply for this grant?
We understand that applicants for this grant program may be working towards filing for an EIN or the legal incorporation of their organization. Applicants without an EIN will be considered for this grant opportunity.
A Nonprofit Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a Federal nine-digit tax ID number that IRS assigns to nonprofits, charities, organizations, and businesses in the following format: XX-XXXXXXX. Nonprofit organizations and charities are required to have their EIN prior to starting a nonprofit organization and filing for tax exemption. The EIN is not your tax-exempt number.
Learn more and get started applying for an EIN here. Note: you should not apply for an EIN before your organization is legally formed.
What is a fiscal sponsor and how does having one affect my eligibility for this grant?
Applicants are eligible for grant funding whether or not they have a fiscal sponsor.
A fiscal sponsor is a nonprofit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable projects. Using a fiscal sponsorship arrangement offers a way for a cause to attract donors even when it is not yet recognized as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
Interested in learning more about fiscal sponsorship? Check out this guide.
Application Review Process
Who will be reviewing my application?
Your application will be reviewed by the Pride in Our Workplace Community Grant selection committee. This committee will be made up of active PIOW Board Members and representatives from PIOW’s Board of Visitors.
What is the selection committee looking for in my application?
The selection committee will first make sure that your organization falls within the eligibility requirements of this program. From there, the selection committee will consider the ways in which our organizations’ missions align, assess your organization’s readiness for growth and mentorship, and determine the impact that a grant would have on your internal operations and the community you serve.
Mission Alignment
Our organization proudly champions LGBTQ+ workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion by empowering individuals, teams, and organizations to lead with pride. PIOW has a long history of engaging Massachusetts’ LGBTQ+ community, facilitating programs that provide:
- Networking and Community Building to help LGBTQ+ professionals and their allies to connect and share best practices with peers across industries
- Thought Leadership that leverages the resources and knowledge base of our board, partners, and broader LGBTQ+ professional community to expand the capacity for growth and understanding within organizations
- Professional Development tools to guide and encourage LGBTQ+ professionals taking the next step in their careers to find their voice, set goals, and stand proudly in their ability to bring their authentic selves to work
Support this Program
Funding Opportunities
PIOW is currently funding this grant program with sponsorship dollars from our own operational budget. We believe that distributing grants and offering business development resources to nonprofit teams will prove a worthwhile investment in increasing organizations’ capacities to serve vulnerable populations within the LGBTQ+ community.
The best way to ensure the sustainability of this program and support our work is to become a sponsor of Pride in Our Workplace. In addition to providing the funds that our team will ultimately reinvest in LGBTQ+ community organizations, charitable donations to PIOW are also essential to funding all operational costs and speaker fees associated with this program.
To learn more about sponsoring PIOW, visit our partners page. To make a one-time gift or learn how you can fund this grant program directly, please email grants@piow.org.
Volunteer Opportunities
The PIOW team will be working with our corporate partners throughout this process to offer opportunities to LGBTQ+ and allied professionals interested in volunteering time to mentor grantees or speak as subject matter experts during business development sessions. If you would like to lend branding or marketing expertise, financial advice, legal assistance, or other services that could help strengthen early-stage or start-up nonprofits, we will connect and see if there is an opportunity for you to work with our incoming cohort.
Want to learn more or get involved? Email grants@piow.org.
Media and Press
Click here to access the Pride in Our Workplace Grant Program press release and related branding materials.
Email grants@piow.org for additional information.
Meet Past Recipients
2022 Grantee Cohort
In 2022, PIOW welcomed seven organizations into its first cohort of Pride in Our Workplace Community Grant Program participants: BMEN Foundation, Chelsea LGBTQ Coalition, LexPride, Love Your Labels, School of Arts and Social Justice Boston, SpeakOUT, and Trans Resistance MA!
Click here to learn about our 2022 grantees and opportunities to support their work.