2022 Movement Infrastructure Grants

Leveling up: tools & collaborative power for a pivotal decade

Our 2022 grants support what is most essential today: the ability of a growing mosaic of activists and organizations to translate energy into impact

“As the urgency to address climate change grows, engaging those within the health sector is key to building broad support for climate action. This generous support from Mosaic will allow nursing organizations across the country to solidify a networking and collaborative foundation that harnesses the power and potential of nurses acting and learning together with the shared goal of advancing climate and health equity.”

— Building Nursing Capacity to Advance Health Equity and Climate Justice

Today, strengthening movement infrastructure is indispensable to support effective work to protect the environment and create healthy communities

Strengthening movement infrastructure is crucial to meet the pace and scale of today's environmental challenges. That conclusion, and Mosaic, emerged from a design process that engaged diverse organizations over two years. Movement infrastructure — the shared tools and relationships that connect and empower activists, advocates, organizations — is an indispensable foundation of all successful social movements, like those that achieved marriage equality in the U.S., advanced sweeping civil rights protections, and took on big tobacco.

The environmental movement is no exception. When we invest in movement infrastructure across the full breadth of the field, we enhance our connections, enabling the alignment and scale that can overcome powerful opponents. When we invest in shared tools, like training, data, communications, we remove obstacles in the way of a movement's most essential capacity: translating energy into impact. During this critical decade, together these actions will boost the results of the movement's passionate and committed work.

Mosaic’s 2021 grants: Boosting the capacity of people and strengthening a mosaic of voices

To support this vision, Mosaic’s $6.4 million round of 2022 grants doubles support offered last year, funding 47 collaborative projects proposed by 226 co-applicants. The grants benefit, through network membership and other direct connections, 2500+ organizations and activists.

The 2022 grant docket connects people and amplifies voices. It continues to strengthen six core elements of movement infrastructure (see graphic below) that collectively build power for the long haul and support key victories now. To strengthen each area, our Governance Assembly of diverse field leaders selected thematic areas of focus: network and coalition infrastructure; BIPOC and youth leadership development and training; digital and visual communications capacity for frontline communities; shared narratives and tactical communications hubs; powerful, catalytic theories of environmental protection and justice; and support for the participation of constituencies newer to environmental advocacy, this year including the faith, youth, nursing, and veteran communities.

This infrastructure builds power for the long haul while providing key infusions of support to achieve victories now, including climate mitigation; new model environmental justice initiatives; fighting oil and gas development; reducing use of and exposure to toxics; fueling land back campaigns; protecting Western watersheds and forests nationally; reducing the environmental burdens on communities of color across the United States; expanding regenerative agriculture; and preserving waterways in the South.

Consistent with Mosaic's commitment to directing significant resources to historically underfunded, grassroots, and frontline infrastructure efforts, this year, 85% of the projects we are supporting are BIPOC-led and 87% are women-led. Many of these projects and others in our docket focus on collaborative, alignment-building efforts because it will take a mosaic to win the most important victories.

Click on the accordions below to learn more about Mosaic grantee partners and their movement infrastructure projects:

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By and for the field: Centering deep, participatory engagement & insight in grantmaking

Today, foundations and individual donors make the vast majority of grants that support environmental and justice advocacy. In contrast, Mosaic's field-led Governance Assembly selected one hundred percent of our grants. Through this model of strong participatory grantmaking, Mosaic harnesses the collective insights of a diverse and rotating group of people who lead frontline movement organizations, national environmental organizations, and movement-oriented foundations.

Over four months and 8 meetings (typically three hours long, and conducted by video conference), the 15-member team reviewed and debated how to make the biggest impact, centering equity and supporting a larger, more powerful collective of activists and organizations. To learn more about the governance assembly's reflections and our approach to our grantmaking, please see our FAQ.

“In the pursuit of environmental justice, MFN envisions communities across the globe that are healthy, sustainable, equitable, and just. Mosaic support will help us build power with communities to transform the global freight transportation system and advance environmental justice.”

— Moving Forward Network Environmental Justice Infrastructure

MosaicConnect: Sharing information & fostering connections

Click Here to Request 2021 Database

Mosaic received 685 funding requests collectively totaling over $180 million in response to our 2021 Movement Infrastructure RFP. Consistent with its focus on enhancing collaboration and in recognition of the value of all of the work proposed, Mosaic is re-launching MosaicConnect, a way to share project proposals with potential funders. At the request of and with the permission of applicants, MosaicConnect provides information to funders on proposals that met the RFP’s eligibility requirements. Our hope is that by sharing this information, we can expand the scope of inclusive, transformative environmental work that receives funding and foster collaboration across the field.

If you are a funder interested in proposals to build environmental movement infrastructure for potential funding, we invite you to contact us. Foundations and other funding organizations may receive information on project proposals received in response to Mosaic’s 2022 Movement Infrastructure RFP.

“We are overjoyed to have Mosaic's support for our long term vision to create tools and processes for monitoring, reporting and taking action to resolve the root causes of chronic and emerging environmental hazards; build knowledge and access to environmental monitoring and reporting mechanisms in high-impact communities; and increase accountability and transparency in high-impact communities.”

— Front & Centered Environmental Justice Cross-Issue Movement Building

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For any questions or more information about Mosaic, please contact our team at info@mosaicmomentum.org.

Si desea que este formulario se traduzca al español, comuníquese a info@mosaicmomentum.org. ¡Gracias!