2022 Mosaic Movement Infrastructure RFP:

A movement moment in a critical decade

The pace and scale of environmental challenges continue to accelerate. But now more than ever there is the potential to make significant progress in a short timeframe because of a set of policies. Social movement infrastructure is required to meet this high-stakes, decentralized, and complex task, one that requires effective coordination amongst thousands of advocates and activists, as well as new capacity. We can make the most progress if everyone is engaged and connected - with authentic bridges and bonds across the movement.

This year, Mosaic will distribute $5.5M to build local to national movement infrastructure that enhances diverse and collaborative engagement on four major policies and efforts intersecting with the environmental and justice communities - the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Justice40, and 30x30. Our goal is to move resources quickly to maximize the climate, environmental, and community benefits now possible, and ensure no community bears disproportionate burdens as this effort unfolds.

Since 2020, Mosaic has invested $11 million in 237 uniquely collaborative grants that support more than 485 co-applicants and 3,000 benefiting organizations across the country. Among other things, these grants are building connectivity and leverage across the movement by supporting dozens of networks; enhancing advocacy by expanding access to upskilling and leadership development; providing new digital tools, narratives, and communication hubs; and boosting power by supporting strategic voices newer to the movement. The vast majority of the projects we fund work across issues, silos, and communities.

This RFP is closed as of December 16th, 2022. Mosaic’s Governance Assembly is actively reviewing proposals and will announce grant decisions in early 2023.

Part I: RFP Focus, Goals, and Criteria

Successful applications will address all three focus areas outlined below:

I. Key policies: advancing climate, conservation & justice in a critical window of time
There are four recently enacted policies and initiatives that provide opportunities to make significant gains on climate, conservation, and justice issues, but progress will depend on effective advocacy. Funding this year will support projects that focus on propelling the benefits of these four policy goals, while also countering new threats and mitigating harms:

    • The Inflation Reduction Act creates the historic opportunity to invest $369 billion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 42% by 2030, while simultaneously advancing climate solutions, clean water, ecosystem restoration, and other outcomes that promote health and justice in communities, across states, and around the country. While it is investing $60 billion in environmental justice, at the same time, it could open the door to greater pollution in communities already on the frontlines of fossil fuel extraction and production. 
    • The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is generating historic investments in clean transit, green jobs, and public infrastructure to further reduce our carbon footprint to make our communities more climate resilient. 
    • The Justice40 initiative is intended to ensure that 40% of all federal investments flow to environmental justice efforts to promote safer and healthier communities. 
    • The 30x30 framework envisions the protection of 30% of all land and water in the U.S. by 2030 to advance a more inclusive, science-based, and locally driven stewardship of lands and waters.

 

II. Movement infrastructure: building the connections & shared tools to implement
Movement infrastructure - shared, field-wide tools and connections - will be essential to ensure the environmental community is connected and equipped with the tools and resources to effectively implement these policies and build a durable movement for the future. Funding this year will support projects that are collaborative by design, engage and benefit multiple stakeholders, and create shared tools that advance one or more of the four policy priorities by strengthening the following specific types of movement infrastructure identified by Mosaic's Governance Assembly:

Mosaic's Six Areas of Infrastructure Focus:

Communications
Ex: Effective communication strategies & distribution tools and resources to better understand & address the complexities of these policy initiatives; Localized communications hubs sharing & disseminating information & approaches to implement priority policies.

 

Leadership Development
Ex: Educate & inform local leaders, governments and/or municipalities to advocate for their use of funds; Training opportunities focused on equipping leaders on the investment opportunity provided by these priority policies; Networking program connecting frontline & grassroots leaders to coordinate the implementation of the priority policies.

 

Advocacy Tools & Training
Ex: Training academies to build NGO capacity to understand and engage with the policy-making & implementation process at the local, state, & national levels; Develop model toolkits & resources to activate the strengths & advocate against the harmful impacts of priority policies at the local, state, & national levels.

 

Data & Information
Ex: Develop accessible information on priority policy scope & implications; Create knowledge sharing opportunities and information hubs about how to best take advantage of the federal dollars.

 

Relationships & Trust
Ex: Build strong relationships & trust with decision-makers in local municipalities; Provide collaboration support for organizations that have never worked together but would benefit from meaningful collaboration to implement priority policies; Develop or grow coalitions that include multiple issue areas & networks to coordinate on policy implementation.

Philanthropic Innovation
Ex: Convenings to coordinate philanthropy's support for the field in developing an effective response to these policies.

III. Bridging and bonding: activating diverse & aligned field engagement
This is a moment that calls for all of us. Mosaic will fund projects that (1) strengthen bonds amongst existing, aligned groups that share a core focus or (2) create or advance connective bridges that build greater power through mutually beneficial, authentic collaborations between organizations where trust, affinity, or shared focus may be lacking. Mosaic is also interested in supporting engagement by constituencies new or newer to environmental and justice advocacy. Given the cross-field nature & coordination required for the successful implementation of these policies, preference will be given to cross-field, bridging efforts.

Check out our 3-minute informational video on the RFP!

Part II: Eligibility & Application Information

To be eligible for any Mosaic grant, projects must be:

    • Advancing field-wide connections and shared tools across one or more of our six areas of movement infrastructure and are widely beneficial to multiple organizations (as opposed to one or a small few number of organizations); 
    • Supportive of people and organizations who predominantly focus on clean air and water, a safe climate, healthy and just communities, thriving natural systems, or other related environmental protection and justice topics; 
    • Based in and substantially focused on the United States (including Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, or other US affiliated territories); and
    • Led by a 501c3 non-profit public charity organization or equivalent (including fiscally sponsored projects or a collaboration of organizations that includes a 501c3 non-profit acting as a lead steward).

Mosaic generally does not fund:

    • General operations requests for organizations that are not directly engaging in field-wide movement infrastructure projects;
    • Projects that are only focused on a single organization or campaign without broader relevance and use to the broader environmental/environmental justice movement;
    • Projects that promote extractive or harmful models of collaboration or partnerships; 
    • Mosaic does not earmark funding for lobbying activities.

 

Funding Amounts & Types 

Mosaic will distribute $5.5M in total; grants will range between $50,000 and $300,000. Mosaic is accepting both single and multi-year applications, and projects may be funded either partially or in full. Mosaic is inviting applications in the following grant types and sizes:

SEED: (Single year requests | $50-100K) piloting new and innovative movement infrastructure projects with startup funding to strengthen the implementation of the four policy initiatives.

CULTIVATE: (Single OR Multi-year requests | $150-200K) supporting and cultivating the capacity of existing collaborative movement infrastructure efforts to sustain their work or achieve a new level of scale and impact in the implementation of the four policy initiatives. 

HARVEST: (Single year requests | $200-300K) actualizing existing movement infrastructure that is advancing one or more of the policy initiatives near a specific tipping point (big win, victory, outcome, etc.) with targeted last mile resources. 

Mosaic three grant types described in the text above.

Application Process

The application period for this RFP is now closed. Applications were accepted starting October 24th and the final deadline for submission was December 16th at 5 pm PT. To ease the burden of application, applicants are asked to submit a brief application online, and we welcome and accept applications via written word or audio/video recording.

To ensure resources flow quickly around these current opportunities, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No application will be reviewed before December 1, 2022, and we expect the majority of funding to be distributed in February. 

To view Mosaic’s full statement on our commitment to justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity, please see here. Please reach out to info@mosaicmomentum.org if you have any questions.

Application Open Date: Monday, October 24, 2022
Application Close Date: Friday, December 16, 2022
Grants Awarded and Announced: March 2023 

Applicant Resources

Materials:

Application Portal (HERE)
Full Request for Proposal Document (English, Español)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (English)
Application Template (Editable Document)

Information Session Video Recordings:

Please find the recordings from our informational webinars

November 4th information session here. 

November 16th information session here.

Public Resource Library & Collaboration Page:

Join us on Mosaic's public collaboration page to connect with other collaborations, organizations, and individuals.

 

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!