MOSAIC’S 2023 MOVEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE RFP:
A movement moment in a critical decade

With nearly $500 billion in new federal funding available to address climate change, the environmental movement has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to achieve big victories. The only way we can meet this moment is by building field-wide capacity and coordination at a national scale.

2022Grantee-Project-Center-for-Rural-Affairs

“Rural communities sit at the heart of our environmental crisis and its devastating impacts. Mosaic’s support will allow us to educate communities and provide access to vital government funding so we can help ensure every part of the movement is participating in this unmatched opportunity for environmental breakthroughs.”

— Center for Rural Affairs

The missing tools and resources needed to meet this pivotal moment 

Historic federal climate and environmental policy – including the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Justice40, and 30x30 – offer an unprecedented opportunity to slash greenhouse gas emissions by nearly half in the U.S. by 2030 and achieve big environmental wins. 

These policies can be transformative. However, we will fall short of the historic greenhouse gas reductions and community benefits possible–but not guaranteed–if we fail to support an adequately resourced movement capable of complex and collaborative action at a new scale. What will make the difference is rapidly building up the missing shared tools and resources - also known as movement infrastructure - that advocates told us they need to unlock the collective capacity to translate novel policies into impact across the nation. Mosaic is supporting that capacity and coordination by funding the shared tools needed to meet the moment and build long-term power at the same time. 

Mosaic’s 2023 grants

Mosaic’s Governance Assembly (GA) of diverse leaders come from every corner of the field and are deeply committed to fostering connectivity across the environmental movement. Informed by two years of work together and months of strategic conversations, the team gathered in-person for an intensive, three-day convening to review proposals and identify capacity gaps. As a result, the GA homed in on four key capacities necessary for successful implementation based on the 500+ proposals received from the field: 

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  • Increasing the opportunity for and supporting connection amongst organizations to develop aligned and strategic approaches
  • Providing training to inform and equip organizations with the tools and information for implementation
  • Supporting leadership to shape and co-design implementation pathways alongside policymakers and other stakeholders
  • Deploying collective strategies to translate opportunity into action and impact
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When these capacities are reinforced in the ways reflected in the proposals we received, the movement can drive dramatic reductions of greenhouse gas emissions – and cut toxic air pollution and stop dirty energy, while boosting good jobs in the clean economy, fully realizing the benefits of historic federal investments. 

In line with that vision, we are proud to announce our $9.6 million grant round, which will support 79 collaborative projects benefiting more than 350 co-applicants and 3,000 organizations. Collectively, these grants are equipping organizations working locally and at the forefront of policy implementation with the tools needed to implement the IRA, BIL, Justice40, and 30x30–and strengthen the movement for the long-term. Grants are building networks and expanding their services in key states across the West, Midwest, South, and Northeast regions; connecting environmental movement organizations with government agencies; activating and informing a range of constituencies, including youth, faith-based communities, health providers, and veterans; advancing engagement capacity in frontline, grassroots communities, in rural areas, and in Latinx, immigrant, Black, and Indigenous communities; and opposing new oil, gas, and petrochemical projects in the South.

In addition, a significant part of the 2023 docket funds movement infrastructure across the nation to support attainment of 30x30’s land, water, and oceans conservation goals, with a focus on water. Conservation networks in regions and states, large-scale funding strategies, grassroots accelerators, and new theories that support the case for conservation received funding this year, including from aligned foundations.

We are proud to announce our 2023 grantee partners below:

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

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A Mosaic of support

We recognize that no single organization is equipped to take on this challenge alone, nor is any one funder. Mosaic’s Governance Assembly is made up of leaders representing every corner of the field - from frontline organizations to “Big Greens” and funder partners - precisely because we know that the field acting as one is what it will take to win. 

This year, we were able to grow our grantmaking capacity thanks to aligned funding support from the Water Solutions Fund, the US Energy Foundation, and the Pisces Foundation– adding to the community of foundations that provide core support to Mosaic. With over 2,000 requests for funding totaling over $400 million to date, we’re hopeful that more funders will jump in to help support implementation of historic federal climate policy. Please reach out if you’re interested in partnering!

2021Grantee-Project-Alianza-Americas

“We're so much more powerful when we bring the full breadth of the movement to bear – that's particularly true with respect to accelerating the positive impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Mosaic is one of the few funders that recognizes equity goes hand in hand with efficacy and invests accordingly. Their support is helping us activate more than 55 Alianza Americas member organizations and 500,000 Presente.org members across the country to facilitate just IRA implementation and build a more equitable society for Latinx and migrant communities in the process.”

— Alianza Americas

Looking ahead

With these investments, Mosaic aims to create a blueprint for philanthropy to effectively fund the environmental movement - in partnership with the movement - in order to win. Our Governance Assembly members, who deliberated extensively on grant decisions, modeled what it will take to win as a diverse, connected group of leaders building toward a collective lens, and to identify gaps and opportunities.

This strategy - coupled with an unusual open call for proposals - combines a model of aligned, collective impact with new ideas generated from the greater opportunity organizations have to submit collaborative proposals, creating more space for important but often overlooked organizations and projects to receive funding.

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“Having built the capacity to execute on field-wide RFPs, Mosaic had the experience and relationships to go out to the field shortly after the IRA’s passage. We asked the question: What do you need to help make the promise of the IRA, BIL, and 30x30 real? We got back a robust, coherent response that easily translated into a no regrets funding strategy. We now have an amazing opportunity to weave together smart implementation efforts that are ready to go across the country.”

— Abigail Dillen, President of Earthjustice and Mosaic Governance Assembly member

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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!