$25,000 Ben & Jerry’s Social Change Grant Program

Millions of women around the country may love Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, but what most are probably not aware of is that the company is committed to support social change. Through the $25,000 Ben & Jerry’s Social Change Grant Program, women can apply for a grant to help support their nonprofit organization or social change mission. Their grant program is successful because it’s grassroots and helps to support smaller organizations that carry out programs that help communities around the nation.

Ben & Jerry’s may be known for their ice cream, but behind the scenes they are doing great things by helping people. They do this through the Ben & Jerry’s Social Change Grant Program. The mission is to help support social justice and human rights. The grassroots activism they support with the grant funds is focused on social justice and environmental initiatives. They began the program as a way to give back to the Vermont community where they are headquartered, and to help engage their employees. The program was extended beyond that in an effort to support social justice and environmental projects around the country.

Each year, the Ben & Jerry’s Social Change Grant Program awards around $1.8 million in grant funds. This is split between projects being funded in their home state of Vermont, and the rest going to projects anywhere in the country. Here are some important details to know about the $25,000 Ben & Jerry’s Social Change Grant Program:

• The social change grant program is open to nonprofit organizations that are within the United States. There are two different applications, one for those who are in Vermont, and then one for those who are in one of the other states. Be sure to select the correct one when applying.
• Those who are chosen to receive an award from the program through the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation will receive a $25,000 grant. The grant program is only open to those nonprofit organizations that have a budget of under $500,000. Applications for the grants will only be accepted from grassroots organizations that are focused on community-building.
• Women who have a nonprofit organization that focuses on social change or helping the environment may want to apply for the grant. In doing so, your strategy must include a root cause analysis, direct action, campaign development, leadership development, and community outreach. The grants are not given to anything that is religiously-based, or that focus on arts and media programs.
• The grant program does not give grants to individuals. The grants are only given to nonprofit organizations. Women who have a passion for a particular social justices or environmental issues either need to be running an existing nonprofit organization, or they can create one.
• All grant applications need to be submitted online. Once your application is submitted they may contact you to discuss the project and your organization.
• Organizations may only receive the grant funds once per year, but they do not limit how many times you can apply for the grant. Therefore, you may want to submit your grant application twice per year at most, so that it’s not excessive.
• All grant applications are reviewed by Ben & Jerry’s employees, and they also make the decisions on what organizations will receive the funds.
• There are two application cycles per year, with the first one beginning on February 1 and closing on April 15. The second one opens on August 1 and closes on October 15.
• All projects and organizations that apply must adhere to their mission of them not supporting anything that is associated with violence. Their interest lies in supporting programs that are focused on beneficial social change, the environment, and supporting sustainable food systems.

Women may love Ben & Jerry’s for their ice cream, but if they work for or run a nonprofit organization that works for positive social and environmental change, they have 25,000 other reasons to love them. The grants provided by the ice cream company are sizable and tend to go a long way toward helping to support groups in carrying out their missions. Apply for the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation grant program and see if they dish you up a bowl of sweet financial support in the form of a grant.