https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones daily 0.75 2026-09-21 https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones/intro monthly 0.5 2026-09-21 https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones/formation monthly 0.5 2026-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/2218d02c-f0e3-474c-a4e7-531d3320e8e7/1999+GF+website+capture+%281%29.png Milestones - 1995-1999: Formation - Screenshot of the first website courtesy of the WayBackMachine Screenshot of the first website courtesy of the WayBackMachine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/2fe08b2b-5cce-45b5-9f33-b956c1cf13ad/Photo+2_+_Dick+Ober%2C+right%2C+co-authored+The+Northern+Forest+with+David+Dobbs+in+1995_.jpg Milestones - 1995-1999: Formation - “In the mid-1990s, we were watching massive environmental and economic changes sweep across the Northern Forest, including paper mills closing, land being sold off, development pressures rising, and decisions about the future of these communities being made farther and farther away from the people actually living there. What many of us recognized was that the people most affected by those changes were largely missing from the conversation. That realization contributed to the genesis of the Grassroots Fund. We needed something different: an organization that would stay connected locally, support small grassroots groups, and trust the wisdom of people closest to the issues. Looking back now, it’s remarkable how much philanthropy has moved toward those same ideas. Larger funders are trying to figure out how to share power with communities most affected by environmental, economic, and social change. The Grassroots Fund has been modeling that work for decades. It’s not only about making better funding decisions. It’s about building community around decision-making itself.” - Dick Ober, Former President & CEO, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, lifetime conservationist and writer, and participant of Environmental Futures project (Photo from 1995) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787016839558-GABF67854E51UNT131TF/Screenshot%2B2026-08-17%2Bat%2B9.26.46%25E2%2580%25AFPM.png Milestones - 1995-1999: Formation - The Environmental Futures Report https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787016802848-VTOG78EBO3AP8TLKE3EW/Screenshot+2026-08-17+at+9.26.27%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 1995-1999: Formation - The Founding Vision https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones/rooting monthly 0.5 2026-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/a8dc8bf5-bf6e-4afd-a674-d1e53e6a3854/Screenshot+2026-08-17+at+9.35.30%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/3f55b593-c4b3-442b-b6cd-e356fe81a2eb/Cheryl+King+Fischer+-+from+google.jpg Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization - “I'm proud that we believed in grassroots leadership when many funders didn't. Too often, foundations overlooked small neighborhood groups in favor of larger, established organizations. But we saw the power of people closest to the problems. We funded emerging leaders, unincorporated groups, and organizations that others wouldn't support because we believed real change starts in communities. When I look back on the Grassroots Fund's journey, what stands out most is how much we learned from the communities we supported. In the early days, our definition of environmental work was much narrower. I remember a conversation about a group working on lead paint issues, and someone said, "That's a health issue, not an environmental issue." The response was immediate: "We've got a lot of work to do." Looking back, that moment captured a larger truth. We were still learning what communities already knew: that environmental issues are deeply connected to health, justice, and everyday life. Over time, we came to understand environmental justice not as a separate issue, but as central to the work. In many ways, communities were teaching us how to expand our vision. What made the Grassroots Fund unique wasn't just where the money went. It was our willingness to listen, adapt, and share power. The people doing the work helped shape the organization itself. Not any single grantee, but a network of people and communities that found one another, grew together, and helped redefine what the work could be. The Grassroots Fund didn't just support change. The communities we funded changed us, too.” – Cheryl King Fischer, Executive Director (1996-2012) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787016290132-A0QBQF0UZJYPSC9EPFRG/2000-2004+%284%29.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787016289990-QSZYW4HBWGNE7ZECA3S6/2000-2004+%283%29.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787016291063-WZUF3VBTTQXO9P17YVA7/2000-2004+%282%29.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787016291090-K6BIJBDRH0VHE88AW8KK/2000-2004.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/3f250a6e-1bad-4bfc-95a1-a9a8de39f857/Screenshot+2026-08-17+at+9.43.35%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787017724472-VB2WK6V86DF1PZ8GGA5A/Screenshot+2026-08-17+at+9.46.51%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787017724465-WFG8GT1A4TSKVORO5E9N/Screenshot+2026-08-17+at+9.47.35%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1787017725462-NB0MJYIS0MW26AP2IDT2/Screenshot+2026-08-17+at+9.47.19%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2000–2009: Rooting the Organization https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones/tools monthly 0.5 2026-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789518777292-O4U9SM4ETBU5C1HRCK7H/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.26.00%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789518773535-W0JC8U4ELJQHOH6I7HPC/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.28.25%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789518771101-ZIJ9ORCOEX1UP2AQ5U99/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.31.30%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789518768873-MXI3T3HH4G7Z4NSLU3XS/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.29.20%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789518774734-7DDKYH4FWDWUKVS8UAI7/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.28.08%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789518772325-PDD2X4PB1GF5ZFVUF43P/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.28.54%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789518776059-M8D8X8B2U2Y50CUN41SS/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.27.28%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks https://video.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/a3762026-8ca5-4e0d-9536-fa3a0df552dd/playlist.m3u8 https://video.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/a3762026-8ca5-4e0d-9536-fa3a0df552dd/thumbnail Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks Milestones - 2010–2013: Building Core Networks https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones/alignment monthly 0.5 2026-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/d5ba6131-fba8-4b15-a1b0-fa53c563ea44/2017+buttons.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/16559ac3-7ca3-49b0-8aa1-7c2f833e7fb0/Bilal+headshot.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices - “The first RootSkills I went to was in 2018. At the time, I was managing a small grassroots grants program at Connecticut Community Foundation in Waterbury, Connecticut. Pretty quickly, we realized our applicants (all Waterbury residents) were looking for opportunities to build skills and learn from others. So starting in 2018 and for the next few years, we'd rent a van, bring a group up from Waterbury, and head to RootSkills. There were traditional nonprofit conferences, but they weren't built for the people we were bringing. What RootSkills offered was something different. It took the work seriously without being prescriptive about how people had to show up. There were people in suits and people in overalls. Farmers, community organizers, neighborhood leaders. Everyone came with their own experience, and that made the learning richer. One of the biggest lessons was realizing we were using the same words but meaning very different things. In Connecticut, ‘rural’ meant wealthy to us. Then we'd meet organizers from northern Vermont or New Hampshire and realize their struggles had far more in common with our communities in Waterbury than we ever imagined. That kind of perspective shift only happened because people from across New England were in the same room. The ideas traveled home, too. One of our committee members learned about green stormwater infrastructure that could help solve flooding in his own neighborhood. We wouldn't have been exposed to those kinds of solutions if we hadn't gone to RootSkills. Looking back, that's what made the Grassroots Fund special. It created spaces where people could learn across differences, challenge their assumptions, and bring new ideas back to their communities. It's hard to care about so many different people, so many different places, and so many different issues if you're too rigid in your understanding of yourself. The Grassroots Fund has always been willing to keep learning because the communities it serves are always teaching it something new.” - Bilal Tajildeen, former Chair of the Board https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789519527940-WDFYC5NO631A5UHHQ00P/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.41.20%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789519525360-L1LTWF6PD1ZIYGD4JA1G/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.44.08%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789519524029-TAJ1OQV6FN67JZHQ444L/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.40.22%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789519526585-LG1QUA0K4ZSUS5WOKW0A/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.43.00%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789519525217-7J0SJTDQLBTCX2Z7K3S7/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.43.37%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789519592008-61WRTXBYZ0TE0DNG2LUG/Screenshot%2B2026-09-15%2Bat%2B8.42.25%25E2%2580%25AFPM.png Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789519527977-Y02WOD448U0DB7EYWTKP/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.41.46%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789519942289-9S8H79RR2CSYOLXU55IG/2019+-+Tess+Pop+Up+Office+Promo+%281%29.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521313659-HCZFOQXKMRS8BBIQIF58/2015+rootskills+visual+notetaking.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521313682-521VZ5UVBQJYORKYU2YV/2017+rootskills.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521314630-M01P99H08M3G4AGFNBVH/2017+buttons.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521314688-G1BOUW59AZBSCKK4CZU0/march+2019+hitting+the+road.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521315674-06Z52A0S2T92HTSXNXWA/2019+group.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521315737-RCG7E74GLMZVR1IWQKSU/2019.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521440436-34O6O6FTJ1OA51XB0H70/Bilal+with+CT+group+at+first+Rootskills.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521316644-V7R18BL5VYDOZ68U4PGE/2019+rootskills+.jpg Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://video.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1e06dc25-7bce-4bb3-80d4-65a6b0e080ab/playlist.m3u8 https://video.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1e06dc25-7bce-4bb3-80d4-65a6b0e080ab/thumbnail Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices Milestones - 2014–2019: Aligning with the Guiding Practices https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones/response monthly 0.5 2026-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/5803a881-2856-4189-97bb-9892d01eb9b2/J+Dundorf+headshot+2020.jpg Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation - “When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, nothing could have prepared me to lead an organization through that moment. Almost overnight, we were navigating overlapping crises: a global pandemic, the rapidly escalating climate disruption, the murder of George Floyd, and a long-overdue racial reckoning that challenged every institution, including our own. Every day felt like stepping into experiences none of us had ever had before. We were trying to keep staff safe, support grassroots groups in crisis, adapt all of our plans in real time, and confront difficult truths about leadership, power, and who environmental justice organizations are accountable to. There were days it brought me to my knees. But the Guiding Practices we had spent years building became our anchor. Within days, we launched a rapid-response COVID grant program and raised roughly $250,000 in just a few months to get emergency funding out to communities. I was literally printing checks from my temporary bedroom office while my house was full of people needing support. It was exhausting, lonely, and deeply imperfect, but it also clarified our purpose. In that urgency, we showed up for communities with trust, flexibility, and very few barriers, and I believe those relationships deepened because of it.” - Julia Dundorf, former Executive Director of The Grassroots Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521185221-IHI2QTKE2D4FLNXQ1M1T/pop+up+office+Feb+2020.jpg Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789520424785-SEWOD8RXQB8ZIP5ROGNG/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.55.23%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789520426183-87GIA41VLONRRSLIYZP0/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.59.00%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789520427316-YI3YPZPCJKI7WO6L3JHR/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.58.21%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789520428234-XGZL6NFYQ8SL4D9KYPAQ/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.58.04%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789520427189-1Y2HZEAJ06LY8GTNOX80/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.58.51%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789520424816-ZITE1F749VN0U9JS01W8/Screenshot+2026-09-15+at+8.59.33%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521156384-R7MF2WZ2JKUF82JJMXZS/2022.jpg Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521156398-7WHXFTRPYHIGFGC71G2K/2020+.jpg Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521157416-ALDLQV4NHNNP73AXWWBS/2021.jpg Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521181427-VMWM5EXT7J119ZWY3FP9/rapid+response+covid+graphic+march+2020.jpeg Milestones - 2020–2022: Crisis response and structural innovation https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones/leadership monthly 0.5 2026-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521232583-3MGRFLF537PZMUV6Q3HG/dorchester+2023.jpg Milestones - 2023–2025: Shared Leadership and the Next Evolution https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521233818-36Y3E7JOK38187NDAVOC/2023.jpg Milestones - 2023–2025: Shared Leadership and the Next Evolution https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789521232544-Z7VKJAI8V9UBTBFGYNPO/fall+2023+grow.jpg Milestones - 2023–2025: Shared Leadership and the Next Evolution https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/6fe13fb5-3127-4cd0-ba63-845a5db19d2d/Rev.+Mariama+White-Hammond.jpg Milestones - 2023–2025: Shared Leadership and the Next Evolution - “For 30 years, the foundation’s work has been rooted in a deep respect for grassroots leaders, people often working with too few resources, balancing multiple commitments, and still answering the call to create change in their communities. The foundation’s role has never been simply to provide financial resources, but to help people build capacity, find connection, and discover new possibilities. That meant being intentional about how people came together. Every gathering was designed to meet people where they were, whether they were just beginning to organize, reflecting on their work, or simply seeking reassurance that others were wrestling with the same questions. The goal was for people to leave feeling supported, energized, and better equipped for the work ahead. At its heart, this approach recognizes that movements are built through shared learning. It means connecting people to one another, to new resources and perspectives, and to lessons from movements past: what worked, what didn’t, and what might work differently now. After 30 years, that commitment also means embracing the messiness of the work. The foundation continues to evolve while carrying its history forward, building resilience for what comes next. The path may change, but the commitment remains to listen, learn, adapt, and equip grassroots leaders to meet the moment with strength and support.” -Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, former Grassroots Board Member https://30.grassrootsfund.org/milestones/future monthly 0.5 2026-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958013216-XDLZQT5AT31LRQQW6WDX/012A4196.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958013286-KU7WK0W0IVN1BBL2TWW5/012A4276.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958015088-4B49XKRRTQ1NGAJ5BK8M/012A9950.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958017072-GY2CXY22IO3ORHYWKH1K/2024-03-23_Grassroots_MDS_9321-004.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958018533-HK2QHYVBJXNDE0EVQP48/2024-03-23_Grassroots_MDS_9915-115.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958018586-XMV9CKLQ3N8QPG2VHG8I/2024-10-22_Grassroots_MDS_3954-089.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958019676-A62B9ZEEYFD6N2Q3PGFV/Copy+of+2025-06-06_Grassroots-033.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958020004-XQ0L891WEQRFN915EOCD/Copy+of+2025-06-06_Grassroots-066.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958021165-BVFMGMRH94XXUCW28LEI/Credit-FFMCoop-RootSkills-12072018-0131.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958021480-YFPPDASGP2WI0EOBZBER/Credit-FFMCoop-RootSkills-12072018-0543.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958023126-1FS4MYXFNWII8MFA7GAD/DSC00996.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958024388-L9SPVX8VDHGNBYHRP8H6/DSC01127.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958024838-O1ICRZ92OCR74S66NJ8A/DSC01144.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958028767-Y7BWRNPJSR0MB7WXKV7Q/GRASSROOTS-129-HR.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958028880-HX679W1S0SI2X1W5VMUX/GRASSROOTS-132-HR.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958027462-EJ1EA1HLFK3PMMCBK6DT/DSC01571.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958030065-OOU16GQ4NX0N49PGPGEE/GRASSROOTS-136-HR.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958030088-WXOROQD1X3QAU8EPOIDI/GRASSROOTS-146-HR.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958033345-NQCDU8QNN2QG0OY5302G/IMG_6480.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958040863-2II9DCK5RCBWIGFWC6IY/JWH_3847.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958035370-Q6NIJ16G7K44DQIZ9WBU/IMG_8508.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958036743-KP6A631L25YSZ5BTZETX/IMG_8735.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958038807-MP0DGGTC8UMDWXPFM3GY/JWH_3653.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/1789958039433-4CEU2P7F20N3R5AJ93P4/JWH_3824.JPG Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/dd1ade61-aa41-4e99-b603-b8bb4ab7a107/Bart_headshot.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  - "When people say, 'When systems fail, communities prevail,' that's always been true. The systems have never worked for a lot of people. What's changed is that more communities are experiencing that reality, and we're seeing the response happen at the hyper-local level. That's making our work more relevant than ever. A lot of what we're asking now is, what does a resilient community look like, and how do you build one? It's not a one-size-fits-all solution or a silver bullet. It's hundreds of local projects that allow people to build relationships, strengthen social bonds, and create their own solutions. Our role is to keep learning alongside those communities. This work is never done. We have to keep asking, 'What do we need to think about next?' That's part of our DNA as The Grassroots Fund. The realities communities face will continue to change, and our structures, our practices, and our leadership have to keep evolving too. Ultimately, resilience isn't something you can design from the top down. It grows from trust, participation, and communities having the space to shape solutions that reflect their own strengths, needs, and relationships. That's what grassroots leadership has always been about, and why I believe this work is more important now than ever." - Bart Westdijk, The Grassroots Fund Co-director https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/83cb39a6-9c2c-493a-aeef-cca02b2c5327/Faye_headshot.jpg Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  - "When I look back over the last 30 years, one thing feels clear: the needs of communities will keep changing, and we have to keep changing with them. We've already seen how dramatically the environmental, climate, and social justice movements have evolved, and I think that pace of change is only accelerating. Over and over, especially during times of crisis, we've seen that it's grassroots groups who respond first. Communities may have come together around a farmers market or a community garden, but when new challenges emerge, they adapt. They organize around food insecurity, access to medical supplies, or whatever their neighbors need most. That's what grassroots leadership looks like, and it's why community resilience has become such an important part of our work. Community resilience includes joy, celebration, justice, and mutual aid. Our responsibility is to build an organization that's rooted in its mission while staying flexible and responsive. That means continually listening, engaging, and asking where we're not meeting the need. It means recognizing that shared leadership grows at the speed of trust, and that we have to create the structures, relationships, and space for people to shape the work alongside us. The history of the Grassroots Fund isn't just about adapting to change. It's about building an organization that expects change and is committed to growing with the communities it serves." -Faye Christoforo, The Grassroots Fund Co-director https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69fb48c0a7c8eb6b9bb249f2/a561d06c-8551-46f1-a9bf-1687d9e0ff04/Screenshot+2026-09-20+at+10.27.02%E2%80%AFPM.png Milestones - 2026 and Beyond: The Future of Grassroots Participatory Grantmaking  - The Strategic Plan outlines the New England Grassroots Environment Fund’s long-term vision and commitments as an evergreen strategy. It is a living framework grounding our work in equity, Environmental Justice, and communityled change while allowing space for reflection and tinkering. This document provides a steady foundation for how we adapt our programs, partnerships, and internal practices over time in response to community feedback and shifting environmental and political realities. Click to access our strategic plan for the future of grassroots funding across New England.