Martha’s Table Community Impact Fund

The application period opens on April 4, 2022.

For more than 40 years, Martha’s Table has worked to support strong children, strong families, and strong communities in DC so that every Washingtonian can stay and thrive.

Knowing that one’s neighborhood influences access to resources, we are doubling down on our investment in the communities we stand alongside.

We also believe that our neighbors know best what their communities want and need to thrive. In 2021, over 1,000 neighbors shaped Martha’s Table’s 5 -Year Strategic Plan. What we heard loud and clear from them is the need for direct investments to help grassroots organizations build capacity.

Announcing the Martha’s Table Community Impact Fund

• What is the Martha’s Table Community Impact Fund?

  The Martha’s Table Community Impact Fund is a grant program to support and strengthen Ward 8 nonprofits. This direct investment will help build capacity for organizations historically excluded from institutional philanthropy and whose leadership and staff reflect the demographic composition and lived experiences of the communities they serve.

• How many grants are available and what are the grant amounts?

  For the 2022-2023 grant cycle, there will be up to 10 unrestricted, general operating grants awarded. Each grant will be a maximum of $10,000.

• What can the grant funding be used for?

  Grant funding can be used to support a wide-range of mission-focused activities from supporting specific, targeted initiatives to unrestricted use for capacity-building with a particular interest in projects that:

  • Pilot new and innovative solutions to community challenges
  • Build or enhance organizational infrastructure (example: business and fiscal management)
  • Improve or expand program operations and outcomes (example: increase program enrollment)
• What are the eligibility requirements to apply for a grant?

  To be eligible, applicants must:

  • Be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a tax-exempt nonprofit and
  • Be based in, or primarily serve, Ward 8 as defined by the 2022 Ward boundaries map for at least one year.

  If you do not meet the eligibility criteria at this time, please be advised that Martha’s Table is planning other training and technical assistance programs that your organization may qualify for. Please contact communitysupports@marthastable.org for more information.

• When does the application period begin?

  The grant application period will open on Monday, April 4, 2022.

• When does the application period end?

  The grant application period will close on Friday, May 20, 2022, at 5:00 pm EST.

• How will MT ensure the proposal review and grant recipient selection process remain fair and equitable?

  MT has taken multiple steps to ensure the proposal review and grant recipient selection process remains fair and equitable.

  • A neutral third party — the Greater Washington Community Foundation — is managing the application and review process, as well as distributing grant funds.
  • Proposals will be reviewed by a Review Committee of volunteers who live and/or work primarily in Ward 8. All members will sign confidentiality agreements and disclose any potential conflicts of interest. All members are required to attend bias training.
  • Proposals will be evaluated under a blind review (reviewers will not know the name of the organization applying), and each proposal will be evaluated by multiple reviewers to reduce the potential for bias.
  • At no time in the application or review process are Martha’s Table staff or Board members involved in proposal evaluation or grant decision-making.
• Who will review the applications and select the grant recipients?

  A Review Committee of volunteers who live and/or work primarily in Ward 8 will conduct a blind review and scoring of proposals. It is our hope that the reviewers will reflect the diversity of our neighbors including but not limited to parents, seasoned citizens, returning citizens, young adults, members of the LGBTQIA community, and those living with a disability.

• I’m interested in serving on the Review Committee. What are the eligibility requirements, volunteer expectations, and compensation?

  To serve on the Review Committee, an individual must:

  • Live and/or work primarily in Ward 8 
  • Commit to approximately 10 hours of training and proposal review from mid-May to mid-June
  • Disclose any conflicts of interest and sign a confidentiality agreement
  • Not be on the current staff or Board member of an applying organization

  Review Committee members will receive a $500 stipend for their time and service. To volunteer, please click here.

• I’m having trouble accessing or have questions about the application portal. Who do I contact?

  For questions or help regarding the online application system, please contact Brittany Owens, Community Foundation’s Community Investment Associate, at bowens@thecommunityfoundation.org.

• I have a general question about the funding opportunity or application requirements. Who do I contact?

  For questions regarding the Community Impact Fund grants, application requirements, or Review Committee, please contact communitysupports@marthastable.org.

• I need access to a computer, software, and/or the internet in order to complete a grant application. What should I do?

  Please email communitysupports@marthastable.org to schedule a day and time to use a computer and internet at Martha’s Table location at The Commons (2375 Elvans Road SE Washington, DC 20020)