SPF’s grantee partners are transforming their communities by building sustainable organizations aimed at reversing the inequities of the rural South. They are learning not to focus on the symptoms of inequities, but on the root cause; racist and anti immigrant mindsets of small-town mayors and city council members. SPF’s grantees are tackling social and economic systems that for them have been rooted in persistent poverty and lack of resources, compounded by poorly performing schools.
We are proud to partner with extraordinary community organizations and coalitions through our regular grants cycle, assisting them to build capacity and power. We believe general operating support is best for building capacity, particularly for small to midsize community-based organizations in the rural South.
In 2013, SPF’s board adopted its Southern Organizing Strategy, focusing 60% of grant funds on three special initiatives: