2026 Community Change Grant

About the Collective 365

Collective 365 was founded in July 2020 and is a spin-off of a giving circle in that we are seeking people from diverse sectors and identities to invest their talent, time, money, and passion together into their community. The members of the Collective 365 pay a yearly donation, which are used to create community-based grants. Collective 365 utilizes a social justice philanthropy framework. The following are core to our operation: 

1. Collective 365 focuses on the root causes of economic, racial, and social injustice.

2. Collective 365 strives to include the people who are impacted by those injustices as leaders and decision-makers.

3. Collective 365 seeks to make the field of philanthropy more accessible and diverse.

4. Collective 365 is accountable, transparent, and responsive in our grant-making.

   
   

2026 Grant Cycle

Collective 365 invites applications from individuals, groups, businesses, and non-profits who are seeking grant funds to support Black and Brown communities in DC, MD, and/or VA with a focus on education, social justice, workforce development, and/or health. In addition to the grant funds, applicants may qualify for capacity building support, if available. Collective 365 is not only committed to invest money, but also time and talent by offering applicants access to a pool of experts that can assist with supporting their work over the next 12 months.

Application Timeline

The grant application period is open from February 1- April 1, 2026. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on April 1, 2026. This year’s grant guidelines can be found below. Please review thoroughly before submitting a grant. Applicants will be randomly selected. The grant's governing board will review the applications of randomly selected individuals to ensure they meet the established eligibility criteria. Selected applicants will be notified via email and will have 72 hours to respond. Failure to respond within this timeframe will result in forfeiture of the potential award, and other qualified applicants will be selected.

Who can Apply?

1. If applying as an individual - Must be a person of color

2. If applying as a group, business or nonprofit - Must be led by leaders of color 

3. Proposal must serve areas within the District of Columbia, Maryland, and/or Virginia

4. Programming must support Black & Brown families and communities through education, workforce development, social justice, and/or health. 

5. Working to build healthy, positive and equitable relationships and collaborations.

6. Working to create and sustain racial justice. 

   
   

How Applicants are Selected

Applicants pay $10-30, complete the application and will be selected through random drawing. 100% of application fees are added to the 2025 grant fund. Applicants will be selected April 2026 and notified by March 30. Payment will be mailed by May 15.

What we Fund

Collective 365 provides unrestricted grant funding. Applicants may use funds for general operating support to celebrate, build-up, and preserve Black and Brown communities.  Our grant funds may be utilized also for indirect costs to deliver these programs, including salaries, benefits, occupancy, overhead, equipment, and supplies, however, grantees may also allocate funds to direct costs. We do not put any restrictions on the percentage of indirect costs.

What we don’t fund are...

• Political activities or political action committees of any specific political party. Advocacy activity, if any, must be nonpartisan; 

• Organizations requiring adherence to a particular religious belief or required participation in religious service or activity. A religious organization may act as a fiscal agent, but services may not be restricted to a particular faith community or membership in a particular congregation; 

• Organizations that deny services, employment, or volunteer involvement on the basis of race, age, ancestry or national origin, sexual orientation, gender, physical or mental disability, or religion.

  
  

Grant Funding

We expect to make several awards during this grant cycle, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Final grant award amounts will be assigned by the Governing Board. Applicants are asked to request a specific award amount in the application. The grant period for this award is 12 months following notification of the grant award.

Please contact collective365info@gmail.com, if you have any questions about the application process.

Terms & Conditions: You confirm that you, as the individual submitting this form, are the named applicant intending to receive unrestricted grant funding based on the criteria outlined in this application at the time of submitting this application. If you are selected to receive financial assistance through the Community Change Grant, you agree that Collective 365 is merely providing financial support. You further agree that Collective 365, its partners, and its sponsors provide no warranties and have no liability for any services provided by or any issues related to items purchased using grant fund monies.