BEA Fund
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About the Fund
As an intermediary, the Fund is a critical alternative for grassroots groups that are chronically undervalued, underfunded, and often excluded from mainstream philanthropy. The BEA Fund has granted nearly $25 million to over 190 grassroots and frontline groups in general operating support.
Resourcing Justice: BEA’s Participatory Grantmaking in Action
At BEA, we don’t just move money, we move power.
At Building Equity & Alignment for Environmental Justice (BEA), we believe those most impacted by environmental injustice must lead the way in funding decisions. That’s why participatory grantmaking is at the heart of how we move resources; it’s more than a funding strategy. It’s a justice practice.
As a leader in participatory grantmaking, BEA is transforming the way funding reaches grassroots environmental justice (EJ) groups. Our model centers the leadership of those most impacted by environmental injustice in every part of the grantmaking process, from design to decision-making.
Because when frontline leaders determine where resources go, the outcomes are more equitable, strategic, and sustainable.
What is Participatory Grantmaking?
Participatory grantmaking (PGM) is a practice that shifts decision-making power over funding from institutions to the communities most affected by injustice. Rather than traditional top-down models, BEA’s approach is grounded in trust, transparency, and solidarity.
This model reflects a deeper commitment: that environmental justice solutions must be shaped and resourced by those who live them every day.
The work to balance the historical and current inequities of funding across the environmental and climate justice movement is imperative to ensure the powerful and enduring work of grassroots groups in communities most impacted by environmental racism. It was incredibly inspiring to review all of the [BEA Fund] proposals and to learn about the breadth and depth of work happening across our movement.
How BEA Does It Differently
We’ve designed our participatory grantmaking model to be responsive, equity-centered, and community-led. Here’s how:
Community-Led Committee
Our Grant Review Committee is made up of grassroots leaders with deep ties to their regions and movements. They make final grant decisions, grounding the process in lived knowledge, not institutional assumptions.
Accessible, Trust-Based Process
We remove traditional gatekeeping barriers, including simplified applications, multilingual support, and general operating funds, so that organizations can focus on their work, not paperwork.
Centering Equity Every Step of the Way
From who is at the table to how decisions are made, equity is not an add-on; it’s our foundation.
BEA has played a transformative role in building grassroots power by bridging relationships between frontline communities, philanthropy, and aligned allies. Their strategic support and leadership have empowered numerous organizations—including mine—to grow in capacity, coordination, and impact.
Why It Matters Now
As the climate crisis accelerates and communities face mounting harm, we need to resource real solutions led by those who are directly affected. Participatory grantmaking isn’t just about changing who gives the money. It’s about changing the whole story: from exclusion to alignment, from control to collaboration.
At BEA, we offer funders a tested, trust-based approach that:
- Directs resources to high-impact, community-rooted organizations
- Ensures accountability through community stewardship, not bureaucracy
- Builds lasting infrastructure for environmental and climate justice
- Aligns funding with equity, transparency, and grassroots leadership
As a grant reviewer for the 2023 BEA Fund, I've witnessed the critical impact of equitable funding on environmental justice initiatives. The proposals I review, full of ingenuity and grassroots tenacity, renew my hope as I am reminded that even the smallest initiatives can lead to monumental, lasting change.
Join Us in Funding the Frontlines
Participatory grantmaking is not just about changing how funding works, it's about realigning the environmental movement to center justice, equity, and grassroots leadership.
Fund with us. Learn with us. Stand in solidarity with the frontlines.