Nonprofits that center racial equity in their work are facing escalating legal, political, and security threats that strain their capacity to operate effectively. Since January 2025, these pressures have intensified amid a wave of federal and state policy actions and legal challenges targeting equity-focused efforts, with nonprofits facing a growing number of legal threats, reputational attacks, and risks to both digital and physical security.

The READI Legal Support Fund meets this need by offering timely, flexible grants for legal counsel, security, and communications capacity, enabling organizations to remain operational and responsive to their communities. The Independent Advisory Committee (IAC) of the READI Legal Support Fund will award project grants ranging from $25,000 - $50,000 to eligible organizations. Please note, an invitation to apply does not guarantee funding. We appreciate the time you are taking to apply. Application Deadline: Friday, November 6, 2026
Who can apply

Your organization must:

• be a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) designation by the IRS, or a fiscally sponsored project of a 501(c)(3) organization, and

• be experiencing a direct legal or security threat to your organization or programming that centers diversity, equity, and inclusion, racial equity, or racial justice.

Priority will be given to organizations with an operating budget of $1 million or less.

This fund does not cover

• Replacing lost or terminated funding. You may describe a loss of funding as part of the threat, but your request should be for the cost of responding to the threat.

• Ongoing operating costs unrelated to the threat.

How to answer

Open responses: Be as specific as you can, but there is no need to write more than the word limit shown. Longer responses may not be fully reviewed. Please keep your answers factual and nonpartisan, with no references to parties or candidates.

Accommodations: If you need an accommodation to complete this application, please email Alena Klimas, Advisor, Philanthropic Services, at aklimas@tides.org.

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