ACTION 2022-2023: Promoting Community Solidarity Through Language Justice

Land Acknowledgement
We wish to recognize the land, stewarded by Indigenous people, upon which the SUSTAIN Center resides. Our intention is to honor the Indigenous groups by knowing the land on which SUSTAIN operates. We are actively learning and reaching out to know how to show up in solidarity and be in relationship with the people and the land. In addition, we recognize the harms experienced by Native people as a result of settler-colonial institutions and practices. While in the process of learning, we are committed to providing funding and capacity building to advance health and wellness goals determined by the philosophies, customs, traditions, and people of the Tribal Nations.

What is ACTION 2022?

ACTION 2022 is a grant and capacity-building opportunity for Latinx and/or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) TGNC led organizations. ACTION 2022 supports sustainable action-oriented programs, projects, or initiatives to enhance trauma-informed and harm reduction approaches, community wellness and wellbeing, and/or mental health services in the context of HIV. As a grant, ACTION will provide direct funding between $55,000-$60,000  to promote solidarity within and across communities through Language Justice. As a capacity-building opportunity, ACTION 2022 will provide direct funds, training, and coaching to support Language Justice programs.

Applicants must:

• be a Latinx-led or BIPOC TGNC-led organization
• be led by Latinx or BIPOC TGNC individuals living with HIV or meaningfully involve Latinx or BIPOC TGNC people living with HIV
• have 501c3 status or have a fiscal sponsor
• apply by August 29, 2022, 11:59pm (eastern) / 10:59 (central)
• further eligibility criteria listed below

If funded, you will receive the following as an ACTION 2022 partner:

• Between $55,000 - $60,000 in direct funds
• Multilingual group training and individual coaching on
  • Navigating Vendor Contract Structures
  • Language Justice 
    • Introduction to Language Justice
    • Language Justice Practices at your Organization
  • Dismantling White Supremacy Work Culture
  • Trauma Informed and Harm Reduction Approaches
  • Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV and Racial Justice
  • Equity Focused Implementation
  • Public Impact Evaluation and Storytelling

Language Justice Program Tracks:

Programs must fall into one of the following 3 tracks to be considered for funding. Examples of programs we are interested in funding are listed below each track.

1. Latinx solidarity and healing
   a. Establish and sustain intergenerational storytelling and healing circles in primary or native languages within and across queer and trans-Latinx communities
   b. Latinx organizational capacity building (such as advanced training, consulting, and coaching) to enhance a healing justice program by applying principles of community responsive trauma informed care, harm reduction, mental health, wellness and wellbeing.
    
2. Organizational capacity building (such as training, consulting, and coaching) to enhance language justice and Latinx cultural responsiveness
   a. Update policies and procedures and build existing staff capacity to facilitate language and Latinx cultural access to trauma informed, harm reduction, mental health, wellness and wellbeing service
   b. Interpretation and translation of printed and electronic materials to enhance cultural responsiveness of services
    
3. Apply language justice principles to Latinx and BIPOC TGNC community building, activism, and advocacy
   a. Apply language justice to enhance trauma informed, harm reduction, mental health, wellness or wellbeing centered healing
   b. Programs that establish and sustain partnerships with monolingual and bilingual organizations around advocacy related to policies that disproportionately impact Latinx and BIPOC TGNC people (e.g. immigration, HIV decriminalization, TGNC affirming healthcare)

Eligibility

• Must be Latinx or BIPOC TGNC-led:
  • Latinx-led means the majority of people who make decisions (e.g. board, director(s), staff, volunteers, membership, and advisory, etc.) for your organization are Latinx, Latino/a/e, Afro-Latinx, Chicano/a/e, Chicanx/e and/or Hispanic a person of Latin American origin or descent (used as a gender-neutral or nonbinary alternative to Latino or Latina)
  • BIPOC TGNC-led means the majority of people who make decisions (e.g. board, director(s), staff, volunteers, membership, and advisory etc.) of your organization, are trans women, trans men, genderqueer, non-binary, non-conforming and/or indigenous genders
• Geographic Location: located and doing work in AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, or TX
• Content Area Focus: program or project addresses HIV in the context of at least one of the following content areas - mental health, healing justice focused trauma-informed approaches, wellness, or harm reduction approaches to drug use
• Data-driven Storytelling: collaborate with our evaluator, who will be available to support your group with telling your story and completing SUSTAIN and COMPASS evaluation activities
• Non-profit Status or Fiscal Sponsor: be non-profit, tax-exempt organizations as set forth in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or have a fiscal sponsor
• Program Period: September 2022 - July 2023
• Funding decision announcement: 15 business days after grant application closes

Sample Allowable Expenses (including but not limited to):

• Stipends for staff directly involved with your language justice program (up to 30%)
• Language justice program or project print and electronic materials
• Technology for the language justice program or project (e.g. remote simultaneous interpretation equipment)
• Advanced training, consultation, and related costs (up to 10%)
• Convening expenses, including food, venue costs etc.
• Marketing related costs
• Travel, housing stipends

Application Questions

• What is your organization’s full mission statement? If you do not have a mission statement, include your organization’s long-term goals

• Describe your current experience with Language Justice Practices (if applicable)

• What Language Justice Program Track will your program focus on? Tracks include: Latinx Solidarity and Healing, Organizational Capacity Building, and Community Building, Activism and Advocacy

• How will your Language Justice Program address the intersection of HIV and content areas (mental health, wellness, trauma informed care, or harm reduction approaches to drug use)? 

• Describe your Language Justice program for this funding opportunity in detail. Please refer back to the Language Justice Program Tracks listed above (for example, language justice needs, capacity building to create multilingual spaces, organizational change, and community change). Describe:

  • the need for language justice at your organization

  • the Language Justice program you hope to implement

  • the need in your communities that your language justice program will address

  • what will your program do to achieve language justice in your community?

  • the intended audience/group

  • how you will implement/complete the program (if collaborating, please indicate the community organization and how you will partner together)

  • where the program will be delivered or take place

  • how you plan to share about the impact of  your program with other funders and the general public (e.g. podcast, blog, social media, vlog, etc.)

  • a brief timeline

• Describe how you will implement Language Justice into your program

• How do you plan to meaningfully involve people living with HIV in your Language Justice program?

• Describe how your organization is led by or meaningfully involves individuals of lived experience (for example, living and thriving with HIV, Latinx, BIPOC, LGBQ, TGNC, etc.) 

• Describe how you will use the $55,000-$60,000 for your program

• Does your organization have 501c3 status or a fiscal sponsor?

• If you have a fiscal sponsor, tell us about your relationship with them (ex. how long have you been working together; in what ways do they support you to do your work?)

• Does your fiscal sponsor support Language Justice Initiatives? Please describe

• What is your definition of impact/success for this Language Justice program?

• If awarded, what type of support do you anticipate needing from the SUSTAIN Center? (For example, Support with reminders and deadlines, Communication throughout the duration of grant, Support with reporting documentation to funder, etc.)

Tips for a successful 2022 ACTION grant application:

• Clearly describe: 
  • how your organization is led by Latinx and/or BIPOC TGNC people
  • how your organization is led by or meaningfully involves Latinx and/or BIPOC TGNC people living with HIV
  • how your program or project will address mental health, wellness, healing justice focused trauma informed approaches, and/or harm reduction approaches to drug use as it relates to HIV among Latinx and/or BIPOC TGNC communities
  • the impact of your Language Justice program or project in your community
  • the priority community for your program or project (examples: Black/Latinx TGNC migrants, individuals who receive services at your organizations, TGNC youth experiencing homelessness or unstable housing, TGNC individuals with experience in sex work or commercial sex, peer social networks, volunteers, etc.)
  • your role and your partner’s role in this program or program
• A complete 2022 ACTION grant application includes the following
  • Complete application form - please ensure to complete all of the questions
  • Contact both ACTION leads Bec Sokha at bskeo@cougarnet.uh.edu and Maria mwilson3@central.uh.edu if you find the written narrative is not accessible for your group
  • 501(c)(3) verification OR letter from a fiscal sponsor
  • A complete budget template for the proposed program or program

Accessibility Statement

If the written application process is inaccessible and you would like to apply through a virtual interview, please email our ACTION grant leads Bec Sokha at bskeo@cougarnet.uh.edu and Maria at mwilson3@central.uh.edu to schedule an interview by July 25, 2022 at 11:59pm (eastern) / 10:59pm (central).

Glossary of Terms: these terms and definitions are intended to help guide your application process. The terms and our understanding of them are ever evolving (revised 06/30/2022).

• Harm Reduction: an approach and set of practical strategies aimed at reducing negative consequences. We provide capacity building to create and strengthen understanding, systems and programs that focus on harm reduction and meet people where they are, as well as consider the impact of drug use, particularly opioid use, on HIV/AIDS. To know more about principles that are central to Harm Reduction practice visit the Harm Reduction Coalition’s site linked here.
• Latinx: Describes individuals or groups who identify as Latinx, Latino/a/e, Afro-Latinx, Chicano/a, Chicanx/e and/or Hispanic a person of Latin American origin or descent (used as a gender-inclusive alternative to Latino or Latina).
• Language Justice: in the context of ACTION, is an evolving approach based on fundamental language rights to create multilingual platforms and challenge English language dominance. It should embody both racial and social justice to create equitable spaces. Language justice should bring awareness, bridge gaps, and create meaningful change to generate spaces where individuals, families, groups, and communities can understand, be understood, communicate in written, verbal and non-verbal language which is preferred, best articulated, centers their native culture, and minimizes racist trauma and harm to non-English dominant individuals.
• Mental Health: The dynamic state of emotional, psychological and social well-being that affects how one thinks, feels and acts, and functions, as well as how one makes decisions, copes with stress and maintains relationships. One’s mental health can be influenced by many factors, everyday life experiences, family history, experiences with systems, and biology. We prepare organizations and service providers to better understand and address the impact of mental health in the context of HIV care.
• Trauma: General trauma is a defined as the threat of, exposure to, or experience of an event, series of events, or set of circumstances experienced either directly or through witnessing by an individual that is physically, emotionally or psychologically harmful or life threatening that has lasting adverse effects on an individual’s functioning and well-being. Historical trauma is defined as the complex, collective, and cumulative general trauma or emotional and psychological wounding experienced across generations (and over time) by a group of people who share an identity, affiliation and/or circumstance. We work with organizations to build capacity on how to respond empathetically to individuals dealing with past and/or present trauma.
• TGNC: Describes groups or individuals whose gender is different than assigned coercively at birth, including but not limited to transgender, genderqueer, non-binary, non-conforming and indigenous (TGNC) genders.
• Wellness/Wellbeing: While there is no consensus on a single definition, well-being is defined as the balance of the various interrelated dimensions of an individual’s life, including: 1) physical, 2) psychological, behavioral, and emotional, 3) spiritual, 4) environmental, 5) social, 6) financial and economic, 7) intellectual, and 8) occupational and employment. and 9) healing justice factors.

FULL PDF OF RFP AVAILABLE HERE

Please return to the Home Page to apply for this funding opportunity.