FUND STATUS: expended for the year
How to Apply
How to Apply
AMARA is a racial justice organization with the tools and resources of philanthropy. We resource organizations across Illinois to strengthen community power and repair. Our grantmaking currently focuses on Community Power Building, Narrative Justice and Pathways to Repair. If your organization’s work aligns with these priorities, use this section to review eligibility, current application status and the application process.
Current Status
We’re paused right now
The fund is paused. When accepting applications, we do so on a rolling basis. There is no deadline. Apply when the need arises.
Eligibility
To be considered for funding, an organization must be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity or be partnered with a fiscal sponsor or fiscal agent that meets this requirement. We support organizations in Illinois whose work is a strong fit with our theory of action and grant programs.
We fund organizations with strong governance, clear community accountability and the infrastructure to carry their work forward.
Where We Fund
AMARA funds organizations throughout Illinois. We look for efforts with county, regional or statewide impact.
How We Fund
AMARA supports grantee partners through general operating support, multiyear grants and resources that strengthen the infrastructure they have already built.
What the AMARA Does Not Fund
AMARA does not provide funding for the following:
Individuals
Direct Service
Political campaigns
Religious purposes
Governmental entities
Application Process
Submission Starts with a Letter of Intent
AMARA has temporarily paused the LOI process until October 2026. If you have questions or would like to follow up with a program team member, contact us at [email protected].
Our application process starts with the submission of a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). All new applicants or previous applicants with new ideas should submit an LOI. Returning grantees seeking renewal funding will be contacted by a member of our team prior to their grant term end date to discuss proposal submission.
Letters of Inquiry for all program areas are accepted on a rolling basis and may be submitted throughout the year.
Before submitting an LOI, visit the What We Fund page for an overview of AMARA’s program areas. If your work aligns with our funding priorities and your organization meets our eligibility requirements, use the grant portal link below to submit an LOI. The LOI asks you to summarize your request and what you plan to accomplish.
From your first letter of inquiry to final reporting, here is what to prepare and what to expect at every stage.
The path is the same for every applicant. What changes is the work you’re funded to do.
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Preparing Your Letter
When preparing your LOI, please address the following points:
- Provide a brief description of your organization including the organization’s overarching vision for racial justice, key priorities, and activities.
- State the amount you plan to request from AMARA.
- Describe how funding would support the work your organization is already leading.
- For project requests, highlight the project’s high-level goals and timing.
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Supplemental Financial Information
In addition to your LOI narrative, you will be asked to submit the following financial information:
- Organizations applying for general operating support should submit an organizational budget for the current year that reflects both revenues and expenses.
- Organizations applying for project support should submit a project-specific budget detailing expected revenues and expenses for the entire project, as well as a breakdown of how AMARA funds will be spent. They should also submit an organizational budget for the current year that reflects both revenues and expenses
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LOI Review
Once submitted, please allow our staff up to 30 days to respond to your LOI request. If you do not receive a response within that time, please contact our Manager of Grants and Program Administration at 312-609-0200 to confirm that your application was received.
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Grant Proposal
After reviewing your LOI, staff will determine whether to invite a full proposal. AMARA does not accept unsolicited proposals. Organizations invited to submit a full proposal will receive a formal invitation by email with instructions.
After a proposal is submitted, AMARA’s review process may take up to 90 days or longer.
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After Grant Approval
If an invited proposal is approved for a grant, grantee partners will be required to submit a report after each year of the funding cycle. Reporting deadlines and details will be included in the grant agreement. Reports must be submitted online by logging into AMARA’s grant portal with your existing username and password.
Final reports must be received and approved by AMARA prior to the review of any subsequent requests for funding. When submitting a request for renewal funding, organizations will be required to submit their final report at the time of proposal submission. The report should detail all activities that have occurred in the grant period to date and provide a description of the projected activities for the remaining months covered by the grant.
Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQs
Who do I contact for more information?
- For information on a specific program area, please contact the program staff member listed on each grant program page.
- For information on grant funding, the application process, or assistance with the Grant Portal, please contact Jeanna Rathell at (312) 609-0200 or [email protected].
- For general information about AMARA, please contact us at (312) 609-0200 or [email protected].
- Visit our Team page to reach out to individual staff members.
Grant Funding & Application FAQs
What does AMARA typically support?
AMARA resources Black-led organizations working to strengthen community power, shift policies and practices, shape public narratives and build the conditions for repair and Black Abundance.
General operating, project and multiyear grants are available for organizations that meet AMARA’s eligibility requirements and are engaged in work consistent with AMARA’s priorities.
AMARA does not provide grants for the following:
- Individuals
- Direct Services (with the exception of the Elgin Program)
- Political campaigns
- Religious purposes
- Governmental entities
What geographic areas does AMARA fund?
AMARA funds organizations throughout Illinois. We look for efforts with local, regional or statewide impact.
We are a new organization. Can we apply for funding?
We welcome requests from 501(c)(3) organizations that meet our eligibility requirements and are engaged in activities consistent with our priorities. In general, we give priority to organizations with an established track record. This includes organizations that act as fiscal agents or sponsors for other organizations or projects.
I submitted a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). When do I find out if my application was approved?
Once submitted, please allow our staff up to 30 days to respond to your LOI request. If you do not receive a response within that time, please contact our Manager of Grants and Program Administration at 312-609-0200 to confirm that your application was received.
Does AMARA accept unsolicited proposals?
AMARA does not accept unsolicited proposals. We only consider proposals that have been invited.
Technical FAQs
How do I begin the application process?
If you have read the guidelines and think there is a good fit, please complete our online application which includes a Letter of Inquiry in which you summarize what you plan to accomplish. LOIs can be submitted by completing an application in our Grant Portal. If your organization does not have an account, please click Create an Account. You will be prompted to create an account by submitting your email address, and then an activation link will be sent to you.
If I am having trouble completing my application online, what should I do?
You can save your application and return to it later. To continue working on an in-progress application, log in to the grant portal with the username and password you used to create your account.
The application will not submit if required questions are not answered. Required questions are noted by a red asterisk before the question. Please check that you are using Internet Explorer to access your account and submit your application. Other browsers are not supported and you may experience issues with the portal.
Please contact us if your problem persists. We encourage you to begin your application in the online system as early as possible so we have time to offer you full support.
Ready to Apply?
Before you begin, have two things ready: a budget summary, and a brief narrative of the urgent need and how the funding will help.
Questions? Reach out before you apply. We are glad to talk it through.
