Funding for Grassroots Groups
Currently, Appalachia is at risk. Resource extraction, shale gas drilling, coal mining, and petrochemical infrastructure threaten our air, water, and way of life. The Direct Support Fund gives community groups resources to organize around these issues - and more.
Are you part of a grassroots group in the Appalachian region? You can make a change in your community. Apply to the Direct Support Fund!
Participants gather at the Clean Energy Summit in Clairton
What does the Direct Support Fund do?
The Direct Support Fund is focused on projects that engage and organize impacted communities. Applicants do not need to be a registered non-profit organization. That said, we discourage applications for individual efforts.
For example, we would probably not approve a project to test water supplies at a single residence. We would encourage a proposal for water testing that creates a community-wide baseline at multiple households.
The Committee Strongly Considers:
- Proposals less than $5,000, though larger requests may be accepted
- Requests from grassroots, resident-led groups or resident-activists with few available resources
- Proposals from groups organizing in locations where petrochemical and shale gas development is occurring – predominately Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia
- Projects that seek to organize, inform or educate community members about the impacts of shale gas and petrochemical development (including gas wells, pipelines, compressor stations, refineries, cracker plants, and other related infrastructure)
- Projects organizing, educating, or mitigating around the harms of coal field extraction, buildout, and/or pollution.
- Projects focused on developing new community leadership, collective strategizing or problem solving, community outreach, or those that support non-violent, lawful direct action (e.g., permitted marches, trainings, canvassing).
- Projects led by under-represented and under-funded communities (i.e. people of color, rural, and low income)
- Proposals seeking to mitigate environmental harms and/or environmental justice issues (~$2,500)
- Proposals from groups with annual budgets not exceeding $50,000, but proposals from groups with an annual budget between $75,000 and $100,000 may be considered
- Activities in collaboration with other activists, groups or communities
- Travel and/or conference expenses for events that increase networking, strategizing, and communication among activists or grassroots groups
We do not consider:
- Requests for relief for a specific household (air quality monitoring, health care expenses, expenses associated with temporary living quarters)
- Operating expenses (such as electric bills or staff time)
- Attorney fees (though some legal aid – such as printing, filing fees, and support for expert witnesses – will be considered)
- Funds being used for matching grants
- Funds to be used for political campaigns
- Activities that benefit private interest, business, or profit-making groups
- Incomplete applications
To apply, please complete our short application
Our committee reviews applications monthly. A final completion form (linked below) is required within 30 days of project completion.
- Direct Support Fund Application (Printable PDF) (Editable Google Doc)
- Application Instructions (Printable PDF)
- Sample Application (Printable PDF)
- Extended Budget (Printable PDF) (Editable Google Doc)
- Completion Form (Printable PDF) (Editable Google Doc)
- W-9 Form (Printable PDF)
Questions? We can help with your application!
Call us at 724-455-4200, ext. #10 or email DSF@mtwatershed.com.
All approved applicants must submit a W-9 form before funding is dispersed. These funds are considered income for recipients. At the end of the year a 1099 form will be provided.
The Direct Support Fund is made possible by The Cloud Mountain Foundation, The Plastic Solutions Fund, The Heinz Endowments and The 11th Hour Project and is a project of the Mountain Watershed Association.
Organizations serving on the coordinating committee include:
Indigenous Environmental Network, Earthworks, People Over Petro Coalition, Marcellus Outreach Butler, Mountain Watershed Association, and the Center for International Environmental Law
Previous members have represented:
Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, Berks Gas Truth, Protect Our Children, Shalefield Stories, OnePA, Center for Coalfield Justice, Black Appalachian Coalition, and the Ohio Chapter of the Sierra Club
News & Updates
The Direct Support Fund is a grants program hosted by MWA that focuses on providing resources to grassroots groups and advocates working toward social change on shale gas, coal, petrochemical…
We’ll miss you, James! Our beloved community organizer, James Cato, is moving on to pursue his MFA in creative writing at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, one of the most prestigious…
In the months following the devastating train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that occurred on February 3rd, 2023, Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) has received many inquiries from residents of the…