The Braiding New Worlds Fund is one of three grant opportunities under the Community Organizing Grants umbrella administered by the Peace Development Fund (PDF). PDF is a private philanthropic organization committed to advancing justice by funding grassroots community organizing efforts. The Fund emphasizes the belief that long-term peace stems from equitable and just social structures and that meaningful change must be driven by those most directly impacted by injustice. Through the Braiding New Worlds Fund, PDF supports youth-led and youth-focused community organizing groups that actively challenge adultism and place young people in substantive leadership roles.
This fund specifically seeks to uplift young people who are organizing around core justice areas. For the current cycle, PDF has expressed particular interest in youth-led efforts focused on economic justice, housing, immigration, climate change, healing justice, and the role of technology in social movements. The program values organizations that align with the funder’s core pillars: shifting power, building movements, dismantling oppression, and creating new structures. These values guide the application evaluation process and require applicants to demonstrate leadership by directly impacted communities, sustained capacity building, commitment to equity, and innovation in strategy.
Grants typically average $3,000 and are intended for organizations with annual budgets under $250,000. Eligible applicants must be based in the United States, Mexico, or Haiti and either have 501(c)(3) status or a U.S.-based fiscal sponsor. Recipients of three consecutive years of funding are required to pause for two years before reapplying to any of PDF's Community Organizing funds. The Braiding New Worlds Fund supports small organizations and excludes educational programs, research, individuals, academic institutions, and organizations not primarily focused on community organizing.
The application cycle opens in November and closes at the end of January. First-round decisions are communicated in March, indicating whether applicants advance to the second round. Final funding decisions are announced in early May. Applications are submitted through the PDF online grants portal, where all Community Organizing Grant programs are accessed via a single form titled “Community Organizing Grants.”
This fund operates on an annual cycle and expects to reopen in November of each year. Organizations are encouraged to review their alignment with PDF’s Four Pillars before applying. Application components include articulating the organization's community organizing framework, demonstrating youth leadership, and explaining alignment with the fund's justice priorities. Contact details for clarification or support during the process are available through PDF’s online presence.
Align with the Four Pillars; emphasize youth leadership in positions of consequence; show concrete community organizing strategy.
