Mobilize Power Fund

The Mobilize Power Fund is a rapid response grantmaking initiative operated by Third Wave Fund, a program fiscally sponsored by the Proteus Fund. Third Wave Fund focuses on supporting youth-led and community-based organizations advancing gender justice, particularly through funding that is flexible and responsive to urgent and emerging needs. The Mobilize Power Fund was first introduced in 2016 to support organizing against discriminatory policies such as North Carolina’s HB2, known as the "Bathroom Bill." Since its inception, the fund has evolved into a strategic resource for groups responding to critical threats or opportunities that arise without warning. This fund is specifically designed to support organizations involved in movement-building work facing unanticipated and time-sensitive challenges. It accepts proposals to support a wide array of activities including direct actions, healing justice, mutual aid, community defense, conflict transformation, legal or bail support, and rapid mobilizations. Priority is given to efforts that have emerged within the last six months and are tied to a specific incident or contextual shift affecting organizing conditions. Pre-planned initiatives, recurring programs, budget gaps, or startup costs are not prioritized by the fund. Eligible applicants must be organizations led by and for young women of color (transgender and cisgender), and trans, queer, gender non-conforming, and intersex youth of color under the age of 35. They must demonstrate a direct connection to the communities most affected by the issues they are addressing, apply an intersectional gender justice framework, and operate with annual organizational budgets of under $500,000. Applicants do not need to have 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor to qualify. Importantly, the fund is only available to organizations based in the United States and its territories. Applications are reviewed several times a year according to a fixed grant cycle. Upcoming deadlines for 2025 are July 8 and October 7, with the grant portals opening on May 28 and September 2, respectively. Proposals must be submitted by 7:00 PM in the applicant's local time zone on the deadline date. Applications can be submitted in multiple formats, including written responses, video, or by phone. Final decisions are communicated within four to six weeks of the submission deadline. Once awarded, funds are generally disbursed via ACH direct deposit within two months, with emergency processing available as needed. Applicants are encouraged to review newly updated narrative proposal questions as of March 2025. Third Wave Fund strives to make the application process accessible and compatible with screen readers. Feedback or requests for accommodation can be directed to mpf@thirdwavefund.org or by calling 917-387-1262 x 920. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for individual organizations, while coalitions of two or more groups can request up to $20,000. Funding for the Mobilize Power Fund comes from contributions by individual donors committed to reproductive and gender justice. Through this collective support, the fund continues to enable youth-led groups to act swiftly and powerfully in response to the pressing challenges facing their communities today.