Black organizers across the country are keeping a spark burning bright in the name of our collective liberation. Drawing from generations of Black power, they name, imagine, and build pathways out of systemic oppression. They are grounded in the far-reaching wisdom of Black movements for justice. They uproot white supremacist thinking, press institutions to transform, and form new systems to sustain people’s self-determination and dignity. Locally, Black organizers in the Twin Cities have expanded the political possibilities for our movements toward justice.  

The Black Movement Ecosystem at Headwaters launched in 2021. The Ecosystem is a partnership with the Black Seed Network—a statewide network of Black organizers. Together, we offer the Black Seed Fund and the Black Seed Fellowship.   

• The Black Seed Fund 
  The Black Seed Fund (BSF) is Headwaters’ newest fund. BSF makes grants to Black-led groups and supports their organizational development and capacity-building needs. These grants are for Black-led organizations that grow power with Black people.

We are not currently accepting Black Seed Fund nominations. 

• Black Seed Fellowship 
  The Black Seed Fellowship is the first-of-its-kind philanthropic cohort experience. It supports individual Black leaders who share a commitment to Black Liberation. The Fellowship invests in Black people’s individual leadership development, as well as in the organization development of the groups they represent. Fellows hone their leadership through collaborative working and learning experiences rooted in Black theories of justice, movement work, and organization development. Fellows will create and launch their own organizations which will increase political, economic, and social power for Black communities across Minnesota. 

We are not currently recruiting Fellows.

For questions about the Black Seed Fund or the Black Seed Fellowship, please contact Headwaters' Director of Program and Grantmaking, Bilal Alkatout - bilal@headwatersfoundation.org