Headwaters will begin accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Giving Project on April 13. Fill out this online application if you want to be considered for our upcoming cohort. The application will be open April 13 – May 18, 2026.

It is important that participants attend as many sessions as possible, but we know that life happens! While we prioritize people who can fully commit for all dates, please let us know when you apply if you need to miss any sessions and we’ll see if your participation is still possible.  

Click here to see the full schedule.

As renowned feminist writer and activist Aurora Levins Morales states in the essay “The Politics of Childhood“ within her book, Medicine Stories, “Childhood is the one political condition, the one disenfranchised group through which all people pass. The one constituency of the oppressed in which all surviving members eventually stop being members and have the option of becoming administrators of the same conditions for new members.”   

When we think of systems of oppression, whether it be racism, ableism, gender oppression, classism, or others, youth are consistently among the most directly impacted. It is critical that our movements recognize their leadership in our shared fight for justice, and it is our collective responsibility to act in solidarity with them. In choosing youth organizing as the 2026-27 Giving Project theme, Headwaters wants to make it clear that our vision for a liberatory future is incomplete without the wisdom and leadership of young people.    

We invite you to read this recent blog post for more insights into our framework for youth organizing. 

We are looking for people who are passionate about organizing donors to fund social justice movements, can commit to attending all meetings throughout the program, and have the time and capacity to fully invest in this unique cohort experience.     

We are also committed to meeting our overall goals for cohort diversity. Headwaters encourages all people, and especially Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color; LGBTQ people; low- or no-wealth individuals; and folks over 40 to apply.   

Interested applicants submit an online application. Headwaters staff will review applications on a rolling basis as they come in. If your application moves forward in the process, a Headwaters staff member will set up a time to further discuss your interest in the Giving Project. We often have more applicants than spaces available in the program.  

Yes! The Giving Project sessions on race and class are designed to help ensure all participants have shared knowledge and language to use before donor organizing, evaluating grant applications, and hosting site visits. Often, people have had training on race, but not class, or vice versa. This curriculum brings them together through an analysis of racialized capitalism. 

Additionally, this program is designed to facilitate dialogue and relationship building within a cross-identity cohort of people who are multi-generational, cross-race, and cross-class. Often, we have these conversations in silos with other folks who share our identities, but in the Giving Project we break those silos down. 

Importantly, the Giving Project model combines learning and action. Often, training spaces give us frameworks but don’t ask us to do anything after. By combining political education with donor organizing and grantmaking, the Giving Project helps people live out what they’re learning.  

The Giving Project is not an anti-oppression 101 course. We suggest looking for other trainings if you haven’t had any training on race and class or done personal work to understand how those identities live in you. There are many excellent learning opportunities online and in-person. You, and the cohort, will have a more fulfilling Giving Project experience if you have a 101 understanding before joining the program.  

The Giving Project is a multi-month cohort-based experience that requires a significant commitment of time, talent, and resources from participants. Headwaters works hard to create an environment of support for folks to fully participate in the program, and we understand that most folks are already juggling various responsibilities within their lives. Nobody can be everywhere all the time. With that in mind, we want to be clear that this program is intensive and completely voluntary.  

The experience of the Giving Project cohort is negatively impacted when participants aren’t fully present and engaged. It is important to us that Giving Project participants not only have passion for funding social justice movements, but also that they have the time and capacity to fully invest in this unique cohort experience. 

After considering your personal situation (other significant commitments, competing demands, work/life balance, mental and emotional capacity, etc.), if you are feeling unsure about your current ability to fully commit to this program, we encourage you to prioritize self-care and consider applying for a future Giving Project cohort.  

Nearly 170 people have committed to and completed the program, many with stories of personal transformation, deeper community connections, and a better understanding of Minnesota’s social justice movements. If you can make the commitment, you will get just as much out of the Giving Project as you put in! 

Frankly, most people do, and there are lots of reasons why. Money, class, and wealth are often seen as taboo topics under our system of racialized capitalism, but it can feel freeing to have conversations about them in the Giving Project! We work with each cohort to find their possible reasons during the staff-led fundraising training. That's when cohort members learn how to ask for money in ways that feel good. Cohort members begin to see that they are engaging in powerful, direct action for social change. It's not just about fundraising. Giving Project cohort members become donor organizers, using their own donations and influence to bring in more donations from their networks. Many alumni credit the fundraising aspect of the program as the most challenging and rewarding. Staff are enthusiastic about supporting you on your journey. 

Yes! People involved with grantee organizations can participate as a Giving Project cohort member as a way to inform and influence their own work. We use a conflict-of-interest policy to ensure that anyone closely involved with an applicant organization does not participate in the discussion or scoring of that organization’s application. We encourage you to apply! 

Being present at all meetings is how we build collective analysis and support. We prioritize participants who can fully commit to the program and attend all sessions. Please let us know in your application if you'll need to miss any sessions.   

If you know you don’t currently have the capacity to fully commit to this program but are interested in it, we highly encourage you to consider applying for a future Giving Project cohort! 

Yes, however Headwaters recognizes that participating in the Giving Project is a major commitment of time, energy, and labor. Cohort members receive the benefits of learning new skills and deepening their understanding of social justice philanthropy while engaging in many hours of in-person training sessions, 1:1 donor organizing, and grant reading. We estimate that over 120 hours of time goes into being a part of the cohort.  

 It is within Headwaters’ organizational values and financial ability to offer all cohort members a $1,500 participation stipend at the end of the program. While this amount cannot encompass all the hours or energy participants put into the program, we offer it as one way to say thank you for your commitment and contributions over our six months together.  

Sessions will be held in-person at the Headwaters office in Minneapolis. If you live in Greater Minnesota and can travel to attend the sessions, you are welcome to participate, and we are able to offer mileage reimbursement and some travel support. However, please carefully consider your capacity to travel for all scheduled dates and sessions.  

We are currently unable to accommodate applicants who live out-of-state or internationally. The program does not include a virtual option for online participation. 

Yes! Headwaters is committed to supporting Giving Project participants by offering childcare/caretaking reimbursements. If you know you’ll need access to this support, please let us know within your online application. 

• Tell others about the Giving Project!  We need your help to get the word out.  
• Donate today and join the Headwaters community! In order to make Giving Projects work, we need financial support from people who love the idea and the work but can’t be involved themselves.  
• Sign up for Headwaters monthly e-newsletter to stay in-the-know about our grantmaking, grantee partner news, and upcoming events. 
• If you'd like to receive more information when we begin recruiting for Headwaters' next Giving Project, fill out the Giving Project interest form