Blog

Dear community, 

At Headwaters Foundation for Justice (HFJ), we know that the nature of grassroots organizing means that our funding cycles do not always align with organizations’ real-time financial needs in moments of crisis or opportunity. HFJ has released rapid response funding in response to community needs or by request from organizations periodically throughout our history.

Today, we are launching our first open application for rapid response funding to increase transparency and accessibility to organizations seeking urgently needed funds.  

Why rapid response now?

We know that the term “rapid response” is often inaccurate– communities have been organizing with urgency against the marginalization and oppression forever. There is always a need for flexible funding to support rapidly changing challenges and political environments.  

We also know that the world is especially dangerous right now. Our staff are living and organizing in these times alongside the organizations that we support. We are deeply aware of how organizing – whether for a ceasefire in Palestine, the dignity of all immigrants, the rights of trans people, police accountability, or clean air and water – has been complicated by rising authoritarianism. 

Headwaters is using the tools at our disposal to support organizations working urgently in the face of new and unexpected challenges. While neither the need for funds nor the challenges we face are new, we hope that this new approach will be one source of support for our communities in this moment. 

The Rapid Response Fund

We expect to grant $600,000 through the Rapid Response Fund through eight rounds of grantmaking between September 2025 and June 2026. Please find details and grant cycle deadlines on the Rapid Response Fund page.  

The application process is intended to facilitate fast decision making. If an organization’s application is approved, they can expect to receive funding within 30 days of the application deadline for a given cycle. Organizations can apply for up to $25,000 and receive an award no more than once per year.  

The Rapid Response Fund will be open to 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations as well as Tribal Entities in the state of Minnesota. Grant decisions will be made through a collective decision-making process. Starting in 2026, we will invite community members to participate in decision-making, aligning the Rapid Response Fund with our other grantmaking funds.  

Applications will be assessed based on criteria, the most important of which is that organizations must be responding to an unanticipated event or urgent internal or external challenge. 

Every step of the Rapid Response Fund grantmaking process is designed to be simple, straightforward and fast for organizations seeking funds. Currently, organizations must complete an inquiry form before they can submit a complete application. We are experimenting with this approach to ensure that the number of applications for each grantmaking round is manageable for the decision-making committee’s fast review timeline. 

Inquiries for the first Rapid Response grantmaking round of the Rapid Response Fund open today, August 6, 2025. Find more information, including grant criteria, key dates, and more, on our website. 

In solidarity, 

Kate Vickery 
Senior Program Officer