Disability Frontlines Fund

Disability, for our fund, is a self-identity. This is partly because disability has many different definitions, understandings, and meanings that continually shift and change. We understand disability to be a personal experience in the many ways there are to have a bodymind. We also understand disability through society and people’s interactions within it, in how people experience the ways the world centers able-bodied and neurotypical people (read more about neurodivergence here). 

In Skin, Tooth, and Bone: The Basis of Movement is Our People - A Disability Justice Primer by Sins Invalid, Disability is defined as “a word that links people of common overlapping related experiences of oppression based in navigating a world designed and defined by able-bodied people. This term has been reclaimed by people whose bodyminds have been medicalized and pathologized, working from an empowered perspective.” 

If you are unsure how to understand your work through a disability lens, please set up a time to connect so we can discuss more: email us at dff@thirdwavefund.org. 

The Disability Frontlines Fund provides general operating support grants up to $50,000 per year for four years to grassroots organizations and groups that are leading disability justice-related work with a frontlines focus. Additionally, the Disability Frontlines Fund provides project-specific support grants of $10,000 per year for four years to individuals who are leading disability justice projects with a frontlines focus. Please read through our grant eligibility criteria to see if your work aligns with our current funding priorities.  

For DFF, “Frontlines” represents work that is unapologetic in its efforts towards justice and liberation. We do not use Frontlines to reference a physical location in the fight towards gender and disability justice, but a metaphorical depiction of the work we are most excited to fund.  We see frontlines as a way to call in and honor the history of resistance that is deeply central within disability justice as a framework, a politic, and a practice.

For us, those at the“frontlines” of disability justice organizing are those building community that values self-determination, cultural work, care, and support networks. Disability justice and gender justice powerfully intersect when we look to those most responsive to the present needs of our people through the work of access, collective action, and collective care - to us, those leading this type of work are at the frontlines.

For this grant cycle, we especially want to invite those whose work is informed by the realities of this moment and who see their work as resisting a narrative of disposability. We are excited to receive applications from those who have been part of disability justice movements for many years and those who are new to disability justice or part of new formations of disability justice community, cultural, or organizing work.

We ground our definition of Disability Justice (DJ) in the 10 principles of Disability Justice offered by Sins Invalid. That said, we understand that many groups, organizations, and projects practice disability justice, even if that is not the language that may be used to describe their work. What matters most to us is that the work can be understood as disability justice in practice (see previously linked principles), even if how people describe or name this work may be different. We also understand that there may be principles and values central to people’s disability justice practice that do not align with the language in Sins Invalid’s definition, and we are excited to learn more about how you practice disability justice. 

This fund is dedicated to providing unrestricted, general operating support grants. This means that grantees have the agency to determine how they use their grants to support their work and day-to-day operations. For individuals, DFF funds project-specific work led by an individual whose project meets the criteria listed in the request for proposals. Within this project, individual grantees have agency in how they determine to use their grant funds to support their approved project, as long as these funds are for charitable purposes.

We only fund within the United States and U.S. “territories”, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Groups and individuals must meet our grant eligibility criteria; however, to avoid any confusion, we can share more information about what we understand as some of the work that does not fit our grant eligibility criteria:

• Groups that support disabled communities but do not prioritize leadership roles for those rooted in the disabled communities that their work centers, and/or do not have clear and intentional shared decision-making with those supported through the group’s work. 
• Groups or projects whose primary focus is to support the care providers of disabled individuals. 
• Groups or projects that are focused on overcoming, healing from, or eradicating disabilities and/or are otherwise misaligned with disability justice values and practices. 
• Groups or projects that do not understand their work within the context of movement justice and grassroots organizing. 
• Direct service work, such as case management or traditional healthcare services (mutual aid and care networks are ok)
• Work that takes place outside of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa

Individuals are eligible to apply if they are leading (or will lead)  a disability justice-related project that reflects our funding priorities. If awarded a grant, individual grantees must be able to provide their legal name and submit a completed W2 to receive their funding. Additionally, individuals must be able to confirm that any funds awarded will be used for charitable purposes only, as defined by the tax-exempt status of Proteus Fund under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Funds may not be used to support or oppose candidates for public office or otherwise engage in prohibited political campaign activity.

All applicants will receive an update on whether their application has passed the initial screening and has moved forward to the next stage of the selection process by the end of September. All applicants who move to the final stage in the selection process will be notified by October whether or not they have been recommended for funding. Our grantmaking process is scheduled to announce awards in October, with the goal of dispersing funds to those awarded grants by early December.

Yes. This link here will take you to an example of a budget for an individual applicant. This link here will take you to an example of an organization applicant. 

We don’t assume everyone has the same familiarity with budget-making. If you would like additional support or have questions, please contact us at dff@thirdwavefund.org with your questions or to set up a call to discuss. 

We encourage you to reach out to set up an interest call with DFF staff. In an interest call, we can provide more clarity on the grant opportunity, answer eligibility criteria questions, and provide some coaching regarding the application process.

To set up an interest call or if you would like to ask any questions, request access support, and request general information, please reach out to us via email at dff@thirdwavefund.org. You can also reach us by phone; however, phone calls are not returned as quickly as email:

Cory Lira - DFF Program Officer: 917-387-1262 ext. 916

Nico Fonseca - DFF Program Associate: 917-387-1262 ext. 807

If you are having trouble setting up your Fluxx account or having issues with Fluxx as you fill in your application, please contact the Fluxx support team at fluxx@proteusfund.org.