Now accepting proposals! See below for the full details and upcoming informational webinars. 

The 2025 YMH RFP closes July 10, 2025, 5 pm Pacific

ABOUT DECOLONIZING WEALTH PROJECT

Established in 2018, Decolonizing Wealth Project (DWP) is committed to bringing truth, healing, and repair to our global community. Reparative Philanthropy, our signature framework, is at the heart of our work and aims to transform wealth into collective wellbeing. DWP operates through three key strategies: sector transformation, storytelling and culture, and reparative giving. Our work has radically transformed the philanthropic sector and has facilitated the distribution of nearly $1 billion for truth, healing, and reparative efforts. Liberated Capital, DWP’s fund and donor community, has directly granted over $23 million to support economic solidarity, wellbeing, and earth and climate efforts primarily led by communities most impacted. 

BACKGROUND

Decolonizing Wealth Project is excited to launch a new culturally responsive care fund focused on supporting and expanding mental health care for youth in the United States, prioritizing access for LGBTQ+ youth and youth of color. The fund will redistribute a minimum of $15 million in grants over three years starting in 2025.

Throughout history, young people have been drivers of social change. They have led efforts from Selma to Standing Rock, inviting us all to imagine a better future. Youth today face a world of compounding challenges with the changing technology and social media, climate crises, income inequality, and deadly extremist violence in the United States and beyond. However, the burden of these challenges is not carried equally. Young people of color and queer youth are often forced to navigate a world that refuses to honor their brilliance and embrace their identities. As a result, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, or even suicide. 

Suicide is the leading cause of death for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders ages 10-24, and the second leading cause of death for young Black or African Americans (CDC, 2023; NAMI, 2023; ACAMH, 2023) and nearly half of all LBGTQ youth considered suicide, and 60% of those who sought mental health support were not able to access it (The Trevor Project, 2022).

One of the most significant barriers to supporting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth mental health is the lack of access to culturally responsive care. Youth of historically marginalized identities are in dire need of access to mental health providers who actively implement culturally responsive practices and care in affirming spaces that honor their identities. Culture also carries unique protective factors, and centering these strengths will ensure healing for both young people and society. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

A Community-Aligned Fund that Centers Marginalized Youth 

In collaboration with an external advisory committee composed of youth leaders and experts and practitioners in the field of adolescent mental health, DWP is launching the Youth Mental Health Fund (YMHF) – a culturally affirming initiative focused on expanding access to community-based mental health care for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth between the ages of 12-24. In addition to supporting community-based programs and partnerships, YMHF will also fund work to shift narratives around care and programs that offer culturally grounded healing experiences that center the unique needs and strengths of marginalized youth living at the intersections.

The YMHF fund will invest at least $15 million in grants over the next 3 years, for a minimum of $5 million annually. Alongside grantmaking, DWP will invest in capacity-building opportunities for grantee partners and elevate critical issues undergirding the Fund through communications and field-building efforts.  

ELIGIBILITY 

• Only 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and Federally Recognized Native American Tribes are eligible. Non-Federally Recognized Tribes are eligible to apply under a 501(c)(3) organization. Fiscally-sponsored projects under a 501(c)(3) entity are eligible. 
• Private non-operating foundations and individuals are not eligible.
• U.S.-based organizations only.
• We value representative leadership and encourage organizations with leadership from BIPOC, LGBTQ+ communities to apply.
• Proposals demonstrating youth engagement and voice in strategy and program development will be prioritized. Organizations should have a track record of supporting youth from a variety of backgrounds, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+. 

FUNDING APPROACH

In this first year of grantmaking, we will use the following approach to grant $5 million: 

• Grants will have a term of one year, with projects starting in November 2025 and ending in October 2026. 
• There are two grant types organizations can apply for: 

1. 1. Anchor Grants:  General operating support grants ranging from $100,000-$250,000 for youth mental health organizations or projects that have been operating for 5 years or more with organizational budgets over $2,000,000.
   2. Opportunity Grants:  1) General operating support grants ranging from $30,000–  $100,000 for organizations or projects that have been operating for less than 5 years; or 2) Project-specific grants for new innovative solutions, pilots, convenings, one-time special opportunities, etc.  (Note: there are no budget requirements for opportunity grants)

FUND PRIORITIES: CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CARE 

Decolonizing Wealth Project seeks to nurture healing, belonging, and empowerment for youth. We will prioritize initiatives that are community-led or engage young people directly in decision-making processes and efforts. Examples of meaningful youth leadership may be in staffing, youth steering committees, youth boards, and processes that generate regular feedback from youth. An external, intergenerational Advisory Committee will review every eligible application. 

Applications will be accepted across the following three priority areas:

(1) Community-Based Programs 

• • Increasing access to culturally responsive mental health care by providing services in places where youth live, learn, and play  (e.g. in schools, churches, community centers, particularly in rural areas, etc). (Note: in the case of partnerships between community-based organizations and clinics/health care system units, grants will be awarded to the community-based nonprofit).
  • Youth-led organizations that provide programs to improve mental wellbeing outcomes, such as peer support, skill-building, and youth advocacy. These programs should create spaces where youth can connect, share experiences, and learn coping strategies, while advocating for changes in policies and practices that impact their mental well-being. 

(2) Cultural-Based Healing 

• • Innovative culturally relevant delivery models that promote connection to belonging, culture, and improve mental health care. This may include programs that use creative expression such as:  language, movement, art, music, dance, and theater as therapeutic tools to explore identity, process trauma, and build resilience.
  • Storytelling projects that amplify communal and personal stories of mental health journeys to foster solidarity and representation. 
  • Heritage-based wellness programs that integrate cultural practices, rituals, and spirituality into mental health approaches for young people.   

 (3) Awareness and Advocacy Campaigns

• • Community-based education programs tailored to equip youth, families, providers, and educators with tools to recognize and address mental health challenges.
  • Campaigns that challenge cultural and systemic stigmas around mental health care and identity, and work to expand access to services and support, as well as post-traumatic growth and joy.
  • Support for organizations working towards systemic change in mental health services and care delivery to dismantle inequities in mental health care systems impacting youth;  Priority given to programs that train youth as advocates for systemic change in mental health policies and systems.

USE OF FUNDS

1. 1. • Most funding is general operating support;  Some Opportunity Grants may be project-specific.  All funding must be used for charitable purposes in alignment with the goals of the fund. 
      • General operating support funds may be used for advocacy, direct service, or other organizational priorities such as staffing, travel, supplies, etc.
      • Grant funds may not be used for subsidies or regranting to other organizations.
      • Qualifying organizations are only eligible for one grant per organization. 

EVALUATION AND LEARNING

Grantees will be expected to provide regular updates on their progress as requested. Selected grantee partners may be invited to participate in convenings to support collaboration, shared learning, and community building. We aim to facilitate a learning community amongst the grantee cohort. 

2025 KEY DATES 

1. 1. • Application Portal Opens: May 20
      • Informational Webinar #1: June 3
      • Informational Webinar #2: June 24
      • Proposal Submission Deadline: July 10
      • Funding Decisions Announced by: October 15
      • Grant Dollars Disbursed by: November 1

INFO WEBINAR / FAQs

Two virtual informational sessions will be held in June. The content presented will be the same for each session, and a recording will be added to the FAQ document for those who can’t attend. 

June 3, 3:00-4:30 Eastern  Register

June 24, 12:00-1:30 Eastern  Register

You can also find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the 2025 Youth Mental Health Fund here. 

HOW TO APPLY

All applications are required to be submitted via the JustFund platform. Applications sent outside of the JustFund platform will not be considered. JustFund utilizes a Common Application where you will detail your organization or Tribe’s mission statement, organization description, team description, and financial need. For steps on how to create a JustFund account or update your information, click here. 

There are separate application processes, depending on the type of grant your organization is applying for:

If you’re applying for an Anchor Grant – click here

If you’re applying for an Opportunity Grant – click here

Application Questions

*All proposals must be submitted through the JustFund platform 

Mission Statement: Summarize the mission and vision of your organizational entity, as well as the intended goals and outcomes to support culturally responsive care, particularly for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth, and youth at the intersection of both.  

Organization Description: Describe the history and current strategies or efforts led by your organization to support youth.  

Team Description: Include relevant names, positions, or staff titles, and describe how they will contribute to providing culturally responsive care for youth, particularly BIPOC, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth at the intersection of both.

Financial Need: Please let us know how much you will need to accomplish the proposed goals and objectives in your proposal and how you propose to use the funds. You will also be asked to provide a budget and budget narrative in the attachments to justify the amount of funding requested (see below for more on the required attachments).

Supplemental Questions

Please provide brief replies to the following questions, keeping responses to 500 words/question or less

1. 1. • What specific gap or need is your organization filling to provide culturally responsive care, particularly for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or youth at the intersections of both? How does your organization define and enact culturally responsive mental health care? 
   2. • Please share 3-5 concrete impacts you are hoping to achieve with this funding and for whom, and how you plan to evaluate impact?
   3. • How are youth or your constituents helping to shape programs or make decisions/involved in the work?

Required Attachments 

1. 1. • A program or project plan. Please attach a document detailing your program or project or initiative’s goals for the year of funding. It will need to include how your organization will address the priorities outlined by this fund, and the specific short and long-term goals of your work, and how you plan to achieve these goals. Please also include how are youth or your constituents helping to shape programs or make decisions/involved in the work.
   2. • A budget & budget narrative. Please include a budget for the project that describes how the grant dollars will be allocated. A standard budget template is fine. See here for samples. In your budget narrative, please address the following questions: How will the grant funds be used (e.g. salary, supplies, travel, etc)? What funding is secured or pending for your project? Be specific.
        • For Anchor Grants applicants – please attach a copy of your most recent annual organizational budget
        • For Opportunity Grants applicants – please attach an annual operational budget and a specific project budget (if you request funding for a specific project). 

Supplemental Attachments (Optional):

1. 1. • Applicants will be permitted to submit up to two supplemental attachments related to their proposal. These could include impact reports, media projects, and/or other storytelling materials that help grant reviewers get a better sense of the scope and impact of your organization and/or project.
      • Please use at least one of the attachments to highlight community engagement. This could include written testimonials (or links to videos) from constituents, a youth engagement plan, metrics on engagement and retention in services offered, for example.

QUESTIONS

For questions about the JustFund platform, reach out to info@justfund.us.

For questions about the proposal requirements, email rich@decolonizingwealth.com.