RISE Together Fund (RTF), an initiative of Proteus Fund, is announcing an open call for inquiries for our 2026 Small Grants Fund for U.S. public charity organizations or fiscally sponsored projects of such organizations, that support Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities. The maximum request for an inquiry is $25,000, with an historical average grant size of $20,000. Limited funding may be available for requests above $25,000. The RISE Together 2026 Small Grants Fund is open for applications to be submitted from May 11, 2026 (9 am Pacific Time) until June 15, 2026 (5 pm Pacific Time).
We will review inquiries on a rolling basis until funds are depleted. RTF has an approximate budget of $700,000 to allocate small grants through this open call. If funds are expended before the funding cycle is complete, we will announce it on our website and the RISE Organizing listserv.
As part of RTF’s commitment to prioritizing the needs and sustainability of the fields we collectively support, RTF will provide organizations with general operating grants to allow for organizational flexibility when possible. Please read below to ensure your organization or fiscally sponsored project meets the eligibility criteria and priorities, and understand the application process before applying.
Proteus Fund is a U.S. public charity recognized as tax exempt under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Please note that participation in the application process does not guarantee funding or award of the grant.
If you are a 501(c)(4) organization interested in applying for 501(c)(4) funding, do not use this application and instead please contact us directly, at rtaf@proteusactionleague.org.
BAMEMSA movements have a strong history of organizing and collaboration, and are well poised with the knowledge, learning and experience to build an inclusive, multiracial democratic future and respond to the current unconstitutional threats facing the country. Through this fund, RTF aims to resource community power building organizations that use a multiplicity of approaches to create change rooted in the strength and leadership of BAMEMSA movements.
RTF supports groups that build community power, strengthen movement bases, defend civil and human rights including freedom of protest, speech, religion, and association, end the criminalization and surveillance of our communities, and respond to the rise in xenophobia, Islamophobia, and hate. RTF values groups that are intersectional in their approach and have or are developing sustainable long-term strategies to support BAMEMSA communities and movements.
RTF uses the following eligibility criteria and considerations when making decisions about which organizations may receive funding. All organizations that meet the criteria below are eligible to apply.
Tax Status: The requesting organization, including for any fiscally sponsored project, is a charitable organization defined by Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Grant funds may not be used to support or oppose any candidate for public office or to engage in any prohibited political campaign activity.
If you are a 501(c)(4) organization interested in applying for 501(c)(4) funding, do not use this application and instead please contact us directly, at rtaf@proteusactionleague.org.
Financial Health: The requesting organization, including for any fiscally sponsored project, has a plan and support to meet its overall organizational budget, that does not reflect any potential grant of funding by RTF.
Organization’s Strategic Focus: The requesting organization has deep knowledge of, connection with, experience working with, and is deeply rooted in BAMEMSA communities and BAMEMSA movements. The requesting organization has a track record of meeting community needs and a strategic focus towards long-term systems change. RTF values inclusivity, and grantees selected will not be limited by race or ethnicity of leadership or populations.
Intersectionality: The requesting organization is committed to racial, disability, and gender equity and justice in its many forms, as reflected in the organization’s accountability to its mission, leadership, staff, and/or learning journey.
Community Support: The requesting organization can demonstrate that the organization has community-based support, including from BAMEMSA communities and movement actors.
Priority: The funding request meets one or more of the priority areas listed below under the “Fund Priorities” section.
As we assess inquiries, RTF will prioritize organizations that demonstrate a strategic vision for long-term systems change, particularly those whose work aims to address the priority issue areas below using one or more of the listed priority strategies.
Priority Issue Areas:
Priority Strategies:
RTF values organizations that take an intersectional approach and are intentionally building long-term community power. We prioritize support for groups that strengthen movement ecosystems, deepen their base, and defend the rights of BAMEMSA communities through the following strategies:
As we learn from inquiries and movement partners, we may refine these and update our application and outreach to reflect the changes. If you feel RTF has missed a crucial area of work supporting BAMESMA communities, please contact rtf.outreach@proteusfund.org.
RTF does NOT fund organizations that primarily focus on:
RTF primarily provides general operating support. In limited circumstances, RTF may invite select applicants to apply for project-based support. Unless explicitly stated in the invitation, applicants should assume they are being considered for general operating support. Applicants should not submit project-based proposals unless explicitly requested to do so. Any project-based support will be subject to additional requirements.
Grant funds, if awarded, must be used for charitable purposes consistent with the tax-exempt status of the recipient organization or, in the case of a fiscally sponsored project, its fiscal sponsor, 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.
Please bear in mind that sometimes we experience an extraordinary volume of inquiries and proposals. We will do our very best to adhere to the timeline described below.
How to Access the Grant Portal
Proposals must be submitted via our online grant portal, Fluxx. Users who already have a Proteus Fund Fluxx account can log in as usual. New users will need to create an account using the following instructions.
Once logged in, click on “Open Grant Opportunities” listed on the left side menu. Click “RTF Open Call” to begin your application.
Please reach out to fluxx@proteusfund.org if you need any assistance logging into your account or experience technical issues within the application.
Step 1: Please complete the eligibility form. If you meet the eligibility criteria as laid out above, you will be immediately invited to submit a narrative application. If you are declined at this stage and feel you are eligible, please contact rtf.outreach@proteusfund.org.
Step 2: For your narrative, we will ask you to answer the following questions:
Step 3: RTF will be in touch with you about the status of your application and may follow up with additional questions to understand your work better. If your request is declined at this stage, please know that RTF will do our best to share your needs with other funder partners.
Step 4: If RTF is interested in recommending your request to our leadership, we will request budget related information:
Once we receive this information and asses, RTF may recommend your grant to Proteus Fund leadership for funding. Disbursement of approved grants can only move forward after receiving your required documents and financial information. RTF will work internally to facilitate the release of funding to your organization within two months of receiving your required documents and information (budget, MOU or agreement if fiscally sponsored, and bank information for funds transfer).
For emergency situations, RTF will make every effort to expedite your request to ensure faster receipt of funds. For questions or comments, please contact rtf.outreach@proteusfund.org to share your needs and the RTF team will be in touch. If you experience technical difficulties with the process, please contact fluxx@proteusfund.org.
RTF’s work is guided by its north star of realizing the promise of a just, inclusive multiracial democracy where BAMEMSA communities can live freely, lead fully, and participate joyously. We aim to strengthen BAMEMSA movements to build community power and infrastructure that break the interlocking cycles of violence fueled by racism, surveillance, and criminalization. RTF is the first and only national donor collaborative dedicated to supporting the critical work of power building organizations for BAMEMSA communities. Since 2008, RTF and its partner organization RISE Together Action Fund have supported directly impacted voices and their allies to lead policy and social change, granting nearly $30 million to more than 500 organizations. RTF bolsters its national grantmaking with capacity building support and technical assistance to build and expand the capacity of BAMEMSA movements toward racial, gender, queer, and disability justice.
Who are BAMEMSA movements: BAMEMSA is an acronym for Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian enumerated to describe communities that have been acutely impacted by post-9/11 discrimination. While Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) is a common term, Black communities within the AMEMSA ecosystem are often excluded in community and philanthropic spaces. As such, it’s important to explicitly include Black communities, specifically Black and African American Muslims who account for 20 percent of American Muslims and who are also impacted by post-9/11 discrimination. Our communities are not homogenous; they are beautifully intersectional, diasporic, complex, multi-racial, and multilingual. Our grantees largely do not self-identify as BAMEMSA; this acronym is an attempt at encapsulating a multiplicity of identities with a view toward advocating for a liberatory future and increasing philanthropic relationships within the field. While useful in helping to orient partners, there is no perfect acronym because our communities cannot be reduced to them.
What truly connects us are community characteristics: the issues we face and the common vision we co-create and seek. Ultimately, the communities we focus on are impacted by interlocking systems of hate and violence engendered by the War on Terror. Our partners are working to break those cycles of violence.