Berger-Marks Grants

Qualified union organizers, labor groups and researchers are invited to apply for any of the three types of regular grants we offer for:

Individual organizing
Academic research & writing
Organizations

Individual organizing grants

Organizer Millhouse & Baltimore Sun Customer Service workers The Berger-Marks Foundation makes grants to selected individual women union organizers who are working on active organizing campaigns. Grants may cover lost-time wages and/or expenses depending on the project. The foundation trustees will authorize up to three months of lost time wages. The 3-month stipend may be extended an additional three months upon re-application and review by the trustees. The applications must be endorsed by the union involved.

A rolling application process allows you to apply at any time. The maximum that can be awarded for all individual grants is up to $40,000 per year. At least one grant per year will go to a Newspaper Guild-CWA project. (Edna Berger was the first women organizer for the Newspaper Guild.)

Application for Individual Organizing Grants

Read about organizers awarded Berger-Marks grants

Academic research & writing grants

Bronfenbrenner research team at Cornell We fund selected research and writing projects that enhance understanding of union organizing among women. The Berger-Marks Foundation sends out a Request for Proprosals (RFP) each January, and makes its decision at the end of March. We give preference to applicants who already have some funding from other sources; The Foundation will fill in the funding gap, with up to $20,000 per year.

Application for Academic Research-Writing Grants

Read about researchers awarded Berger-Marks grants

Grants for organizations

Jobs with Justice organizer who won B-M grant The foundation also will consider grants to partially or fully fund other organizing projects and expenses that focus on women organizers or organizing women workers.

A notice is sent out annually in January for decisions made at the end of March. The maximum for all grants to organizations is a total of $20,000 per year.

Application for Organization Grants

Read about groups awarded Berger-Marks grants

For more information about grants, contact the foundation at .

Berger-Marks grants “make women aware that they are not alone, that there are ways they can empower themselves.”

--Kathy Ancil, Utility Workers Union of America

“The Berger Marks Foundation is filling a critical need by offering grants for training and professional development. This is something other funders don’t do.”

--Lara Granich, Jobs with Justice, St. Louis

To apply for a grant for 2007-2008

1. Review the information on grants to the left to see if your ideas and work would qualify for a grant, and if so, what kind.

2. Fill out the appropriate online application and print a copy for your records.

3. Submit the application online. Please note that research/writing and organization grants should be submitted well in advance of the March deadline.