BLIS Collective Membership Packet

The Radical Collaboration Fund is a member-led and stewarded fund that moves resources directly to Collective members and our movements. The fund exists to nurture cross-movement solidarity, healing, collaboration and joint projects. The Radical Collaboration Fund, at its core, is an invitation to move beyond scarcity, beyond competition, and into a collective practice of abundance. Together, we will use this Fund to demonstrate what solidarity looks like when it is resourced at scale, and in doing so, we will lay the groundwork for the culture, policy, and power shifts that our movements urgently need. The fund will move $2 million to members by 2027.

Members of BLIS Collective are eligible to apply. Members can collaborate with people and organizations outside of BLIS Collective membership, but the lead representative on a submitted project must be a BLIS Collective member. This lead will also be the recipient of the funds, and in charge of remitting those funds to project partners as agreed. Members may also apply for funding for already existing projects, but may not apply for funding for general operating expenses.

The project lead is responsible for managing the funds, serving as the point of contact for the project, and liaising, as needed, with the collaborators and the grantmaking council. 

BLIS Collective Members can only be a lead applicant for one project (if it is funded). You can be secondary for multiple projects. If you participate in the Collective as a member of an organization, you should apply to the RCF on behalf of the organization. Organizations within the Collective have two designated representatives within the Collective, and individuals represent themselves. This means that an organization can only be a lead on one project at a time, and the same goes for individual members.

Yes. Members can submit for funding on multiple projects, but can only be the lead on one project at a time. However, if the project you are the lead on concludes, you are welcome to apply (and be the lead) for subsequent projects.

BLIS Collective will open the application for funding in late March. BLIS Collective is fiscally sponsored by Possibility Labs, and as a sponsored project we are able to move a maximum of $250k/quarter, total. Some projects will not receive all the requested funding at once, and/or may be asked to apply for additional funding at a later date.

Key Dates:

1. Open application: March 30th

2. Close application: May 11th

3. Grantmaking Council Review of Submissions: May 11 - June 1

4. Announce decisions on projects: Week of June 8th

BLIS Collective members who committed to serving on the Grantmaking Council will make decisions about what projects receive funding and at what amount. Grantmaking Council members have committed to serving for a period of 18 months. The Collective will nominate a new rotation of Council members for each subsequent term length.

If the Council votes not to approve a project for funding, the proposal is declined. Project leads and collaborators may revise and resubmit the proposal at a future funding cycle.

Projects that are approved for funding from the grantmaking council at the 100k threshold or above are then sent to the full Collective for full member vote. A maximum of two projects per quarter will be approved at or above the 100k threshold. The Council’s recommended funding amount will accompany the proposal when presented to the full body. Once the project is sent to the full body, members may:

1. Affirm the funding amount recommended by the grantmaking council

2. Vote no, and provide reasoning/feedback (such as suggesting approval at a different funding amount)

Quorum for full-body voting will be 60% of membership. 

If the Council approves funding at an amount below $100,000, the decision is final. The project will be funded at the amount approved by the Council. No full Collective vote is required.

A quorum of 60% of total BLIS Collective membership is required for a full-body vote to be valid. If quorum is not reached, the vote will not be considered binding and may be rescheduled for revote, or returned to the Council for the final decision.

If a majority of participating members vote to approve the project at a different funding amount, the project will be funded at the revised amount approved by the membership.

If the revised amount is lower than the Council’s recommendation, the project lead and collaborators may:

1. Accept the revised funding amount; or

2. Reconfigure the project and resubmit in a future funding cycle.

If a quorum of members vote not to fund the project, the proposal is declined. Project leads and collaborators may revise and resubmit the proposal in a future funding cycle. All projects that are not funded will receive feedback from members.

This two-tier process:

1. Empowers the Grantmaking Council to conduct detailed review and make recommendations to the Collective;

2. Ensures broader Collective decision-making for higher-dollar commitments ($100,000 and above);

3. Provides opportunities for feedback, revision, and resubmission;

4. Maintains accountability through quorum requirements and Collective oversight.

BLIS staff, specifically Emi and Jamal, are available to support members to talk through ideas, prepare for the application, understand the funding process, and answer any questions that arise. Please reach out to emi@bliscollective.org and jamal@bliscollective.org for support.

Applicants will be notified by the grantmaking council once decisions are made. Applicants will also be notified if more information is requested by the council to make a decision.

The Council aims to issue determinations within 6–8 weeks of submission.

Applicants can resubmit their application for funding if a project is not funded. In some cases, a “no” could be a “not right now” and the council will communicate funding priorities, restrictions and decisions with care. All projects that are not funded will receive feedback from members.

Funding cannot be for general operations, but can support operations for a project. Given that the Radical Collaboration Fund is channeled through a 501-c3, funding cannot be used for 501-c4 activities.