Intersecting Crises Demand Bold Action
Our partners, individually and collectively, have stepped up to move resources to the frontlines of the escalating and intersecting crises of climate change, rising economic inequality, demands for racial justice, attacks on democracy, and the COVID pandemic.
Emergent Fund
The Emergent Fund supports rapid response grassroots organizing and power building in Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities who are facing injustice based on racial, ethnic, religious and other forms of discrimination.
Democracy Frontlines Fund
The Democracy Frontlines Fund, initiated by the Libra Foundation and guided by a Brain Trust of accountable movement advisors, is leveraging millions of new dollars to fund Black-led organizers fighting for free and fair elections and working to defund prisons and police.
Amplify Fund
Amplify Fund, in partnership with Neighborhood Funders Group, elevates community power to drive just and equitable development, supporting Black, Indigenous, people of color and low-income communities to build power and transform the places
they live and work.
Way to Rise
Way to Rise supports power building organizations across frontline communities to ensure that every person has what they need to thrive.
CLIMATE JUSTICE & THE ENVIRONMENT
Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF)
With funding from the Hewlett Foundation, IKEA, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, PCAF is creating and promulgating an accounting practice to measure and disclose the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions associated with the lending and investment activities of financial institutions. GHG accounting is leading to better understanding of the climate impact of financial portfolio. This understanding triggers discussions and actions to lower the impact, especially for the heavy emitting sectors (e.g., coal-based
electric utilities).
Advance Change Funds: Investing for the Planet
Our donor advised funds — Advance Change Funds — enable donors to align both philanthropy and financial investments with their values. We offer donors three fossil fuel free investment options designed for positive impact on climate and community. Funds held in cash in the Amalgamated Bank Money Market Account are subject to credit standards that prohibit lending to fossil fuel projects.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Workers Rights & the New Economy
Nearly 100 years ago, garment workers came together to create the Amalgamated Bank, to serve the needs of working people and their families. This history is the root of the Foundation’s commitment to workers and economic justice. We centered our COVID relief work on this commitment, and we also serve as host to other economic justice initiatives:
LIFT (Labor Innovations for the 21st Century)
A partnership between labor and philanthropy, the LIFT Fund supports collaborations between community-based social justice organizations and organized labor to advance worker safety, wellness and economic security.
Community Infrastructure Fund for Mutual Aid
Launched by the Omidyar Foundation, this fund supports organizing, knowledge sharing, convening platforms, and other tools and resources that allow mutual aid to sustain, scale, and grow.
HouseUS Fund
Initiated by the Ford Foundation, this fund supports policy advocacy and organizing for affordable housing, working to ensure that the housing crisis is a crucial part of public dialogue and debate.
Amalgamated Foundation responded in full force to the unprecedented crisis of the COVID pandemic. We applied five guiding principles to guide our COVID relief work:
- focus on the most vulnerable
- stand up against hate
- defend democracy
- organize and coordinate responses
- move resources nimbly and efficiently
Across different platforms and with a strong collective of partners, the Foundation is leveraging financial and social capital to answer the call to action this moment
requires including:
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Family & Workers Fund
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Frontline Workers Fund
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Emergent Fund People’s Bailout Fund
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Return to the Heart Native COVID-19
Action Fund