Black Girls Defense Fund 2026 Grant Applications Open

Black Girls Defense Fund opens applications for its Resistance and Resilience Grant 2026. This funding helps groups in the Southern U.S. protect and support Black girls, women, and femme-identifying youth. Grants range from $5,000 to $20,000 for community work on justice, safety, and health.

About the Black Girls Defense Fund

The Black Girls Defense Fund comes from the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium. It aims to build up movements that protect the rights, dignity, and safety of Black girls and women in the South. The fund focuses on key areas like community safety, reproductive health justice, stopping gender-based violence, restorative justice, and fighting adultification and dehumanization. Groups that lead this work must answer to the communities they serve.

Grant Details

The Resistance and Resilience Grant gives flexible support to new or ongoing projects. It offers general operating funds so organizations can keep up their efforts. Use the money for advocacy campaigns, community programs, justice reform, health and safety work, or youth empowerment. The goal is to help these groups grow stronger over time.

Funding Amounts

Grants provide between $5,000 and $20,000. This unrestricted money lets organizations decide how to spend it best. It covers daily operations to keep programs running smoothly.

Who Can Apply

Organizations must meet strict rules to qualify.

Organizational Rules

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, or
• Work under a fiscal sponsor that is a nonprofit.

Budget Limit

• Annual budget must be under $1 million.

Location

Work in at least one Southern state: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, or Texas.

Focus Areas for Projects

Apply if your work covers at least one of these:

• Preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
• Reproductive and maternal health justice.
• Reform in justice and prison systems.
• Restorative justice methods.
• Safety and well-being for Black girls and women.
• Advocacy against adultification and dehumanization.

What Funded Groups Must Do

Groups that get money need to show real results.

Run Programs

• Create or continue projects for Black girls, women, and femme youth.
• Run advocacy or direct services.
• Build stronger community safety.

Work with Communities

• Talk directly to people affected.
• Use their feedback.
• Make programs that fit the culture.

Track Results

• Set clear goals and ways to measure them.
• Check how well programs work.
• Report what happened and what was learned.

Application Needs

Use the JustFund Common Application. Include these documents:

• W9 form.
• Proof of 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsor agreement.
• Latest Form 990.
• Current organizational budget.

Answer questions on:

• Program design, activities, outcomes, and group history.
• How you engage communities and plan for the future.
• How you’ll use the money, partners, funding gaps, and other needs.

Important Dates

• Applications open: May 5, 2026, at 9:00 AM EST.
• Info session: May 7, 2026, at 7:00 PM EST.
• Deadline: May 14, 2026, at 8:00 PM EST.
• Decisions: June 24, 2026.

Info Session

Join a live workshop on May 7, 2026, at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. It covers the application process and answers questions.

How to Apply

Go to the Southern Black Girls website to register and submit. New accounts might take two days to activate. Apply at least three days early. Late apps may not count.

This grant boosts grassroots groups to meet community needs, expand work, and build leaders in tough areas.

Frequently Asked Questions