Proteus Fund

For Rights, Faith and Democracy Collaborative (RFDC)’s Minnesota cohort, which includes Gender Justice, OutFront Minnesota, TakeAction Minnesota, and Jewish Community Action, 2023 was a banner year. With a pro-reproductive freedom governor and majority in the state legislature, they succeeded in creating the conditions to get their entire legislative agenda passed, securing significant wins for #reproductivejustice and #genderaffirmingcare that had been years in the making. Hear how cohort leaders say they were able to work in coalition to take advantage of favorable conditions in the government to create powerful, lasting change for Minnesotans, and view the full annual report here: https://lnkd.in/eRvg65P5

In June, the RISE Together Fund (RTF) hosted its first in-person funder convening in New York City since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funders came together from across the country to learn more about RTF's priorities directly from their grantees, field partners, and staff, as well as confront and grapple with the threats facing the communities RTF works with and their allies, heightened by the local impact of the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Together, the group recognized challenges, identified opportunities, and reaffirmed its commitment to RTF's vision of a just, inclusive, multiracial hashtag #democracy where Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA)communities can live freely, lead fully, and participate joyously. Learn more about RTF's work: https://lnkd.in/dS4-_Xz6

Piper Fund’s Judicial Independence program was officially renamed as the Judicial Integrity program in 2023. The renaming was in recognition of grantees working not just for an independent judicial system that honors the separation of powers, but also one that moves ethically and with integrity—centering justice and fairness. We are proud to support North Carolina For The People, The New Pennsylvania Project Education Fund (NPPEF), the Ohio Fair Courts Alliance (OFCA), and other grantees fighting to protect judicial integrity in their states. View the full annual here: https://lnkd.in/eRvg65P5

Proteus Fund is a proud fiscal sponsor of Puentes, a non-profit working to strengthen the narrative power of social justice movements in Latin America. In 2023, Puentes cohosted Confluence, the first global convening on narrative work, solidifying its reputation as a global expert in narrative change and connecting social movements in Latin America with other regions around the world. Hear Puentes Founder and Director Mónica Roa López speak about the conference and how the support of Proteus Fund has helped to bolster this work, and read the new digital Annual Report here: https://lnkd.in/eRvg65P5

Proteus Fund's fiscally sponsored initiatives are helping to grow awareness of #socialjustice issues and movements. Two of these organizations were recently featured in national publications! Contigo Fund was spotlighted in ELLE Magazine for it's work with regional partners to establish the Central Florida Emergency Trans Care Fund, which helps individuals access #genderaffirming care. The State Law Research Initiative's advocacy for rights against excessive criminal punishments is highlighted in a piece by The New Yorker focused on the role of state courts and state constitutions in protecting and expanding rights. Take a few minutes to read these articles linked in the comments.

In 2023, RFDC continued to invest in cross movement organizing in three priority states: New Mexico, Minnesota, and Georgia. In each state, a cohort of organizations including reproductive justice, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, and inclusive faith organizing groups developed a shared strategy and proposal for challenging the weaponization of religion at the state level. Proteus Fund is proud to support Georgia grantees such as Georgia Equality, New Mexico grantees such as Bold Futures, OutNebraska, South Carolina United for Justice & Equality, and Texas Freedom Network. Read our new digital Annual Report here: https://lnkd.in/eRvg65P5

In our new digital Annual Report, we spotlight the work of RTF grantee Muslim Student Association (MSA) West, a nonprofit which serves 3000 Muslim students across 30 California campuses in their spiritual, academic mental health, and social needs. Hear from MSA West’s Hasna El-Nounou talk about the support for student protesters and those facing increased hate and discrimination due to the ongoing crisis in Gaza and how being an RTF grantee has been beneficial. View our digital report today: https://lnkd.in/eRvg65P5

🎉 We are excited to welcome Disability Culture Lab as one of Proteus Fund's newest fiscally sponsored initiatives! The Disability Culture Lab is the first-ever nonprofit disability media and narrative lab. Proteus Fund's fiscal sponsorship of Disability Culture Lab is directly aligned with and representative of our deep commitment to disability justice. Our vision of a fully representative and inclusive democracy cannot be achieved without the presence and power of the millions of individuals who are part of the disabled community. We invite you to learn more about Disability Culture Lab's new and exciting work and look forward to supporting their growth and impact! 

Earlier this month, nearly 100 grassroots activists, scholars, and lawyers from 21 states gathered in Minneapolis for Piper Fund's Judicial Integrity 2024 Convening. They joined together to become better equipped with ideas, messages, and newly met collaborators to combat a well-funded right-wing movement seeking to install an authoritarian vision that threatens our #democracy. See highlights and key takeaways from the convening: https://lnkd.in/eparRWrU

In our new digital Annual Report we spotlight the PAYBAC table, a collective of organizations representing communities of color and working-class communities across the state of Pennsylvania that includes Piper Fund grantees, in exposing the alarming power corporations and billionaires have exerted in Pennsylvania’s democracy. Hear Arielle Klagsbrun, Deputy Campaign Director for the Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE), an anchor organization in the PAYBAC table, talk about the impact of the coalition’s work in 2023 and working with Piper Fund.