Funding | Grantmaking Overview | CLIP
Campaigns, Litigation, Issues, & Policy (CLIP)
As a 501(c)(4) organization working to advance equity and racial justice across Washington, we know that this work is inherently political. We also know that there are diverse leaders working to shift the political landscape in every community. That’s why the Campaigns, Litigation, Issues, & Policy (CLIP) Fund supports active and forthcoming community-led, issue-based campaigns that can shape policy for a more just and equitable Washington.
No two campaigns are exactly alike.
CLIP funding offers the flexible support and partnership that community-led campaigns need to build and exercise their political power. Below are examples of campaign activity that CLIP Supports.
BALLOT MEASURES AND INITIATIVES
Campaigns in support of or opposition to state and local ballot measures and initiatives that impact communities’ power.
LITIGATION
Legal actions by local campaigns to break down policies and systems that shrink the voting power of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other communities of color.
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
Ensuring that communities’ expertise is factored into decision-making in Olympia on the policies and issues that matter most to them.
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING AROUND A CAMPAIGN
Activating community support around elections, legislative activity, and other pivotal moments that inform and impact policy on specific issues.
POLLING AND RESEARCH
Advancing campaign strategy by better understanding the perspectives of the electorate and how to educate them about policy issues.
application process
CLIP accepts applications year-round. If any of the above sounds like your work, please fill out this interest form to tell us more about you and your organization. Once we receive your submission, you should hear from our team within four to six weeks about potential next steps.
Please note that this interest form is not a grant application. If our goals seem aligned, the next step would be a conversation with our team to learn more followed by an invitation to formally apply for funding.
Watch a video to learn more about the CLIP fund.
To be Eligible, organizations must be
- Actively involved in political or policy actions that will transform systems and advance racial justice and equity.
- Committed to continued community power-building beyond an election cycle or campaign.
- Led by communities most impacted by structural inequities, including efforts where decision-making power is held by people of color; queer, transgender, and gender-expansive people; D/deaf and disabled people, immigrants; people who are cash poor, and other lived experiences.
FAQ
What you need to know
Do I have to be a current grantee to be considered?
No. Any organization that meets the criteria for this fund is welcome to submit an interest form.
How much are you offering in CLIP grants?
CLIP does not have a fixed amount for grant funding. The amount of an award may be based on several factors, including the issue, existing need, statewide or local nature of the campaign, amount of funding from other sources, available resources, and opposition funding.
Is there an application deadline?
We accept requests for CLIP funding on a rolling basis throughout the year. However, we recommend you fill out the interest form as early as possible to allow reasonable time for our team to complete review, follow up, and make payment.
How many CLIP grants are awarded each year?
It depends; however, there is no set number of annual awards. In some years, CLIP has funded more than 25 grants, in other years, we have awarded fewer than ten.
Does CLIP fund campaigns outside of Washington?
No. CLIP funding is awarded to support campaigns within Washington state. To further Inatai’s mission to transform the balance of power to ensure equity and racial justice across the state, CLIP is always looking to identify and fund campaigns in areas often overlooked by funders, including rural communities, small towns, and regions beyond the Puget Sound area.
What information do we need to provide if we’re interested in CLIP funding?
We ask that you fill out the information requested in this form. It asks for contact information of the person(s) submitting the form, the legal name of the organization, coalition or campaign details, the tax ID or nonprofit Employer Identification Number (EIN), and information on how your organization or coalition is legally organized, for example, Political Action Committee (PAC), 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), fiscally sponsored, etc.
When are CLIP funds awarded?
It depends on each campaign. In 2024, we aim to provide an initial round of funding in June. However, awards may also occur at different times throughout the year.
Are these multiyear grants?
No. CLIP funds are one-time grants awarded on an annual basis to support campaigns pursuing their public policy goals.
Are we eligible for a CLIP grant if we have already received CLIP funding in the past?
There are no restrictions on how many times an organization or coalition can apply for CLIP funding. There have been some organizations who have received multiple CLIP grants.
The “L” for CLIP stands for litigation. Are legal organizations eligible for funding?
We believe litigation is an under-utilized tool by campaigns to make meaningful public policy change. We have, and will continue to, fund organizations and coalitions using litigation as part of their campaign strategy. CLIP funding would go to the organization or coalition leading the campaign; they can use that funding however they see fit, including for the retention of counsel for representation on the issues central to the campaign. CLIP does not directly resource legal organizations or firms.
Does CLIP fund candidate election campaigns?
No. CLIP funds cannot be used for candidate endorsement or campaigns to support an individual running for public office.
Does CLIP fund voter engagement and voter education?
The CLIP Fund does not specifically fund an organizations’ voter engagement and education efforts. The Emerging Opportunities Fund does provide this support to eligible organizations. However, CLIP may provide resources to an issue campaign that includes voter outreach and education as part of the strategy to influence or enact a specific policy.
I still have questions. Who should I contact?
Please email policy@inatai.org.
Accessibility commitment
We are committed to making the application process available in languages other than English and to people with disabilities. We are also excited to work with organizations that are new to us. To those ends, we provide:
- Interpretation and translation services (including American Sign Language and/or Communication Accessible Realtime Translation),
- Large-print formats of instructions and applications,
- Alternative application methods, including over the phone, by video or voice recording, and on paper,
- Support from professional grant writers.
Please contact us at policy@inatai.org if you need one of these or another service, and we will do our best to provide it. We know it takes time, trust, and effort to request these services, and thank you for sharing how we can make this process work for you.
Campaigns we’ve Proudly Supported
Justice Not Jails
Spokane County Measure No. 1 sought to expand the county’s jail system despite public disapproval and proven research for other effective, equitable solutions. If passed, this harmful measure would have reinforced a system that devastates communities of color and people living with low incomes in Spokane.
Neighbors United for Progress
In Columbia County, Proposition 2 threatened to shut down the county’s only library, all because a vocal few disagreed with its collection of books on gender, sexuality, and race. The library would have been the first in the nation shuttered by such far-right censorship efforts under the guise of “parental rights.” Neighbors United for Progress stepped up to fight for their community and won.
Community First Whatcom
We have proudly supported Community First Whatcom in their campaigns to fight for livable wages, for renter rights, and to prioritize people over mega jails. The group’s ballot measure campaigns — both successful and unsuccessful — have given communities in Whatcom County a voice on pressing issues and built political will to help transform power locally for years to come.