By: Heart for the Community Consulting

Let’s be real.

Juneteenth is not just another federal holiday where your inbox goes silent and your coworkers send out that one awkward email about “reflecting.” It’s the celebration of Black liberation, joy, resistance, and yes — endurance. And for Black folks in the nonprofit and grant world? That endurance deserves hazard pay. Or at least a therapy stipend, hot lemon water, and a long-overdue sabbatical.

As Black grant writers, researchers, and nonprofit leaders, Juneteenth offers a moment to ask: “How do we honor freedom while also carrying the weight of institutions that were never built with our freedom in mind, and in challenging political times that many of us have never experienced before?”

Let’s talk about it…

1. Your Existence in This Field Is Disruption

Black people in philanthropy are still wildly underrepresented — especially in leadership, research, and strategy. So if you’re out here crafting compelling narratives, aligning budgets with visions, and finding money in places most folks wouldn’t even look? That’s revolutionary work. You’re not just writing grants — you’re translating liberation into fundable language. That’s not light work.

Honor that.

📌  Resource: Homepage | ABFE | A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities. ABFE has membership levels for nonprofit organizations, nonprofit leaders/staff and industry professionals who serve this community.

2. We Need Each Other More Than Ever

In these politically hostile times — where book bans, anti-Black policies, and attacks on trans and queer Black folks are happening in real time — our work matters more than ever.

But so does our rest. Our joy. Our laughter. Our petty group chats. 

Build your coalition. Whether you’re a solo grant writer or leading a grassroots org from your living room, find your people. Share templates. Swap funder tea. Know that you are not alone and make space for joy.

📌 Resource: Fundamentals, Special Topics, Countering Attacks on Racial Equity was created to support organizations and individuals who are addressing the pressures to dilute their racial equity work, deal with legal issues, and for nonprofits that have lost funds because of their race equity work. The resources are organized in eight areas: Analysis and Research, Data, History and Conceptual, Key Sites, Legal Issues, Legislation and Policy, Narrative and Messaging, Strategies and Tools.  We include resources on the historical roots of opposition to racial justice and equity, and tools to counter attacks on affirmative action, book bans and critical race theory.

3. Tell the Truth in Your Grants

You do not need to make your program sound “race-neutral” to seem fundable. You can say “Black youth,” “anti-racist,” “abolition,” “Black maternal health,” and “reparative justice” in a grant proposal — and guess what? The right funders will fund you for it. 

Period.

But let’s be clear — you don’t only have to talk about the pain and problems. In fact, focusing only on suffering can unintentionally reinforce the very stereotypes we’re trying to dismantle. That’s why Asset-Framing is so vital: it means defining Black communities by their aspirations and contributions first — not just by their traumas.

Tell funders about our potential. Our solutions. Our legacy of innovation, excellence in education, mutual aid, creative leadership, and community care. Grant proposals shouldn’t read like trauma reports — they should be full, honest portraits of brilliance, resilience, and what’s possible when Black communities are resourced and trusted. Start with the vision, then explain the barriers. Show them what we’re building — not just what’s broken.

📌 Resource: Narrative Shifts to Help Social Change Leaders Build a Better World introduces how we can talk about our work and community from an Asset-Framed perspective that centers aspirations, not degradation.

4. Double Consciousness Is Real — But You Are Whole

W.E.B. Du Bois coined the term “double consciousness” to describe the internal conflict Black Americans experience — seeing ourselves through our own lens and through the lens of a dominant society that often devalues us.

In the grant world, double consciousness shows up in subtle and loud ways: translating our stories for funder comfort, wondering if we’re “too radical,” deciding whether to use “Black-led” or “urban community.”

But Juneteenth reminds us: We do not have to split ourselves to be taken seriously. Combat double consciousness by centering your truth. Write in your authentic voice. Choose funders who meet you where you are. Align your narratives with your values, not with what you think they want to hear.

We are not fragments — we are whole. And we are enough.

📌 Resource: Systems are crumbling – but daily life continues. The dissonance is real | Well actually | The Guardian. This article does not address double-consciousness, but it talks about the times we’re in; which sometimes feel like we are walking in two worlds. It introduces the concept of hypernormalization, what it is and why it is useful. From the article, “Witnessing large-scale systems slowly unravel in real time can be profoundly surreal and frightening. The hypernormalization framework offers a way to understand what we’re feeling and why.” 

5. Juneteenth is Also a Strategic Calendar Opportunity

Yes, we’re gonna say it. Tie your fundraising strategy to the cultural calendar. Juneteenth is a moment for storytelling, donor engagement, foundation outreach, and community celebration.

Email that funder who just posted a Black square in 2020 and ask what they’re doing for Juneteenth this year.

Host a panel, drop a newsletter, run a social media campaign that uplifts your community — and tie it to your funding needs.

Because change takes more than heart—it takes resources. And we’re done running on empty.

In Sum: What Black Grant Writers & Nonprofit Leaders Should Know This Juneteenth

  • Your work is sacred, powerful, and revolutionary.
  • Community care is non-negotiable.
  • Your power is in the full story: the challenge, the resilience, and the roadmap forward.
  • Combat double consciousness by writing and leading from a place of wholeness.
  • Use Juneteenth as a funding opportunity, not just a celebration.

Grab a cold drink, throw on some Kendrick or J. Cole, and take the day. Rest is resistance—and you’ve earned it.

🖤 Self-Care Resources: 

Rest Is Resistance By Tricia Hersey. Listen to this podcast and learn this to be true. 

Microdoses of Joy – Podcast – Apple Podcasts. Dr. Laine Powell delivers bite-sized episodes packed with inspiration, real stories, and practical tips to help you find joy in the everyday/

Distinee Gayle | LinkedIn. Through her company, Fully Bloomed, Distinee has cultivated a vibrant and supportive community passionate about prioritizing self-care. Fully Bloomed offers a holistic self-care experience through a diverse range of physical products, digital resources, and engaging in-person events.

🎁 A Juneteenth Gift for Black-Led Changemakers 🎁
 In celebration of freedom and the work still ahead, I’m offering something special:

The first 19 Black-led organizations, or those whose work primarily serves Communities of Color,  to respond to this call by the end of the month will receive a custom list of 10 private and/or corporate foundations—complete with names, contact info, and giving guidelines—curated to align with your mission and vision. 

Absolutely FREE.

This is your chance to skip hours of research and get straight to the funders who get you.

Who is this for?

  • U.S. – based 501(c)(3) organizations that have never worked with Heart for the Community that have:
  • An annual budget under $5M
  • A clear mission and the back-end readiness to apply for grants


(Not sure if you’re grant-ready? Click here to read what that means.)

This offer is limited to the first 19 organizations to sign up for our email list — after that, the list closes.

👉 Not quite ready for funding yet?

That’s okay—we’ve got you. Join the waitlist for our Grant Readiness Training happening later this summer and let us help you get there.

Because freedom without funding is just vibes. And we’re building more than vibes in 2025.

Heart for the Community Consulting is Black woman-led and rooted in helping communities access funding with integrity, strategy, and joy. We see you. We write with you. We ride for you.

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