Rapid Response Grants

What is the Rapid Response Grant program?

Rapid Response Grants provide flexible funding of up to $10,000 to current Midwest Frontline Fund (MFF) grantee partners only, with a turnaround time of 3 weeks or less. During this pilot phase of our program, grantees may only apply for one grant per organization. This funding is intended to be used as emergency funding for legal defense, mutual aid, and strategic planning.

Applications for the Rapid Response Grants opened on June 1, 2025 and are reviewed on a rolling basis, with decisions sent within 3 weeks of submission. This pilot program will be open until funds are expended.

Knowing threats will continue in this current climate, we are continuing to raise funds to transform this program into a more permanent resource our partner groups can tap for emergencies, and quick turn around funds.

This program has been co-designed with Midwest EJ Network grantee partners, leadership, and the Midwest Frontline Fund Advisory Circle.

Here’s what we’ve done so far—

Rapid Response Grants Distributed to Date

Since June 1, 2025 we have awarded $170,000 in Rapid Response Grants to 17 organizations across the region..

Here’s a breakdown of the emergency projects and needs these grants have gone to since they opened—

Emergency Support Needs

Emergency Project Types

Funding by State

Program Eligibility

In order to apply for a MFF Rapid Response Grant, you must be a current grantee partner of the Midwest EJ Network (meaning you received a 2024 MFF grant).

This grant is intended to be used as emergency funding. We are defining emergency situations as happening in the prior 6 months and include:

  • Example scenario: a smoke stack implodes, spreading dust in your neighborhood or a fertilizer spill or coal ash pond leaks impacting local water supply

  • Example scenario: community response to severe storm events, flooding, heatwaves etc.

  • Example scenario: your org is being sued by a polluting industry; 501c3 tax exempt status is being challenged

  • Example scenario: staff or community members at events being targeted by ICE

Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but generally, eligible areas for rapid funding will include: 

  • Can be used to contract and get advice from an attorney for the types of emergencies listed above.

  • We recognize that mutual aid is an important organizing tool for EJ groups and that in moments of crisis organizers and leaders need individual and collective care. Examples of projects could include organizing masks or water distributions during a polluting event or setting up community cooling centers during heatwaves, or providing mental health support to staff responding to crises.

  • For organizations and partnerships to respond to and pivot based on emergent needs and opportunities related to emergency response. Projects could include working with a facilitator to convene your staff or partner organizations to assess and pivot work based on emergent context

Application Process and Timeline 

We are working to make this grant program responsive and with as little burden as possible. Grants will be open with a rolling deadline starting June 1st until funds are expended. If you are a current grantee, you should have received a link to apply. If you are a current grantee and did not receive a link or need the link again, please contact Co-Executive Director Eartha Borer-Bell

Please Note:

This grant was designed for surge emergency support to organizations within our partner network who are facing acute crises. We recognize that this is an incredibly difficult time for organizations and communities across our region. We are intentionally limiting the rapid response grants to projects outlined in the eligibility criteria that require quick, flexible deployment of funds. Given this, there are a number of scenarios which we recognize require support, but which we cannot fund at this time given our limited resources:

Grants to new organizations not currently receiving a general operating grant from the Midwest Frontline Fund

Gap funding for ongoing expenses (such as staff, rent, supplies, program expenses) to cover the loss of federal funding

Strategic planning or staff wellness that is in general response to the national context all of our grantee partners are working in (we recognize this is a huge need, but it is outside of the scope of this rapid response program)

Organizational expenses related to ongoing environmental injustices 

We are doing our best to raise more funding to increase our general operating grants to support all of our grantee partner organizations.  In addition to grants, we are building a rapid response program to support organizational risk management as well. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • In our commitment to being responsive to our grant partners, we have reallocated  $300,000 from our budget toward this rapid response fund. Knowing threats will continue in this current climate, we are continuing to raise funds to make this pilot ongoing rapid response fund permanent, as a spot groups can tap for emergency, and quick turn around funds.

  • We recognize that EJ organizations are working on responding to compounding crises in partnership with organizations across sectors, however for this pilot phase we have limited funds and expect high demand from our current grantee partners so we are unable to extend this grant opportunity to other organizations at this time.

  • No, these grants are intended to be used for hard to fund, rapidly developing activities.

  • Not at this time, each organization is only eligible for one grant during this pilot phase given limited funds.

  • No. We recognize that this is an incredibly difficult time for organizations and communities across our region. We are intentionally limiting the rapid response grants to projects outlined in the eligibility criteria that require rapid, flexible deployment of funds. 

    However, in recognition of the chronic stress that our communities and partners face as a result of systemic environmental injustices, we are doing our best to also increase general operating grants to support all of our grantee partner organizations.

  • This is a pilot program and so we are trying to have a defined set of criteria for transparency and equity. Please reach out to Eartha at eborerbell@mwejn.org to discuss your situation, and we can also use your feedback for designing the future of this program.

  • We prioritized legal support, mutual aid & wellness, and strategic planning based on feedback from grassroots partners on what is currently available and being offered by others, and where the gaps are. We are actively working on building other resources and partnerships to support our grantee partners in areas such as cyber security, crisis communications planning, and organizational compliance. Please reach out to Eartha at eborerbell@mwejn.org to discuss your situation, and we will do our best to connect you with other resources and/or to use your feedback for designing the future of this program.