Our Goal

The Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation supports programs and advocacy that actively contribute to the safety and wellbeing of Indigenous women and girls and Two Spirit people. Racist policies and the oppression of Indigenous women and Two Spirit individuals through both colonization and patriarchy, and discrimination that is specifically rooted in colonialist mindsets, have led to the invisibility of their leadership, work, and voices in the public consciousness.

Due to historical and current colonization and marginalization of Indigenous populations, and due to the United States’ outdated policy on Indigenous tribal sovereignty, which makes it almost impossible for tribal law enforcement to prosecute non-Indigenous offenders, men and people who perpetrate violence against Indigenous women and Two Spirit people often face minimal or no legal consequences for their actions. In a National Institute of Justice report on violence against Indigenous women, 97% of the women surveyed (n=2,473) stated that the perpetrators were non-Indigenous men 1.

Perpetrators who have assaulted, murdered, or trafficked Indigenous women and Two Spirit people often walk free because law enforcement dismiss a countless number of cases. This lack of accountability leads perpetrators to feel empowered to continue gender-based violence, causing the murder rate of Indigenous women in some tribal communities to be 10 times higher than the national average 2. The National Institute of Justice report also indicates that 56% of the Indigenous women who were surveyed reported that men have perpetrated sexual violence against them 3.

When missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) are discussed in the media, there is an over-emphasis on victimization without honoring the strength and work that many Indigenous women and Two Spirit leaders are doing to fight against this oppression. In addition, the use of passive voice when referring to gender-based violence against Indigenous women limits the development of solutions that focus on the roots of the problem, such as toxic masculinity, entrenched patriarchy, colonialism, white supremacy, and discrimination in the criminal justice system.

The Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation seeks to address the injustices facing missing and murdered Indigenous women and Two Spirit people by providing funding to support nonprofit organizations that 1) offer dedicated programming with the goal of improving the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit individuals, such as initiatives to increase their safety and facilitate their healing, 2) create and/or advocate for legislation that increases accountability for men and people who commit violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit individuals, and/or 3) provide legal assistance and/or direct services to families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and/or Two Spirit people.

In crafting this RFP, we reviewed resources from and consulted with Native Americans in Philanthropy, the Strong-Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, Mending the Sacred Hoop, Yurok Tribal Court, Healing and Reconciliation Institute, Restoring Justice for Indigenous Peoples, Sovereign Bodies, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, and the Ohlone Costanoan Esselen Nation. 

What We Look For

The Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation would like to support programs and initiatives that incorporate the following components through existing guidelines:

  • Program has direct and explicit goal of increasing safety for Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people through community programming, advocacy, direct services, policy initiatives, or the facilitation of healing spaces for Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit individuals.
  • Preference will be given to applicants and organizations from the tribal land areas of the Amah Mutsun, Ohlone, Chalon, Awaswas, and Esselen nations, currently known as the Monterey and Santa Cruz regions.
  • Program should attempt to avoid using passive language to describe gender-based violence in order to encourage accountability of those who are harming.
  • Program access is not limited based on financial ability; programming is offered at little or no cost to participants.
  • We look for organizations that address the unique threats to the livelihoods of Indigenous women and Two Spirit people who reside in both urban and rural areas.
  • There is a preference for applicant organizations for which women of color are the primary decision-makers.
  • There is a preference for applicant organizations that integrate gender equity into their personnel policies, such as robust parental leave, child care, flexible work schedules, and relationship abuse workplace policies.

Please note: The Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation is not afraid of the word feminism! We encourage you to openly discuss your intersectional feminist programming, goals, or approach.

To Apply

APPLY FOR A GRANT

Unsolicited propoals will not be accepted.