December 1, 2025
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: This Year’s Federal Funding Freezes Offer Lessons on Emergency Grant Making
The recent government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — strained nonprofits across the country, especially those that deliver food and other essential services. And while the federal spending freeze has come to an end, its impacts on the sector offered a preview of where the most urgent needs might be next if there are further cuts to federal safety net programs.
[…] Dire cuts to certain types of federal funding have forced creative responses among some grant makers that are proving to be effective. […]
San Francisco Foundation’s rapid response grants
The Rapid Response Fund for Movement Building provides one-time grants of $3,000 to $20,000 for small nonprofits focused on racial and economic equity. The nonprofits must serve residents in one or more of the following Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo.
