The Circle Way’s Relational Grant Process

The Circle Way non-profit (TCW) is a small and mighty organization committed to upholding racial, ethnic, gender, disability, economic, and environmental justice. We can imagine a different way. One action we take to make this stance become reality is offering modest grants to individuals and organizations dedicated to learning, using, and promoting The Circle Way as a primary process for communication. We uphold our own stance by providing a larger percentage of grant monies to Equity and Justice funds. Our intention for the grants application process is to make it as easy and thorough as possible, and we hope this post shares some helpful information on the application experience.

The Circle Way offers “new initiative grants”, to help fund the design and development of new initiatives and projects grounded in circle that promote racial, gender, disability, ethnic, economic and environmental justice. Typical grants tend to range from $100 to $2,000 USD (based on available funding). What is the process for applying for a new initiative grant? 

The first step is to send an email to grants@thecircleway.net, with the following information: your name, your organization (if applicable), your email address, your mailing address, and a brief description of your experience with The Circle Way and/or circle practice, the work you do and/or the focus of your organization, and your proposed project and the amount you are requesting, as well as if your application would meet the Equity and Justice Grant criteria.

Having a grant process that is relational rather than transactional is very important to us, so the next step after submitting the requested information is that our “Granties” (governance members who steward our grants) will invite you to a circle via Zoom to get to know one another. During this circle we learn more about each other, hear more details about your circle-based initiative, such as the total cost for your initiative and what you are asking The Circle Way to cover, and together sense the best way forward. 

What are some examples of what new initiative grants have been provided for?

• A non-profit in Vermont that connects Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks to nature through camping trips using circle as a way to process their experiences, feel held and accepted, and to provide knowledge so they can then go into the wilderness on their own.

• A large urban non-profit is using circle to educate and provide support for breastfeeding infants to give them a best start in life.

• A group of young people in Vietnam have provided TCW trainings throughout their country. Currently they are launching a website and have plans to host an international circle practitioner gathering.

How is the new initiative grant process grounded in circle practice? 

We gather in circle on Zoom starting with ringing a bell, taking a few deep breaths to center, and then moving into a check-in. This first round is about getting to know one another and sharing how each of us is ‘showing up’. After a pause we ask the applicant to talk about how the grant money will be utilized and open the conversation for Granties and applicants to ask questions or to request clarity. Once we collectively arrive at the best way forward including next steps in the process we close the circle with a check out. Usually these Zoom circles last for 30 to 45 minutes. Our grant approval process is also collaborative. Granties review the applications, share thoughts,  and we do a ‘thumb vote’ for finalizing the grant. 

The Circle Way also offers “grants to individuals” to participate in a learning event that teaches and/or practices The Circle Way. Grants typically support 50% of the registration fee (based on available funding). What is the process for applying for an individual grant? 

The first step in applying for an individual grant is to send an email to grants@thecircleway.net with your name, date, and location of the event for which you are registered, a brief statement of intention for carrying the benefits of circle into the world, the amount you are requesting, as well as if your application would meet the Equity and Justice Grant criteria. 

Next, we may invite you to a Zoom to establish a personal relationship and determine how best to support one another.

What are some examples of what individual grants have been provided for?

• A young theater person in NYC received individual coaching in TCW process and then brought circle into her professional community to open space for cooperation rather than competition. 

• An artist attended an on-line training and then reapplied for a New Initiative grant to use circle in an art project with high school students addressing racial equity.

How does The Circle Way sustain the ability to provide funds for new initiatives and individual grants? 

We rely on mutual reciprocity and individual donations to continue our work, and we ask grant recipients to be part of this ecosystem of shared responsibility by giving back to The Circle Way in some form - either monetarily or through sharing circle stories including learnings and celebrations. The circle stories are posted on our blog and shared through our monthly newsletter. 

What have you enjoyed about being a “Grantie” involved in The Circle Way grants? 

• Diane Jordan: I love knowing that our grants support the amazing efforts of our grantees and I envision these efforts creating ripples that multiply difference-making around the world.

• Sarah MacDougall: My world has expanded meeting grant applicants. As a result I feel our world is a much better place for all of us. It is such a privilege to witness circle bringing us together, sharing wisdom, and creating collective actions. 

• Rich Rivera: My soul has been deeply enriched by each applicants’ desire to contribute to the larger ecosystem of love and justice and to helping people all over the world connect to each other via the ancient practice of circle.

Visit our website at www.thecircleway.net/grants to learn more about The Circle Way’s grants. If you’d like to provide a donation to support our work, you can donate here.