About Us
Bringing together donors, organizers, and community leaders across race and class, Cypress Fund builds relationships and organizing capacity by putting decision-making in the hands of trusted organizers to fund organizing in their communities.
We use a Black queer feminist framework that recognizes the interconnected systems of oppression—like racism, sexism, and capitalism—that work together to uphold the legacy of white supremacy. We engage in movement interventions across the Carolinas by redistributing and democratizing wealth, land, and power.
During our first four years, through a global pandemic and social uprising, we have granted $4M across short-term, participatory, and capacity-building programs across a wide range of everyday experiences of our community, from Black liberation and gender justice to housing and BIPOC leadership.
Our mission is to build power for and with BIPOC-led social justice movements in the Carolinas through movement-informed interventions.
What fueled our fire
The history of “wealth creation” in the South, through stolen land, labor, and lives of primarily Black and Indigenous communities, and later other people of color, has created limited access to resources for these communities to self-determine. It has also created a deep separation and exploitation of the land that has led to disastrous environmental and climate impacts, that mainly affect Black and Indigenous communities. The philanthropic industry is a byproduct of capitalism and de-prioritizes the liberation of Black and Brown people by determining that awarding grants to these groups is too risky or radical.
These choices by donors and funders have made it difficult for Carolina-based social justice organizations to effectively build people and political power, promote affirmative narratives about who Carolinians are, and combat systems of White supremacy. We exist to disrupt the underfunding of social justice organizing in the Carolinas and build a community of engaged and committed individuals to support sustaining long-term power-building across the region.
We are rooted in Black Queer Feminist Practice.
This means we are always thinking about, centering, and designing for the most marginalized people that would come into our universe. We acknowledge that as a philanthropic organization, our work is in money; we hold significant access to wealth and power.
We are movement accomplices.
This means we believe wealth and power must be equitably redistributed, and social justice movements must be fully funded and invested in. Rather than dictate or impose our analysis on others, we use the particular levers available to us to respond to needs and opportunities expressed by movement partners to advance toward our primary outcomes.
We support a whole people, whole policy approach.
This means we put the work of political action and organizing in concert with supporting the community and equipping them to be involved politically. We support capacity building and sustainability for the movement and our leaders to help them be whole and healthy.
We value quality over quantity.
This means we do not believe bigger is better and take the time needed for depth. Our proximity allows us to keep an eye on the movement ecosystem as it evolves, recognizing gaps and helping fill them – directly through our efforts and informing and mobilizing other supporters.
We prioritize participation and connectivity.
This means we center the collective participation of movement leaders in every aspect of our work and make space to be “in process” together, unedited, to validate our experiences, amplify our voices, engage in mutual support, and learn together.
We are rooted in Black Queer Feminist Practice.
This means we are always thinking about, centering, and designing for the most marginalized people that would come into our universe. We acknowledge that as a philanthropic organization, our work is in money; we hold significant access to wealth and power.
We are movement accomplices.
This means we believe wealth and power must be equitably redistributed, and social justice movements must be fully funded and invested in. Rather than dictate or impose our analysis on others, we use the particular levers available to us to respond to needs and opportunities expressed by movement partners to advance toward our primary outcomes.
We support a whole people, whole policy approach.
This means we put the work of political action and organizing in concert with supporting the community and equipping them to be involved politically. We support capacity building and sustainability for the movement and our leaders to help them be whole and healthy.
We value quality over quantity.
This means we do not believe bigger is better and take the time needed for depth. Our proximity allows us to keep an eye on the movement ecosystem as it evolves, recognizing gaps and helping fill them – directly through our efforts and informing and mobilizing other supporters.
We prioritize participation and connectivity.
This means we center the collective participation of movement leaders in every aspect of our work and make space to be “in process” together, unedited, to validate our experiences, amplify our voices, engage in mutual support, and learn together.
The land, history, culture, and dreams of our ancestors are woven into our identity. We honor the legacy of those who have paved the way for us through our commitment to community organizing, justice, and progress. From the past movements to the triumphs of the future, we draw our strength and inspiration from our rich heritage.
Inspired by the mighty bald cypress tree, we are rooted in strength, resilience, and dignity. These trees have stood as silent witnesses and guardians of the South for centuries, sheltering marooned communities and providing safe passage on the Underground Railroad. Like the cypress trees, we rise tall and interwoven, an unbreakable network of support and strength.
Cypress is a social justice intermediary focused on strategically investing funding and people power to strengthen and fortify the movement ecosystem in North and South Carolina to redistribute and democratize wealth, land, and power. We do this through our four significant bodies of work:
Grantmaking
Our grantmaking focuses on supporting people with marginalized identities to access various forms of capital and become more self-determined and reliant. Our Grantmaking is advised and influenced by local community leaders. It is designed to be flexible and responsive, allowing organizers to allocate resources where they identify it would be most impactful in advancing our collective mission.
Convening
We serve as a connector across diverse communities and issues. Through strategic convenings, we facilitate political education, relationship-building, and collective strategizing.
Leadership Development
We advocate for cultivating leaders through wellness funding, coaching cohorts, and peer learning initiatives. By equipping leaders with skills, resources, and networks, we facilitate building a resilient and empowered community of changemakers dedicated to advancing justice and equity in the Carolinas.
Donor Organizing
We believe that everyone has a role to play in redistributing the resources that were taken from marginalized peoples through the multi-faceted machine of white supremacy. We partner with other philanthropic institutions, donors, and movement leaders to provide education on how to be accomplices to the local movement formations.
