Company

North Star Fund

North Star Fund is a social justice fund that supports grassroots organizing led by communities of color building power in New York City and the Hudson Valley. We organize people across race and class to give in support of social justice movements. We also offer year-round programming to help organizers build and sustain their work.

North Star Fund was founded 45 years ago by a group of New Yorkers who wanted to disrupt traditional philanthropic practices. They built the fund to be a collective giving community where donors support social justice movements AND support a different way to practice philanthropy—specifically, by shifting power and resources into the hands of community organizers who make our grantmaking decisions. North Star Fund began with a small handful of donors and today, we now have over 1,400 donors and moved over $15 million through our grant programs last fiscal year.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for committed people who put the mission front and center. We believe our organization should be led at all levels by people who bring a deep commitment to grassroots organizing, especially the leadership of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

We are looking for people who bring a discipline of teamwork and thoughtful collaboration. We value a workplace where everyone pitches in to get the job done, and we look to each other for support in busy times.

We seek patient people who bring integrity and resolve to actively disrupt power dynamics based on systems of oppression, like structural racism, classism, patriarchy, homophobia and transphobia, ageism, and ableism.

We encourage a commitment to personal and professional development. None of us are immune from improvement. We all benefit from receiving and processing feedback about our work and our leadership within North Star Fund.

Hiring Process and Timeline

When you apply for a job at North Star Fund, here’s what you can expect:

All our job applications include a request for a cover letter. In your cover letter, please tell us what compels you about our mission and share examples of work you’ve done in the past that prepares you for the position. This could be paid work, volunteer work, or activist work.
We may ask for related submissions to demonstrate your skills and relevant experience.
We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
We will reach out to some candidates for a brief call to confirm your application and assess whether to conduct an interview.
We conduct the first round of interviews with six to eight of the most promising candidates. The first round often involves the work samples you submitted or a short exercise.
We interview a limited number of finalists about two to three week(s) after the first round.
We check references for the most promising finalists.
Finalists can expect to hear back from us within two weeks of the second interview.
The hiring process may take between three and four months from initial posting of the job opportunity until an offer is made.

To apply for a job at North Star Fund, please follow the instructions on the specific job announcement. No calls please.

North Star Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against applicants based on race, religion, color, disability, medical condition, legally protected genetic information, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), age, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics.

North Star Fund is firmly committed to equity and diversity and to the recruitment and retention of people from backgrounds traditionally excluded from philanthropy. We strongly encourage Black, Indigenous and people of color, women, LGBTQ people, elders and differently-abled candidates to apply.

Did you consider applying for any of our posted jobs and then decide not to apply? Give us feedback on our job postings using this form.

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2026 Community Funding Committee

North Star Fund

Hudson Valley or New Yor... North Star Fund 2d ago

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2026 Community Funding Committee

North Star Fund · Hudson Valley or New York City

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North Star Fund New York City Posted May 7, 2026

Are you a community organizer based in New York City or the Hudson Valley? Are you passionate and knowledgeable about organizing for systemic change? Are you interested in making philanthropy and grantmaking more responsive to the needs of communities? North Star Fund is holding an open call for organizers interested in joining our Community Funding Committees (CFCs). The CFCs are the decision-making bodies that shape our grantmaking!

We are seeking community organizers and activists who:

are passionate about systemic change
have a deep knowledge of community organizing
are connected to the New York City or Hudson Valley landscape

CFC members play a vital role by collectively deciding how to allocate our grants and by influencing the organization's strategy. Please apply here by June 12, 2026.

North Star Fund is a social justice fund that supports grassroots organizing led by communities of color building power in New York City and the Hudson Valley. We raise money and then use it to make grants for organizing in New York City and the Hudson Valley for racial, gender and economic justice. We fund work led and carried out by people directly affected by an issue. We believe in making funding accessible to new and emerging community organizing groups.

We give grants through a process that shifts decision-making power to communities fighting for justice. Unlike most foundations, our core grants aren’t awarded by staff, board members or trustees. Community organizers—including former and current grantees—decide how to allocate grants. They also participate in the governance of our organization.

Why Join?

This is a great opportunity for those interested in philanthropy and grantmaking to learn more about the field. Our CFCs play a vital role in moving money to grassroots organizing. They support communities of color building power in New York City and the Hudson Valley. There are many benefits to being involved. You can:

Be part of a team of leaders who decide how and where North Star Fund will support organizing, with a voice in shaping funding decisions and the foundation’s strategy.
Participate in a philanthropic leadership community. Learn how activists can reshape how traditional philanthropy is practiced and experienced by applicants.
Participate in democratizing and applying trust-based philanthropy principles to grant-making.
Gain deeper insight into the organizing ecosystem in New York.
Build and strengthen relationships with your fellow organizers.

This is a volunteer position, but the time commitment will be recognized with a small annual stipend of $500. Additionally, we reimburse for food, travel, and childcare expenses for meetings and site visits. We provide training on grantmaking and responsive, trust-based philanthropy practices.

What We’re Looking For

Experience as an organizer or as a member-leader in a grassroots, member-led organization.
Understanding of social justice issues and community organizing in New York City or the Hudson Valley.
Interest in learning, adopting, and disseminating the principles of trust-based philanthropy and making grantmaking more responsive to the needs of communities.
Can commit to at least two years of participation. The bulk of the work will occur from September through January. This includes a two-day retreat in the early fall. Then approximately 80 hours of reading, scoring, and commenting on applications, and approximately 20 hours of meetings.
Willingness to travel in your region (when it is safe to do so).
Discretion and flexibility regarding personal/work schedules, or permission/support from the supervisor to participate.

Applicants can apply for one of our three committees:

The Let Us Breathe Fund CFC makes grants from the Let Us Breathe Fund to support Black-led organizing and police accountability in New York City and the Hudson Valley.
The Hudson Valley CFC makes grants to groups that use organizing as their primary strategy in the Hudson Valley
The New York City CFC makes grants to grassroots groups that use organizing as their primary strategy.

As leaders within the North Star Fund community, CFC members play a critical role in shaping our strategy and decisions about grantees. It is very important to us that the CFCs reflect the robust diversity of Black-, Indigenous-, and people-of-color-led organizing in New York.

We encourage applications from individuals from backgrounds excluded from and unrepresented within philanthropy. This includes Black, Indigenous, and people of color, women, LGBTQ people, youth, elders, and people with disabilities. If you are a member or leader of a current or former grantee, we encourage you to join.

Expectations of the Role

Here's what we will ask you to do if you join a CFC:

Read and score up to 80 applications per year (varies based on the CFC). North Star Fund holds one to two grant application cycles annually. There are more applications to read in the New York City fund than in the other two.
Take part in approximately 20 hours of grant deliberation meetings per year, in-person with the option for hybrid.
Attend occasional, optional virtual gathering and training opportunities.
Participate in an annual, two-day strategic convening to guide North Star Fund’s grantmaking vision and strategy. This occurs each fall.
Communicate in a timely and responsive way with program staff.
Commit to upholding North Star Fund’s community organizing criteria.
Commit to a fair process. Respect applicants’ confidential information and name your conflicts of interest.
Commit to participating for a two-year term.

Questions? Please reach out!

You can email grants@northstarfund.org with general questions or schedule with a member of the team.

For the Hudson Valley, contact Gabriela Quintanilla: Schedule with Gabriela
For the Let Us Breathe Fund, contact Kellie Terry: Schedule with Kellie
For New York City, contact Rami Dinnawi, Schedule with Rami.

Please apply by June 12, 2026.

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