Developing Supportive, Aligned Public Policy

To provide greater pathways to social and economic mobility, we leverage lessons we’ve learned through our place-based opportunity ecosystems and NextGen efforts to work with key partners across sectors to address structural barriers and advance policy solutions.

Through our local, state and national partners, we pinpoint policy, regulatory and practices that impede moving people out of poverty and toward intergenerational cycles of success. We want to help these groundbreaking policy ideas enter the mainstream at the state and national level and encourage collaboration across multiple sectors, including the public, private, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.

We invest in efforts that:

• Strengthen the functioning of existing human services public programs, systems and financing in ways that enable and accelerate greater social and economic mobility.
• Integrate racial equity and inclusion as key enablers of advancing social and economic mobility.

• Strengthen the functioning of existing programs, systems and financing in adjacent sectors (housing, early childhood education, workforce etc.) vital to increasing social and economic mobility using a racial equity lens.

• Advance policies that improve workforce development and education and training, that support meaningful career pathways and asset building and financial services.

To review an existing application, visit The Kresge Foundation Fluxx portal.

First-time visitors will be required to create an account. In addition, Fluxx is configured to work optimally in Google Chrome browser, which should be installed before you access the portal.

Instructions for creating an account and for installing the Google Chrome browser are available in “Fluxx Portal Instructions and Helpful Tips” found in the Library section of this website. That document also is available once you enter the portal for easy reference

Below are eligibility requirements for all Human Services Program grant opportunities. In certain situations, criteria are added for specific grant opportunities.

Who should apply?

• U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations with audited financial statements that are not classified as private foundations. Audits must be independently prepared following Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or Government Auditing Standards. Financial statements prepared on a cash, modified cash, compilation or review basis do not qualify.
• Government entities in the United States.

Who should not apply?

• Individuals.
• Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status.
• Organizations that require membership in certain religions or advance a particular religious faith. (Faith-based organizations may be eligible if they welcome and serve all members of the community regardless of religious belief.)
• Programs operated to benefit for-profit organizations.