In partnership with peoples’ movements around the world, Grassroots International is strengthening bottom-up solutions to the major challenges of our time. Explore the diversity of social movements we accompany — and the different national, regional, and global settings in which they work.
Our partnership model is grounded in our experience of grantmaking and accompanying movements since our founding.
The inequalities that afflict Brazilian society are enormous: a mere 1.6 percent of Brazilian landholders still control 47 percent of the nation’s privately owned land, while 60 percent of the population shares just 15 percent of all wealth.
Haitian proverbs tell not only of the country’s problems, but also how its people continuously overcome.
Despite a wealth of biocultural diversity, Mesoamerica remains one of the most impoverished regions in the world.
Grassroots International’s solidarity philanthropy approach is intertwined with the history of its Middle East program.
When Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico in 2017, its devastating aftermath exposed the effects of centuries of colonization, first by Spain and then by the US, still to this day.
We believe that social change rooted in justice is created by people with a vision working together, building communities, organizations, and movements. Global justice starts at the grassroots level when people work together to improve the lives of their communities – from reforesting a hillside to pressuring a mayor for clean public water – and builds to national, regional, and international levels.
Since 1983 it has been our privilege to form lasting partnerships with some of the most vibrant and effective movements and organizations in the world. We accompany them, helping build bridges between their work in the Global South and the generosity and activism of our supporters and allies in the U.S.
Shared vision and values – No collaboration will last long unless it is constructed on a solid foundation of shared values. These include commitment to structural social change, democratic organizational life, racial justice, and gender, ethnic, and social equality.
Walking together for the long haul – Meaningful South-North collaborations to transform the persistent injustices in the world require a mutual sense of long-term commitment. While we fund specific projects each year, we are really supporting each partners’ long-range vision and strategic plan.
Reciprocity – In every relationship, each partner has resources that are critical to the success of the work. Creative solutions to global problems come from assuming joint responsibilities drawn from each organizations’ strengths and skills.
Transparency – Honest, open communication is essential to an effective partnership.
Trust – The degree of mutual trust present in a partnership sets the boundaries of its achievements. Trust is not only written into contractual obligations but expressed through friendship and solidarity.
Dollars for sustainable development and human rights – Financial resources in support of visionary community-led sustainable development and human rights work are critical to each of Grassroots’ partnerships. To avoid distorting programs and budgets, we strive for longer-term, predictable commitments with strategic allocation of funds.
Sparking debate and collective action through innovative communications strategies – Effective communications strategies occupy an increasingly important role in social transformation. We are committed not only to helping our partners improve their communications capabilities in their home countries, but also to communicating our partners’ stories and aspirations to the U.S. public to inspire active involvement for global justice.
Strengthening alliances, the core architecture of social change – Weaving a web of strong allies is critical to building a broad movement. In an era of ever-increasing global integration, we offer resources to our partners to participate in cross-border learning exchanges and other alliance building opportunities.
Listed below, available to download, are the full set of previous MBI Newsletters.
MBI was formed in 2019 when Grassroots International joined forces with the Martín-Baró Fund for Mental Health and Human Rights. This effort honored the legacy of Ignacio Martín-Baró, a social psychologist and Jesuit priest committed to human rights, collective healing, and liberation. Ignacio worked closely with those affected by the armed conflicts raging in his adopted country of El Salvador and throughout Central America throughout the 1980s. He challenged his colleagues to liberate psychology from oppressive paradigms coming out of the US and Europe. In 1989, Ignacio was among eight people murdered at the Central American University in San Salvador.
We are committed to keeping Ignacio’s legacy alive. His pioneering work continues to inform how we understand the intersections of healing and social justice and equity today, and his assassination reminds us of the necessity of supporting human rights defenders and protecting them in the face of ongoing attacks. Additionally, this initiative in Ignacio’s memory connects to a broader commitment of Grassroots International to support healing justice as a form of political resistance and self-determination.
To support the Martín-Baró Initiative for Wellbeing and Human Rights, you can donate here, or send checks to Grassroots International, with Martín-Baró Initiative (or MBI) in the memo line addressed to: Grassroots International, 179 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02130.
Martín-Baró was: a prominent scholar who studied in Europe, the United States, and Latin America; a prolific writer of numerous books and more than 100 articles; and a gifted speaker. Working and living among the Salvadoran people, he dedicated his life to the cause of human rights, equality, and social justice in El Salvador. Recognizing the devastating impact of U.S. policy toward his adopted country, he visited and spoke to many U.S. organizations, stressing our obligation to speak out against U.S. collusion with the Salvadoran oligarchy and military. He had a profound influence on a wide range of academics ,and activists in the United States and beyond.
Through his advocacy, research, and rehabilitation programs, Martín-Baró worked to heal the individual and collective scars of war and oppression. Shortly before his death, he had made plans to open a polyclinic to serve children and adult survivors of torture and war. In addition to his solidarity with the people of El Salvador, Martín-Baró was also a central figure in efforts to establish an international network of individuals and organizations working at the intersections of human rights and mental health.
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