Building Power for Economic Justice

About the program

The new funding program “Building Power for Economic Justice” by the Robert Bosch Stiftung aims to support organizations that work to tackle structural economic injustices led by those who have lived experiences of economic inequality. It has 3 focus areas: care, technology, and wealth, and their intersections. We particularly want to support activities that amplify the voices of communities underrepresented or excluded from economic decision-making and that strengthen their power - from grassroots work to policy-making. The funding program will give out €1.6 million to 8 organizations for up to 5 years. Funding decisions will be made through a two-stage application process involving a jury of experts with lived experience of inequalities.

The call for applications has expired. The applicants who are shortlisted will be invited to the second phase of the application process. The announcement of the shortlisted applicants will take place in the fourth calendar week of 2025 (from January 20). A jury of experts on economic justice will review the shortlisted applications and select eight organizations to receive funding. The announcement will take place in April 2025.

Details

At Robert Bosch Stiftung, we see economic injustice as one of the biggest challenges of our time. It is evident — in many aspects of life — that money, opportunities, and resources are distributed unfairly in our societies, and that this unfairness is growing in many places. These unfair systems make it hard for many people to live well, particularly individuals who experience multiple forms of exclusion in our society. We want to support efforts that challenge these unfair systems. Our goal is to help create a world where everyone has a good chance to live well and have their voice heard, regardless of where they come from or their situation. We believe that people who have experienced economic injustice should be involved in making these changes. Their experiences and ideas are crucial to finding effective solutions. Our approach focuses on three important areas: recognizing the voices of people who are usually not heard, ensuring people who have lived through economic inequality are represented in decisions, and working to share resources and opportunities more globally.

About the open call

The program focuses on three specific areas where we would like to support communities to create change:

Care

Caring for other people, for nature, for community, and for oneself is essential to the economy. The lack of recognition for the fundamental importance of care leads to many injustices. That care work, often done by women, is mostly unpaid, underpaid, or undervalued is just the tip of the iceberg.

Technology

Not everyone has the same chance to use or benefit from new technologies. The development and use of technology often lack awareness of injustices. This can worsen existing inequalities.

Wealth

A small number of people and corporations own most of the money and have power. This makes it hard for others to have a say in important decisions or to improve their lives.

More information about the open call

The open call for applications has expired. The applicants who are shortlisted will be invited to the second phase of the application process. The announcement of the shortlisted applicants will take place in the fourth calendar week of 2025 (from January 20). A jury of experts on economic justice will review the shortlisted applications and select eight organizations to receive funding. The announcement will take place in April 2025.

More details on the application can be found on the call for applications page.