Bohemian Fund Goals

Bohemian Fund believes in creating an equitable community where everyone belongs. We make grants to organizations that build equity into their work in three areas:

• Ensuring all youth thrive.
• Promoting economic stability and mobility.
• Cultivating a vibrant, engaged, and connected community.

We invite organizations to learn more about each of the Bohemian Fund goals before applying.

Ensure All Youth Thrive

Ensuring all youth thrive means they have access to opportunities to explore, learn, and grow. Our community shares responsibility to provide all youth with what they need and want. We also have a shared responsibility to fulfill the promise of an equitable future shaped by their energy, creativity, imagination, and passion and no longer determined by race, income, gender, or other identities. This responsibility includes examining and eliminating barriers that advantage some youth over others. A community where all youth thrive honors youth voice, creativity, culture, and experience.

We believe all youth will thrive when:

1. Youth voice is central and influential.
2. Youth have strong, positive relationships they can count on.
3. Youth experience educational and life success in inspiring, supportive, and creative ways.
4. Race, gender, income, or other identities are not barriers to youth thriving.
5. Barriers to youth thriving, including systems and structures, are identified, challenged, and overcome.
6. Youth access enriching experiences that amplify their sense of curiosity and creativity.
7. Youth lead change efforts in their community.

Bohemian Fund defines youth as ages prenatal through age 24, or until youth are formally enrolled in a post-secondary experience.

Promote Economic Stability and Mobility

Economic stability and mobility means having the opportunity to advance economically. It is the dignity that comes from being able to care for ourselves and loved ones. Eliminating the dehumanizing and isolating realities of poverty means shifting the systems and structures that perpetuate economic inequalities. Ensuring prosperity for all means drawing on the strength and resiliency of community members most impacted by economic inequality.

Economic stability and mobility can be achieved when:

1. Everyone can access what they need to live a healthy, safe life, including food and shelter.
2. Everyone has access to opportunities that bolster economic mobility and stability.
3. Educational and training experiences bolster career pathways and advance economic mobility.
4. Community honors the voice and experience of individuals navigating challenges of economic barriers.
5. Systems and structures are examined, challenged, and redesigned to ensure that economic stability and mobility are possible.
6. Race, gender, and income or other identities are not barriers to mobility and stability.
7. Individuals and families can care for themselves and their loved ones and are treated with respect and appreciation.

Cultivate a Vibrant, Engaged, and Connected Community

Awareness, engagement, connection, and inspiration are keys to a vibrant community. Awareness about our community requires diverse perspectives, critical thinking, learning, honest reflection, and a commitment to listen in new ways to voices not typically recognized. Engagement is our collective work to solve problems and build upon community strengths. Having safe and inclusive spaces fosters a vibrant community—connected people live in connected spaces. Our community is vibrant when the voices, stories, cultures, creative expressions, and interests of all community members are a source of inspiration, learning, and celebration.

We believe our community will be vibrant, engaged, and connected when all members:

1. Are informed and engaged around issues in our community.
2. Honor diverse perspectives.
3. Practice critical thinking and explore new information, especially when it challenges long-standing beliefs.
4. Work together to solve problems and build upon community strengths.
5. Nurture strong connections, especially when people are disconnected or polarized.
6. Cultivate spaces that foster a sense of belonging.
7. Inspire, celebrate, and learn from each other through stories, experiences, creative expressions, and interests.

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