Fund for Capacities for Participation Grant

About this grant

Alianza Surge is a collaborative fund in Mexico dedicated exclusively to democratic strengthening. It provides flexible financing and strategic accompaniment to grassroots movements, collectives, and organizations operating in territories where other funds do not reach. The fund supports initiatives that transform their territories and maintain social participation alive, operating as a philanthropic laboratory that learns alongside its allies what it means to build democracy in a changing epoch. Surge supports work across four strategic axes: climate justice (defending territory, water, and common goods against climate crisis), social justice (fighting for rights and dignified living conditions of historically excluded populations), peace, security and justice (building peace, memory, and access to justice in violence-affected territories), and social participation (expanding participation, political incidence, and recovery of civic space). The fund conducts participatory and transparent selection processes three times per year, evaluating proposals in detail against pre-defined criteria. More than half of supported organizations report Surge as their sole funding source.

Eligibility

Applicants must be organizations, movements, coalitions, or collectives operating in Mexico. The fund prioritizes recently formed or emerging organizations. Previous selection processes have supported initiatives from 17 states across the country, with particular attention to grassroots movements and collectives working in underserved territories.

How it's scored

Alianza Surge employs a participatory and transparent selection methodology in which all proposals meeting minimum convocation requirements are reviewed in detail against previously defined criteria. The fund integrates different struggles with openness to cross-cutting and complementary agendas toward the common goal of strengthening democracy and recovering civic space in Mexico.

Key requirements

• ✓Organization or coalition must be emerging/early-stage based in Mexico
• ✓Focus on strengthening communication processes and political opportunity-seeking
• ✓Alignment with civic participation, social justice, or climate justice contexts
• ✓Demonstrated commitment to local context and community engagement

Recent past awardees

Knowing who's won the last rounds tells you whether you're in the strike zone.

• Terraformar · 2026
• Red de Defensoras y Periodistas · 2026
• MUDEM · 2026
• Yolkualli Comunicación · 2026
• Salvemos La Pona · 2026
• Enjambre click · 2026
• Barbies Testeadoras · 2026
• Lxs Abonadxs · 2026

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for Fund for Capacities for Participation?

Eligibility covers organisations in MX; nonprofit, community-group, social-enterprise. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Environmental justice funding supports communities most exposed to pollution and climate harm, with an emphasis on local leadership. It is offered by public programmes and foundations, often as grants to community organisations and partnerships. Calls typically ask how residents are involved in decisions and how benefits stay in the community.