Rural Organizing Academy
Call for Applications
Deadline: July 20, 2026
Introduction
The Central Valley Worker Collaborative is a three-year project under the UC Merced Community and Labor Center, with funding from the James Irvine Foundation. The primary aim of the initiative is to align and deepen the Community and Labor Center’s various popular education programs. Goals include to align and leverage CLC’s programs to support California workers and organizations engaging in historic worker justice initiatives; and to develop education and training that prepares the next generation of organizers to protect San Joaquin Valley workers.
Background
The UC Merced Community and Labor Center has played a leading capacity-building role with San Joaquin Valley community and labor organizations and coalitions. The center has led the California Workplace Outreach Project, the Rural Organizing Academy, the Valley Sustainable and Equitable Economic Development project, and the Central Valley Worker Justice and the Law project. Whereas previously the Center funded organizations to hire and onboard staff for center projects, the next phase of funding will focus on a deepened commitment to Rural Organizing Academy activities, as well as leveraging and aligning all center-funded activities (CWOP, Valley SEED, etc) with ROA.
Funding Opportunity
UC Merced will award one-year grants of $100,000 to each organization with a commitment from an Executive Director, an assigned lead organizer, and staff involvement. Funding will be for a period of one year, with the possibility of renewal for a total of up to three years.
Funded participants will engage in the following activities on an annual basis: 1) Identifying a policy gap that has created unmet needs; 2) creating popular education infrastructure; 3) executing a worker education plan; and 4) applied education during both standard and non-standard business hours.
Elegibility Criteria
UC Merced Community and Labor Center will only fund non-profit organizations with a mission to serve workers and advance worker interests in the eight-county San Joaquin Valley region.
Applications are limited to only those Central Valley Worker Collaborative member organizations invited to apply.
Selection Criteria
To be considered, applications will meet the requirements of the funding opportunity and eligibility criteria identified above.
The most competitive applications will demonstrate eligibility, commitment and intent aligned with the funding opportunity goals
Funding Information
Funds will be all-inclusive of organization costs (e.g. staff salary, travel, materials, indirect cost recovery).
Grantees will be required to always adhere to state and local laws, and University of California policy.
The grant term is twelve months, with a start date of August 15, 2026. The application deadline is July 20, 2026.
Application
Applicants will complete a questionnaire regarding their intent. The questionnaire will inquire about the following elements:
