The Cypress Fund

About

Cypress Fund was created in 2019 by a team of organizers and donors rooted in North and South Carolina. We share a deep belief that the best solutions for our communities are built through people-powered, grassroots organizing and led by Southern folks deeply impacted by the conditions on the ground. Additionally, we have been inspired by the multitude of Social Justice Funds across the country that are promoting social change through donor organizing and democratizing philanthropy through Giving Projects, and we are creating the very first fund of that kind in the U.S. South. We hold a strong belief that in order to sustain social justice movements, we must work towards the redistribution of wealth and power. Our Giving Projects and Movement-Advised Grants are designed to put resources and decision-making power in the hands of organizers and everyday community members. We are working to create visible alternatives to traditional philanthropic practices that keep power in the hands of the wealthy and are redistributing resources so that movements can be fully self-determined, rather than reliant.

About the Host

Launched in 1983 as Public Interest Projects (PIP), NEO Philanthropy is a 501(c)(3) public charity committed to building strong social justice movements. As an intermediary, we bridge the gap that often exists between funders and organizations doing the work, through collaborative funds, fiscal sponsorships, donor services and capacity building.