The Just Transition Framework is a vision-led, unifying and place-based set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy. The Framework is described with words and pictures in “From Banks and Tanks to Cooperation and Caring” (English, Spanish) written by Movement Generation Justice and Ecology Project. After centuries of global plunder, the profit-driven, growth-dependent, industrial economy – rooted in the myth of white supremacy, heteropatriarchy, consumerism, and ableism – is severely undermining the life support systems of the planet. An economy based on extracting from a finite system faster than the capacity of the system to regenerate will eventually come to an end—either through collapse or through our intentional re-organization. This is why we say: “Transition is inevitable. Justice is not.”

As you can see here, the Just Transition is a broad framework of interconnected strategies all pushing toward a regenerative economy. There will be many types of projects that align with the Just Transition Framework. Some examples are below:

1. A campaign to close an environmentally damaging industrial plant
2. Community-led neighborhood planning
3. Job training for the emerging “green” sustainable workforce\
4. A community-owned solar cooperative that empowers local residents to own and benefit from renewable energy
5. Cooperative ownership of land or housing, including Community Land Trusts, permanently affordable housing cooperatives, and real estate investment cooperatives
6. Cooperative businesses owned by the workers or the surrounding community
7. A local business providing needed products or services to frontline communities
8. A public art project that engages residents in envisioning an economy that puts people first

Frontline communities are those who are first and worst impacted by climate, economic, and racial injustice. Frontline communities include people of color, immigrants, people with lower incomes, indigenous people, queer and trans peoples, and all those who face a legacy of systemic, largely racialized, inequity that influences their living and working places, the quality of their air and water, and their economic opportunities.

The DownRoot application will have open application windows twice in 2026: May 1st through 31st is the first open window, and September 1st through 30th is the second. Applications are due by 11:59 PM EST on the last day of each open period. During each application cycle, submissions will be reviewed for 1 month, followed by award decisions. The May cycle will include a review period for the month of June, followed by decisions in the month of July. The September cycle will include a review period for the month of October, followed by decisions in the month of November. You will always hear from us, whether your application is awarded or declined. If you have a time-sensitive project that falls outside of our normal application cycle, please reach out to us to discuss your needs.

1. If you have already received a grant from the DownRoot Fund during the same calendar year, you are not eligible to receive another award. However, if you received a grant from the DownRoot Fund in a previous year, we encourage you to apply this year. (For example, if you received a Preserve grant from the DownRoot Fund in 2025, you are eligible to apply for a Preserve, Build, or Create grant in 2026.)
2. Previous grant recipients should be prepared to include in their responses about the previous award, answering these questions: What did you accomplish with the previous grant? How have you grown with that investment, and how are you building on that with this next application?

1. Yes, you are welcome to submit a new application, but we strongly encourage you to request feedback from us on your first application and to incorporate our feedback before submitting again. We are happy to meet and discuss your project! Set up an appointment with the People’s Advocate by emailing downroot@crossroadscommunityfund.org. You are welcome to submit for the same project, or a new project.

1. We encourage you to submit only one application to the DownRoot Fund, but if you would like to be considered for multiple grant categories (for example, Preserve and Build) please indicate this in your application by answering “yes” to the question “Would you like to be considered for another grant category?” In general, we will consider your application for whichever grant category gives you the strongest chance of receiving an award.

Most projects will be completed in 12 months or less. Grantees have the power to set their own timelines for completing the project, so long as you communicate that timeline and any requests for an extension promptly.