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#Checkforgood

Are you wondering how you should you spend your COVID-19 Stimulus Check?

Use your #CheckForGood to forward equality.

 

Click “Get Started” below. #CheckForGood will help you choose whether to donate your stimulus check to support racial justice protests, an emergency relief fund for impacted people and their families, or another organization that's fighting for equality in a few simple steps.

$12,550 Donated

$25,000 Goal

 

How do you want to Use your #Checkforgood?

Our country is in pain. From the U.S. government's inadequate COVID-19 response to police officers arresting peaceful protesters in dozens of cities, millions of our friends, co-workers, former co-workers, and neighbors are experiencing crisis. All of this sits on the backdrop of an already unfair system, and requires that each of us who have disposable income - whether it's your stimulus check or otherwise - to not only pass on aid, but also build and demand a more equal future. #CheckForGood gives you three ways to make an impact with your donation: supporting protesters and organizations leading the movement for racial justice, an emergency relief fund, or another movement building organization that's fighting systemic inequality.

I want to support

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Protesters & Organizations in the MOVEMENT for racial justice.

(Choose this if you want to have a more immediate impact, helping activists in need.)

I want to support

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An emergency fund that is giving Money directly to individuals

(Choose this if you want to have a more immediate impact, helping people affected by COVID-19.)

I want to support

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A movement organization that is fighting

for equality

(Choose this if you want to invest in a more equal future, by building a better system.)

 

Funds for individuals

Restaurant & Service workers

Tipped and service were already struggling because of sub-minimum wage laws. And many employers don't offer benefits. 

GIG Economy Workers

Gig and low-contract workers often lack benefits and struggle to make a living wage, which makes them especially at risk when a crisis hits. 

Domestic Workers

In-home care workers, nannies, and house cleaners are either out of a job or have to put themselves at risk to keep their income.

LOW income Families

Families that rely on SNAP food benefits often work minimum wage jobs that don’t offer remote options. Choosing this option will support those in the hardest hit regions of the U.S.

HOSPITALITY WORKERS

People who worked at hotels, venues, and airports were among the first to be laid off or furloughed. And many of their employers don't offer benefits.

Undocumented workers

Undocumented workers often pay taxes but are not eligible to receive a stimulus check. Choosing this option will help a community explicitly left left out of the bailout plan.

CREATORS & PERFORMERS

Artists are often paid on a project-by-project basis, not knowing where their next paycheck is coming from and don't receive healthcare from their employers. This crisis has also limited the availability of creative work.

Freelancers 

Freelancers are often paid on a project-by-project basis, not knowing where their next paycheck is coming from. And they rely on other businesses to provide a steady stream of work, many of which have undergone budget cuts or closed completely.

 

(This option is available only for donors in NY, NJ, FL, and CA.)

 

what cause do you want to advance?

Justice reform

elections & voting

health

care

education access

immigration reform

climate justice

Business & economy

 

Justice reform

RACIAL JUSTICE & Police reform

Our broken systems hurt black and brown people the most. Support a grassroots movement advancing racial justice through campaigns on policing, voting rights, the school-to-prison-pipeline, and education justice.

Bail someone out of jail

Help post bail for someone who can’t afford it, which will reunite families and reshape the pre-trial presumption of innocence that defines our democracy.

END MASS Incarceration

The United States is just 5% of the global population, but holds 25% of the global incarcerated population, with people of color disproportionately impacted. Help end this injustice.

 

Elections & Voting

Secure Voting Rights

Fair elections ensure everyone has a voice on the people who will represent communities. It is a right that too many, especially minority groups, are stripped of every day.

Elect Women Candidates

Help more women get elected because right now government representation is far from matching the demographics of the U.S. population.  

 

Health care

Cancel Someone's medical debt

Over 64 million Americans are swamped by medical debt as a result of a broken healthcare system. Give someone a clean slate by freeing them of that debt.

Black Medical field representation

Racism in medicine and healthcare industries perpetuates health disparities. Support education and improvements in medical provider representation.

Fund a Gender-Affirming surgery

Trans folks often face high legal and financial barriers to living as their authentic selves. Fund medical costs for surgery and other gender-affirming services. 

 

Education access

Youth-led advocacy 

Young people’s voices have been left out of improving the education system. Support youth-led campaigns to give every student an equitable chance in improving their education.

Black Scholarship Fund

Black students often face high financial and structural barriers to pursuing higher education. Contribute to a black student and HBCU scholarship fund. 

 

immigration reform

Justice for Dreamers 

Young leaders are fighting to protect their families, their neighbors, and themselves from outdated immigration policies. Support their voices and grassroots movement to end discrimination for undocumented people.

Immigration Legal Advocacy

The legal system in the United States treats people differently because of their immigration status. Help support legal advocacy to ensure every person in this country has a fair chance at justice. 

 

Climate justice

A Just transition

People of color, Indigenous, and low-income communities often face the highest threat of climate change. Support a regenerative and inclusive transition to a more sustainable climate and energy future. 

 

Business & Economy

black women enterprise

Women of color receive less than 1% of the total venture capital funding. Support access to capital, training, and community for black and brown women entrepreneurs.

Fair Employment

Communities of color, women, and other marginalized groups too often do not receive fair pay and work benefits. Help fund the campaign to raise the minimum wage and support worker rights. 

 

Frequently asked questions

I need emergency funding. Can FWD: Equality help me?

We know times are tough. Some of the organizations listed on #CheckForGood are currently accepting non-member applications for emergency funding or will be opening their applications for funding in the near future. Please visit their websites for more information:

 

 

For a list of emergency relief funds by industry and state, and companies hiring, 

we have found one of the most comprehensive lists to be the Good Jobs Institute 

COVID-19 page.  

 

FWD: Equality is not affiliated with these organizations and therefore plays no role in the application process.

Why is addressing systemic inequality even important? And what does it have to do with #CheckForGood?

The COVID-19 bailout plan in the United States is flawed, leaving millions of struggling workers to fend for themselves and their families. But this is not just about COVID-19. Before all of this started, there has been an ever-increasing wealth gap across racial, gender, and class lines, as well as a compounding list of social inequities and barriers to opportunity. And so, the stimulus check package, as is, only stimulates continued systemic inequality, when the current moment actually calls for a stake in the ground on a reimagined economic system that cannot predict a person’s survival and future success by the color of their skin, their gender, their job, their citizenship status, or their zip code. #CheckForGood is just one stake in the ground - signaling to an imperfect system by shifting wealth (which addresses one component of inequality) to those who urgently need it. We hope you will join us if the system has afforded you to be in a position to do so.

How did you choose the organizations to feature on #CheckForGood? 

The Emergency Relief Funds listed prioritized nonprofits who met the following criteria:

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  • Their fund directly supports individuals from vulnerable populations. 

  • Donations are listed as tax deductible. 

  • Relief support spans 4+ states.

  • Minority or women-led at the executive and/or board level.

  • Not led by an industry-interest lobbying group.

  • Has been vetted by 2+ major philanthropic foundations as a prior grant recipient.

 

The Movement Building Organizations listed prioritized nonprofits who met the following criteria:

 

  • Received a Gold or higher Guidestar Seal of Transparency and/or at least a 3 out of 4 star CharityNavigator rating. 

  • Donations are listed as tax deductible.

  • Addresses systemic economic, racial, gender, or immigration status inequality through their programming and has shown demonstrable impact in one or more of these areas. 

  • Minority or women-led at the executive and/or board level.

  • Has been in operation for at least two years.

  • Smaller in size, with under $15 million in annual revenue.

  • Programming is primarily nationally focused.

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Please note: Some of the organizations listed on #CheckForGood do not meet all of the criteria listed above. We recognize criteria and barriers created by one group of people are often what lead to system oppression of another group of people in the first place. So, while these criteria guided our listings, organizations were ultimately included in good faith, commitment to systemic transformation, and demonstrated impact.      
 

Do I have to donate my full stimulus check or have received a stimulus check at all to participate in #CheckForGood?     

No. You are welcome to donate as much or as little as your personal situation allows. Though, if you’ve been sitting on your check or wondering what to do with it, there’s a decent chance your finances are already more secure than many others’ and we hope you’ll consider donating all or part of your check. 

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If you’re rich and didn’t get a check: first, congrats on making it this deep into the FAQs. Second, we encourage you to make a donation, too. Many nonprofits are run by small teams and have seen donations dry up during this period. Your sizable gift could go a long way during this moment in time. (Oh, and if you have a lot of followers, please tweet about us.)
 

Are the organizations featured on #CheckForGood affiliated with FWD: Equality?

No, not formally. We’ve have only vetted organizations listed on #CheckForGood based on the criteria above.

I think my organization should be listed on #CheckForGood. How do I submit it? 

Please refer to the criteria above and if your organization is aligned, get in touch 
here and we’ll review your request. We are actively searching for a 501(c) 3 who is providing direct relief to students.

Can you tell me more about FWD: Equality and #CheckForGood? 

Sure! FWD: Equality is the fuel behind #CheckForGood. We believe in an America where a person’s survival and future cannot be predicted by their race, gender, religion, identity, job, citizenship status, or zip code. Our mission is to support and elevate the moments and movements that will get us there. 

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FWD: Equality and #CheckForGood were created by Christopher Alan Nickelson, a social impact leader based in New York City. You can get in touch with him here. 

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