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#Checkforgood
Are you wondering how you should you spend your COVID-19 Stimulus Check or End of Year Bonus?
Use your #CheckForGood to forward equality.
Click “Get Started” below. In a few simple steps, #CheckForGood will help you choose whether to donate your stimulus check or bonus to an emergency relief fund for impacted people and their families, or an organization that's fighting for equality.
TOTAL Impact: $18,240
Goal #2:
$25,000
Goal #1:
$15,000 - Reached!
How do you want to Use your #Checkforgood?
You're here because you know things are not okay. From hunger, to unemployment, to evictions, to business closures, and rising medical and student debt - all across the United States friends, family, co-workers, former co-workers, and neighbors are experiencing crisis. This second round of stimulus checks will certainly help and yet, when all the funds have been doled out, too many will continue to struggle amidst the backdrop of an already inequitable system. But in this moment, we can begin to break the pattern. Those who have disposable income - from a stimulus check, an end of the year bonus, or other funds - can shift their money where it's immediately needed, while also building, demanding, and signaling urgency for an equitable future.
#CheckForGood gives you two ways to achieve this impact with all or part of your checks, by either donating to an emergency relief fund that directly supports individuals and families, or donating to an organization that's fighting systemic inequality.
I want to support
An emergency fund that is directly HELPING individuals
(Choose this if you want to have a more immediate impact, helping people affected by COVID-19.)
I want to support
A movement organization that is fighting
for equality
(Choose this if you want to invest in a more equitable future, by addressing systemic barriers.)
Funds for individuals
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 families in the hardest hit regions of the U.S.
RENTERS
Renters are disproportionately hourly workers and facing expiring eviction moratoriums across the country. Help renters stay in their home by contributing to a 0% interest loan fund.
GIG Economy Workers
Gig economy (like food delivery drivers) and low-contract workers often lack benefits and struggle to make a living wage, which makes them especially at risk when a crisis hits.
STUDENTS & RECENT GRADS
Many young people were left out of the stimulus bill and are ineligible for unemployment. Additionally, paid internship opportunities and full-time entry-level job opportunities for our future workforce continue to be uncertain.
Undocumented workers
Undocumented workers often pay taxes but are not eligible to receive a stimulus check. Additionally, many are ineligible for other aid even though they experience significant crisis.
NATIVE COMMUNITIES
American Indian, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian communities are often overlooked in "normal times." Choosing this option will help address the adverse levels of food shortage and health issues this community faces during a crisis.
HOSPITALITY WORKERS
People who worked at hotels, venues, and airports were among the first to be laid off or furloughed and have continued to face uncertainty on when/if they will be able to return to work.
Restaurant & Service workers
In addition to many restaurants closing, tipped and service workers were already struggling because of sub-minimum wage laws, and many service employers didn't offer benefits such has health care or paid time off to care for sick family members.
Freelancers
Freelancers are often paid on a project-by-project basis, not knowing where their next paycheck will come 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
health
care
education access
immigration reform
climate justice
economic opportunity
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 help restore pre-trial presumption of innocence. Additionally, folks in prison face some of the highest risks to contract COVID-19. Your donation will also provide immediate relief.
END MASS Incarceration
The United States is just 5% of the global population, but holds 25% of the global incarcerated population, with Black & Brown people disproportionately impacted. Help end this injustice.
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 diverse 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
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.
INTERNSHIP ACCESS
Unpaid internships create unequal access to real-world work experiences, which deepens economic disparities down the road, especially for people who are Black, Latinx, or Native.
Youth-led advocacy
Young people’s voices have been left out of the inequitable education system. Support youth-led campaigns to give every student a role in improving the future of higher education.
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, Native, 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.
Economic Opporunity
black women-LED STARTUPS
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 free and reduced-cost programs in your area (e.g. helping paying rent or groceries, job searching, or health and childcare), please visit FindHelp.org, a service run by Aunt Bertha.
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
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 even started, there was 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 packages, as is, will inevitably stimulate 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 most or all of the following criteria:
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Their fund directly supports individuals from vulnerable populations.
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Donations are listed as tax deductible.
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Relief support spans 4+ states.
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Minority or women-led at the executive and/or board level.
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Not led by an industry-interest lobbying group.
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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:
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Received a Gold or higher Guidestar Seal of Transparency and/or at least a 3 out of 4 star CharityNavigator rating.
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Donations are listed as tax deductible.
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Addresses systemic economic, racial, gender, or immigration status inequality through their programming and has shown demonstrable impact in one or more of these areas.
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Minority or women-led at the executive and/or board level.
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Has been in operation for at least two years.
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Smaller in size, with under $15 million in annual revenue.
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Programming is primarily nationally focused.
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. So, while these criteria guided our listings, organizations were ultimately included in good faith, commitment to systemic transformation, and demonstrated impact.
If there is an organization you're already familiar with or a local organization you'd like to donate to instead, we welcome you to do so! This is your impact and at the end of the day we are just here to support you in amplifying that 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.
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. Our focus is national orgs (that span at least 4+ states). We are actively searching for relief funds to support these groups of people:
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Sex workers
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People with disabilities
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People experiencing homelessness
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Former small business owners
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Creatives (performers, artists, etc.)
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Non-professional home-based caregivers
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Single parents
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Families of incarcerated individuals
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 organizations that will get us there.
FWD: Equality and #CheckForGood were created by Christopher Alan Nickelson, a social impact leader based in New York City. He's held roles and run campaigns in organizations like DoSomething.org, The White House with former First Lady Michelle Obama, Global Citizen, B Lab (behind the Certified B Corp movement), and BerlinRosen. You can get in touch with him here.