The Arca Foundation focuses on advancing economic and racial justice, inclusive democracy, peace and security, human rights, and a clean environment. It supports structural reforms to restructure the economy and democracy to benefit the many, not the few, aiming for a sustainable planet with respect for human dignity and economic, democratic, and social equity.
The grant program supports organizations and projects focused on advancing racial and economic justice, democratic inclusion, peace and security, human rights, and environmental sustainability. It emphasizes strategic initiatives involving diverse, impacted communities in social change, policy education for the public good, transparency, access to information, and structural reforms. Specifically, from 2021 to 2024, the foundation is targeting shifts towards these goals in the US South (Florida and North Carolina) and Midwest (Michigan and Wisconsin), moving away from concentrated corporate influence towards equitable engagement of under-represented communities in policy debates. The foundation supports 501(c)(3) organizations that align with criteria such as promoting local leadership among people of color and the working class, engaging in issue education and organizing in communities of color, addressing environmental concerns alongside racial and economic issues, revealing corporate control over public policy and inequality, and influencing policy debates on democratic inclusion, wealth, poverty, and race. The foundation offers general and project-specific support, with grants averaging $50,000-$75,000.