Support · Grants

Grant-ready, on purpose.

Before They Build is structured so foundations, libraries, and civic-education funders can verify what we publish and how we publish it.

Categories we accept

  • Foundation support — civic engagement, local democracy, knowledge commons.
  • Government grants — only where consistent with full editorial independence (no content review, no veto).
  • Historical preservation grants — for archiving local civic decisions.
  • Civic education grants — for teacher kits, lesson plans, and student editions.
  • Library grants — for institutional copies, MARC records, and shelving programs.
  • Journalism grants — for source-reliability tools and reporter kits.

Editorial independence clause

No grantor reviews, edits, approves, delays, or removes any publication. The full clause lives in Sponsor Criteria.

What a grantmaker can verify

How to begin

Email support@beforetheybuild.com with the funder, the program, and the publication line you would underwrite.