Starbucks Workers Fund

Starbucks Workers Fund
Eligibility Criteria

Applications are accepted on a first-come first-served basis, and they are reviewed for eligibility to decide whether or not to recommend for funding. The Fund will consider an individual’s application as well as any information about the individual publicly available or previously known to members of the Fund. Unfortunately, not all applications that meet the criteria will be approved. This acceptance criteria was developed by the Starbucks Worker Committee in collaboration with the Fund’s board and staff:

Starbucks Workers Fund Eligibility:

• You are, or were, a barista or shift supervisor in retail stores and roasteries, currently employed at Starbucks or have been employed at Starbucks.
• You are a worker who, with their coworkers, has been involved in multiple, recent and/or current workplace activism activities in the last 90 days in your store or, if now a former employee, in efforts to support current and former Starbucks workers;
• You are 18 years or older;
• You have a social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN);
• You have a US bank account; and
• You have not previously received a stipend from the Fund within the last 12 months.

How to Apply

1. Application Review

In addition to the eligibility criteria above, the following considerations also help determine whether applications are approved or denied:

1. The extent to which an individual’s actions further the Fund mission of fighting for safer and more equitable workplaces and industries.
2. The extent to which an individual’s actions are aligned with the Fund’s values, including collective liberation from white supremacy, patriarchy, and other systems of oppression.
3. The availability of funds;
4. Anything else the Worker Committee deems relevant.
5. Unfortunately, not all applications that meet this criteria will be approved.

The Fund will consider an individual’s application as well as any information about the individual publicly available or previously known to members of the Fund.

2. Process Update

Within 2 weeks of submitting your application, you will receive notice to inform you of next steps.

3. Interview

If your application qualifies to move forward in the process, we will schedule a brief 30-minute phone or video interview to meet you and hear more about your activism. Applicants have 2 weeks to schedule an interview.

4. Accept Payment Offer

If approved, payment will be offered to you and information will be requested for issuing your payment. Applicants have 2 weeks to accept the terms and provide payment information.

5. Receive Payment

The stipend will be processed within 2 weeks of receiving the completed payment form. After the stipend payment has been processed, you will receive the funds within 15 business days (up to 5 business days for ACH payments, and up to 15 business days for check payments). On average, recipients receive funding within 4-6 weeks of submitting their applications.

6. Use the Funds

The money will be in your possession to unleash your actions. We trust that you will choose how to best use your award to support your workplace activism work. Examples include, but are NOT limited to:

1. Buying non-company tech (phone, laptop, software, etc.) to communicate safely
2. Travel expenses for workers to attend strategic actions, training, meetings, etc.
3. Funding for communication materials for workplace activism.
4. Paying the fees to have a guest speaker present on issues related to activism.
5. Facilitating workplace organizing events (venues, tech platforms, etc.).
6. First-time legal fees for filing unfair labor practice charges.
7. Removing barriers for participating in workplace activism.

7. 1099

Payments from the Fund are considered taxable income. As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit a W-9 and payments will be reported to the IRS. You will receive a 1099 in the following year, for your tax filing purposes.