Illinois Grants for Nonprofits

We care about the communities in which we live and work. Amcor Cares (formerly the Bemis Company Foundation) was founded as our principal tool in the United States to serve our Amcor Flexibles communities. From volunteer work to monetary donations and community support, Amcor Cares donates several million per year to charitable organizations.

Community Support Grants

Encourage

• Fighting Hunger & Homelessness
• Supporting Disaster Relief

Empower

• Expanding STEM Education
• Building Life Skills
• Improving Health & Wellness

Elevate

• Promoting Arts & Culture
• Funding Amcor Scholarships

Types of support:

• Non-profit Organization Programs
• Non-profit Organization Operating Support
• Capital Campaigns
• STEM Programs

Background

McGraw Foundation, headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, makes annual grants to not-for-profit organizations.  The Foundation’s areas of interest involve the fields of conservation, educational programs at all levels, and human services. Occasionally, grants are made in other areas such as health, medical research and cultural.

Grant requests are suggested to be within a range of $2,000 to $10,000. Grant recipients and amounts will be determined by several criteria. Naturally, availability of funds is a key factor.

The Foundation will occasionally make large grants ($25,000 or more) to support unusually promising efforts in any of its areas of interest. Innovative research, special education, and/or other activities will be considered if the Foundation’s support would assist an effort or a project in making a significant impact.

Areas of Focus

Education: Higher

The Foundation has been a pioneer in support of environmental education at the highest level by establishing three chaired professorships. 

Education: Elementary & Special

McGraw Foundation supports a wide array of organizations that focus on assisting the education and advancement of children as well as adults. McGraw Foundation also makes grants to elementary schools and organizations involved in all areas of special needs education. Funding in this arena has encompassed many organizations that provide services such as after-school tutoring, special education, and adult literacy.

In addition to F.A.I.T.H., McGraw Foundation also makes grants to elementary schools and organizations involved in all areas of special needs education. Funding in this arena has encompassed many organizations that provide services such as after-school tutoring, special education, and adult literacy.

Human Services

Since 1949, McGraw Foundation has been concerned with helping people in need. While the emphasis is on organizations serving children, funding also extends to people of all ages.

Children's issues such as these have been supported throughout the years:

• child welfare
• foster care and adoption
• family counseling
• enriching summer camps
• crisis intervention

Funding for quality-of-life issues for people of all ages has included:

• developmental disabilities
• health clinics
• domestic violence
• housing and homelessness
• job training and continued support
• seniors needs

Health & Medical 

Since its inception, McGraw Foundation has made grants in the health and medical fields.  Health and medical funding has included:

• specific medical research
• rehabilitation
• support programs for patients and their families
• medical attention for people without health insurance
• palliative care and hospice organizations

Civic & Cultural

Complimenting it's main focus on education and the environment, McGraw Foundation has supported some of Chicago's distinctive cultural and arts organizations.

Areas of interest include zoological societies' animal conservation, public communication, musical organizations, and civic organizations' promotion of science and the general welfare of society.

Background

Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), now including the Pepco Holdings utilities, is the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with 2015 revenues of approximately $34.5 billion. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon does business in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with more than 32,700 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company’s Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to approximately 2 million residential, public sector and business customers, including more than two-thirds of the Fortune 100. Exelon’s six utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to approximately 10 million customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania through its Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO and Pepco subsidiaries

Grants

One way we connect with our communities is through local grants. Exelon’s grant applications are easy to complete. You can submit online applications for program, event and sponsorship support.

Exelon Directs Corporate Giving To Four Key Areas:

We fund programs that deliver measurable, sustainable improvements in the communities we serve. We invest in organizations that have proven track records in these areas:

Through our Building Exelon’s Future Workforce focus area, Exelon funds organizations, institutions, and programs that offer Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering (STEM) education and enrichment opportunities for students; scholarship and mentoring support to increase the number of students graduating with college degrees in STEM fields, STEM career and technical education, occupational skills training programs for older youth and adults, and assistance to remove barriers to employment. The following list includes a selection of strategies that Exelon and its operating companies support to build Exelon’s future workforce:

• Out-of-school education & enrichment programs such as summer or after school STEM programs and clubs,
• STEM career exposure opportunities for students such as career fairs and field site visits,
• Novel in-school STEM learning opportunities such as mobile labs and science outreach,
• K-12 STEM teacher training and professional development opportunities,
• STEM classroom resources and lab equipment,
• High school STEM trades career and technical education and training programs,
• Community college-based STEM trade education, training, and apprentice programs,
• Postsecondary scholarships for students majoring in STEM fields,
• STEM career mentoring and tutoring,
• STEM trade occupational skills training programs for adults and older youth, and
• Employment barrier removal assistance services.

Through our Energy Empowerment in Our Communities focus area, Exelon funds organizations and programs that improve the quality of our environment; promote environmental education, conservation, and preservation; develop cleaner sources of energy; protect endangered species; and beautify neighborhoods. Examples of programs that Exelon and its operating companies support through Energy Empowerment grants include, but are not limited to, the following strategies:

• Alternative energy development, installation, and education,  
• Vehicle electrification,
• Climate resilience or adaptation initiatives and education,
• Endangered species protection, wildlife conservation, promotion of biodiversity,
• Landscape and watershed conservation, restoration, and preservation,  
• Neighborhood beautification and green space initiatives, and
• Environmental and energy efficiency education and outreach.  

Through our Enrichment through Local Vitality focus area, Exelon funds a broad range of organizations and institutions that create local employment opportunities, support families, foster resilience, and strengthen communities. Examples of ways in which Exelon and its operating companies support Enrichment through Local Vitality include, but are not limited to, the following strategies:

• Anchor institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and other organizations that provide employment opportunities, economic benefit, and enrichment in communities,
• The establishment and promotion of business districts,
• Projects carried out through community development corporations,
• Community-based programs and nonprofit organizations,
• Emergency preparedness programs, resiliency hubs, and resources that promote public safety,
• Programs that increase local economic investment and employment opportunities, and
• Local Chambers of Commerce.

Exelon believes that our lives are enriched and our communities are strengthened through individual interactions and collective experiences with the arts. Through our Equal Access to Arts and Culture focus area, Exelon funds cultural institutions with broad public exposure and programs designed to make arts and culture more accessible to a wider and more diverse audience. Exelon and its operating companies support a broad range of programs that promote Equal Access to Arts and Culture, including, but not limited to, the following strategies:

• Arts education and enrichment for all ages carried out through schools, community programs, arts institutions, and other organizations,
• Community-based exhibition spaces such as galleries, theaters, performance spaces, and specialty museums,
• The acquisition and exhibition of culturally and locally relevant arts content, and
• The establishment and promotion of theater and arts districts.

Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust is a private foundation practicing values-based grantmaking. Because of this approach, a wide spectrum of funding opportunities falls within the scope of the Trust’s grant making.The Trust's Values Statement:

• Tenet 1—Promoting “THISS:” promoting, instilling, and/or reflecting the values of individual and/or organizational thrift, humility, industry, self-sacrifice, and/or self-sufficiency.
• Tenet 2—Relieving Human Suffering: relieving human suffering by:
• performing research and/or promoting education regarding the treatment of disease;
• assisting youth who are from disadvantaged backgrounds, have troubled childhoods, have physical or mental disabilities, or experience emotional disorders;
• addressing the concerns of the elderly; and/or
• providing succor to humankind during time of natural or human-made disasters.
• Tenet 3—Developing Individual Self-Esteem and Dignity: developing within individuals, especially youth from underserved and/or under-resourced communities, a sense of self-esteem and dignity.
• Tenet 4—Encouraging Vigorous Athletic Activity: encouraging vigorous athletic activity, leading to physical health and/or spiritual well-being.
• Tenet 5—Developing Regional Solutions to Chicago’s Regional Challenges: developing regional solutions to Chicago’s regional challenges, thereby protecting and/or improving the quality of life for all its citizens.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Charitable Investments

CSX is proud to support people and organizations that in turn honor those who serve our communities. We offer monetary and in-kind resources to nonprofit organizations advocating for the betterment of our nation’s military members or community first responders, and have additional resources available to support other community efforts.

In Kind Donations

Intermodal Transportation Services

Intermodal transportation services provide applicable organizations with intermodal equipment and rail service throughout the CSX rail network, and afford these organizations an opportunity to reduce or eliminate their transportation spending.

Ideally, intermodal moves work best when freight is moving 500 miles or more. However, the in-kind moves program requires only that freight have an origin and destination within a combined 250 miles’ distance to a CSX intermodal facility.

CSX’s door-to-door product is an ideal solution for the in-kind moves program, as our trained team will pick up your freight at its origin and transport it to a terminal to be placed on an intermodal train. Then, we will pick up your freight at the destination terminal and deliver it directly to its endpoint. The door-to-door network provides service across the Eastern United States with its large nationwide network and trucking capability.

CSX will also work with you to determine the type of equipment that is an ideal fit to transport your freight. CSX has a large fleet of rail-owned containers, as well as an expansive network of channel partners that can provide equipment to fit your needs.

Railroad Equipment and Materials

CSX occasionally donates materials, supplies and used railroad equipment based on availability. The online in-kind application can be used to request the donation of railroad-related items, including retired rail cars when available. Please note that rail, rail ties and spikes are not available for donation or purchase. Applicants will be contacted if the requested item becomes available within 90 days of their online submittal. At that time, arrangements will be made to transfer possession of the requested item. All applicants will be asked to re-submit their application at a later date if the requested item does not become available within the 90-day period.

The Gladys Brooks Foundation was created under the will of Gladys Brooks Thayer of New York. 

Its purpose is to provide for the intellectual, moral and physical welfare of the people of this country by establishing and  supporting non-profit libraries, educational institutions, hospitals and clinics.

Scope of Grants Considered

The Foundation will consider major grant applications for innovative projects in the fields of libraries, education, hospitals and clinics.

Grants for Libraries 

Grant applications will be considered generally for resource Endowments (print, film, electronic database, speakers/workshops) capital construction and innovative equipment. Projects fostering broader public access to global information sources utilizing collaborative efforts, pioneering technologies and equipment are encouraged.

Grants for Educational Institutions

Grant applications from universities, colleges and secondary schools will be considered generally for:

• educational endowments to fund scholarships based solely on educational achievements, leadership and academic ability of the student; 
• endowments to support fellowships and teaching chairs for educators who confine their activities primarily to classroom instruction in the liberal arts, mathematics and the sciences during the academic year;
• erection or endowment of buildings, wings or additions thereto of buildings, and equipment for educational purposes;
• capital equipment for educational purposes.

Grants for Hospitals & Clinics

Grant proposals from hospitals and clinics where the proposal addresses a new health need, an improvement in the quality of health care or reduced health costs with better patient outcomes will be considered generally for:

• endowments for programs;
• erection or endowment of buildings, wings of or additions to buildings;
• capital equipment.

Community Involvement

Donaldson Company and our employees are committed to making a difference and strengthening the communities of which we are a part. We are extremely proud of the generations of employees who have established an expansive history of philanthropy, generously giving their time, energy and aid to various local and regional organizations and projects.

Foundation

The Donaldson Foundation’s mission is to positively impact the communities in which Donaldson Company employees live and work by supporting education. The Donaldson Foundation distributes grants and matching gifts totaling over $1.2 million each year to non-profit organizations.

Grant Criteria

• Educational focus
• Degree of need for those benefited
• Impact
• Sustainability
• Connection to our communities

About Us

The Petfinder Foundation is a public charity that works to end the euthanasia of adoptable pets by assisting animal shelters and rescue groups across North America. Founded in 2003, the Petfinder Foundation has given more than $20 million in cash and product grants to help organizations save the lives of pets in need.  

Our grant programs are designed to make homeless pets more adoptable by keeping them happy and healthy, to make shelter operations more sustainable, and to aid adoption groups during times of natural or man-made disaster. Our grant recipients include more than 13,000 organizations, caring for more than 300,000 homeless pets at any given time, throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. 

P.L.A.Y. Pet Beds 

The Petfinder Foundation has partnered with P.L.A.Y. Pet Lifestyle and You through the Warm Bellies Initiative to give luxury beds to shelter pets. P.L.A.Y. joins us in the belief that every pet deserves a warm and cozy place to sleep.

Applications are reviewed and awarded 10 Chill Pads on a monthly basis to specific geographical regions. You may apply for this grant program once. Grant applications from this program are reviewed based on the location of your organization and the monthly state awarding schedule below:

• January: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts
• February: Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York
• March - Pennsylvania, New Jersey
• April: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia
• May: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
• June: Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin
• July: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky
• August: Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi
• September: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming
• October: Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas
• November: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada
• December: Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

The Impact Fund awards recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms who seek to confront economic, environmental, racial, and social injustice. Since our founding in 1992, the Impact Fund has made more than 800 recoverable grants totaling more than $10 million for impact litigation. We award grants four times per year, most within the range of US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Social Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants and legal support to assist in human and civil rights cases. We have helped to change dozens of laws and win cases to improve the rights of thousands. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Texas and North Carolina, incarcerated people with mental health disabilities are forced to remain in jail despite being found not guilty and unable to proceed with a criminal trial.
• In Orange County, California there are currently 13 gang injunctions under effect, which disproportionately affect young men of color.
• In Chicago, Illinois, the city’s homeless shelter program is inaccessible to people with disabilities.
• In Springfield, Oregon, the city and its police department used excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters.
• In West Virginia, the state fails to protect children in foster care from abuse and neglect. 
• In Montana, voter suppression laws disadvantage young adults and give priority to gun owners.
• In Gary, Indiana, a gun manufacturer negligently marketed and distributed its guns, leading to an epidemic of gun violence in the city. 
• In Vancouver, British Columbia, the police perpetuate systemic discrimination against Indigenous people through bureaucratic measures.

Environmental Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants to support local litigation for environmental justice. These grants are for cases aiming to help people or communities who are affected by environmental harm or who lack access to basic environmental needs, such as clean water, clean air, adequate waste treatment, and green spaces. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Centreville, Illinois, the city’s failure to maintain its sewer system has caused raw sewage to flood peoples’ homes, endangering the property and health of a predominantly Black community.
• In Fresno County, California, the California Department of Transportation approved a highway expansion project that would increase air pollution and traffic in one of the state’s most environmentally burdened communities.
• In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the proposed expansion of a highway would divide the region's Black, Asian, and Latine neighborhoods and cause pollution and ill health.
• In North Dakota, the five-month closure of a highway in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests disproportionately affected the livelihoods and health of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe members.
• In Ontario, Canada, mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system causes catastrophic environmental and health impacts for the Grassy Narrows First Nation.
• In Sacramento, California, the county government and Sacramento Area Sewer District violated the Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage into nearby rivers.
• In the Eastern Coachella Valley in California, 1,900 residents of the Oasis Mobile Home Park suffer from arsenic-laced drinking water, wastewater contamination, and overcharging for utilities.

Economic Justice

The Impact Fund provides financial and other forms of support to cases fighting for economic justice. From workers' rights to consumer protection for vulnerable populations, impact litigation is a powerful tool to hold corporationss and the government accountable. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Brooklyn, New York, a prominent mortgage lender engaged in predatory practices, leaving homeowners of color at risk of losing their homes. 
• In Washington, live-in caregivers are unconstitutionally excluded from the state’s wage-and-hour protections.
• In Ravalli County, Montana, the county has created a “modern-day debtors’ prison” by incarcerating people unable to afford pre-trial fees. 
• In San Diego, California, vehicle ordinances target unhoused vehicle owners even when no adequate housing alternative exists.
• In New York, a federal immigration detention facility is violating minimum wage and forced labor laws by forcing detainees to work for just a dollar a day. 
• In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city and county destroy the property of unhoused individuals and conduct forced evictions from public spaces. 
• In Miami, Florida, insurance companies discriminate against a nonprofit community development corporation renting to tenants with Section 8 rental subsidies.

Andrews Family Foundation: Board Grants

The Andrew Family Foundation is a private, philanthropic organization that will consider proposals from public, non-profit organizations under IRS Section 501(c)(3) to support projects and organizations that foster individual growth and enhance communities through education, humanitarian efforts, and the arts.

The history of the Andrew family includes a deep commitment in their community to improve the quality of life of individuals by providing the tools and opportunities that can enrich the individual’s life and help them become productive citizens. Based on this principle, Edward J. and Edith G. Andrew and their five children founded the Andrew Family Foundation in Chicago, Illinois in 1993 to continue the philanthropic legacy started by Victor J. and Aileen S. Andrew, Ed’s parents and the founders of Andrew Corporation. Through the Foundation and their personal involvement in local communities, the Andrew family is committed to continuing the legacy of creating opportunities for generations to come.

Qualified grant proposals will be reviewed by the Andrew Family Foundation Grant Making Committee prior to quarterly board meetings. The committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors of the Foundation.

Final grant awards are decided upon by the Board. Generally, the Board meets on a quarterly basis.

Old National Bank Foundation

The Old National Bank Foundation makes contributions to nonprofit organizations to fund widespread community impact programs and/or projects. The Foundation is part of Old National's overall charitable giving initiative, which enables us to support programs that improve quality of life in areas of Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. We believe in supporting where our clients, team members and shareholders live and work.

Funding Priorities

Our funding targets innovative programs that enhance the quality of life within our communities in support of the following four strategic initiatives: Affordable Housing, Workforce Development, Economic Development, and Financial Empowerment. We prioritize programs that serve underrepresented communities and low- to moderate-income people. 

Examples of funding priorities with measurable outcome focus areas include:

Affordable Housing

• Increase Homeownership Opportunities: We seek initiatives that enable individuals and families to purchase homes through accessible financing, down payment assistance, and homeowner education.
• Support Critical Home Repairs and Revitalization: We fund programs that ensure safe, habitable housing by assisting with essential repairs for homes
• Promote Multi-Family Housing Developments: We prioritize programs that develop or sustain affordable rental units

Economic Development

• Small Business Development and Growth: We aim to support programs that help small businesses scale, access resources, and build sustainable growth plans.
• Capacity Building for Technical Support: We encourage projects that enhance the capability of organizations offering technical support to small businesses and nonprofits.
• Entrepreneurship and Business Coaching: We support programs that offer entrepreneurship education, business coaching, and professional development for new or aspiring business owners.

Financial Education

• Old National Bank’s Real-Life Finance e-learning curriculum provides robust financial education training for community partners

Workforce Development

• Access to Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning: We support workforce readiness through initiatives offering hands-on training, particularly in trades and high-demand fields.
• Job Creation, Employment Entry, and Retention: We support projects that connect individuals to stable employment and increasing levels of income. This can include higher education with dual credentialing, leadership and professional development

Financial Empowerment

• Financial Wellness: We fund long-term initiatives that reduce barriers to banking and credit access, especially for underbanked groups. This can include culturally relevant and multilingual outreach, foreclosure prevention, and credit counseling with the goal of financial independence
• Community Lending Access: We support organizations that provide access to affordable microloans, emergency loans, and community cooperative lending as safe and sustainable alternatives to predatory loans

Alliant Credit Union Foundation

Established in 2008, the Alliant Credit Union Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable foundation with a mission to provide reliable broadband, digital literacy resources and technology equipment for underserved communities including rural, digitally-challenged and under-resourced populations through investments with strategic, charitable partners.

Alliant Credit Union Foundation Grant

The Alliant Credit Union Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable foundation established in 2008 to promote economic empowerment and self-sufficiency in people, especially in communities where Alliant Credit Union members and employees live and work. We believe that financial self-sufficiency is a powerful asset that helps to broaden the range of opportunities available to people.

Initial funding for the Alliant Credit Union Foundation was established by a $4 million grant from Alliant Credit Union. We are independent and self-sustaining; however, we continue our ties with Alliant Credit Union and partner with its employees to serve our cause. We know it takes an invested community to make a difference. That is why we encourage as many people as possible, including Alliant Credit Union employees, to get involved.

The Alliant Credit Union Foundation is registered as a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation with the IRS. The Alliant Credit Union Foundation is a separate, independent legal entity, incorporated in Illinois and operated by a Board of Directors comprised of Alliant Credit Union employees.

Grant Program

The Alliant Credit Union Foundation’s focus is to support organizations that foster economic empowerment, and takes a particular interest in programs and initiatives that promote financial literacy. 

Alliant Foundation Objectives

The objectives of the Foundation shall be to bridge the digital divide, especially in the under-resourced communities in which Alliant

Credit Union members and employees live and work, through the following:

• Partnering with like-minded organizations to bring technology devices and affordable, reliable broadband to the people who need them most
• Delivering digital skills education to impacted communities
• Calling upon our community leaders for internet accessibility reform

Topfer Family Foundation Grant

The Topfer Family Foundation is committed to helping people connect to the tools and resources needed to build self-sufficient and fulfilling lives.

Program Areas

The mission of the Topfer Family Foundation (TFF) is to fund programs and organizations that connect people to the tools and resources they need to build self-sufficient and fulfilling lives. Programs eligible for TFF funding will adhere to the guidelines listed below and address one or more of the following program areas:

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 

Self-sufficiency for children and families begins in a safe, healthy home. TFF supports programs that provide resources, training and treatment for families and children of abuse. Grants are awarded to programs that promote positive parenting, strengthen families, and provide early intervention. Additionally, TFF funds therapeutic support services for victims of abuse to enhance their quality of life and enable them to reach their full potential.

Youth Enrichment 

TFF is committed to helping at-risk youth prepare for self-sufficient, fulfilling lives. Therefore, the foundation funds initiatives that help youth develop practical life skills, promote education, build self-confidence, and provide positive development and enrichment opportunities.

Job Training and Support Services

Self-sufficiency is unlikely without the skills and knowledge to earn a livable wage. Therefore, the foundation supports job training programs and support services that enable people to increase their earning potential and enhance their quality of life through sustainable and meaningful employment. Initiatives eligible for TFF funding include vocational training, remedial education and life skills training. Successful programs will address the multiple needs of the individual to ensure that employment is secured and sustained.

Children's Health

For parents who have faced the expensive and overwhelming task of caring for an ill child, self-sufficiency can be a distant dream. TFF supports organizations that provide access to critical healthcare for low-income children and those with chronic and terminal illnesses. Grants are awarded to programs that address the physical and emotional needs of sick children and their families through compassionate care, medical treatment and intervention services.

Aging in Place

Aging does not lead to an inevitable loss of independence. However, limited access to safe, affordable housing can be a barrier. TFF partners with local organizations that provide housing options for the elderly while ensuring access to the support services needed to maintain their health and independence. Eligible programs include those that offer home modification, home repair, food and nutrition services, and affordable housing alternatives.

Application Process

Applications are accepted year round and scheduled for review based on the order in which they are received. The Board of Directors reviews applications at its quarterly meetings, generally held in March, June, September and December. 

Mission

The Retirement Research Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for our nation’s older adults. RRF is one of the first private foundations devoted exclusively to aging and retirement issues. As the issues facing an aging population gain ever-greater urgency, the Foundation remains committed to supporting innovative solutions that enhance the lives of older Americans.

Responsive Grants - Advocacy

The Retirement Research Foundation funds advocacy projects that have a regional or national impact for older Americans. Of particular interest are projects that:

• Advance policy issues of critical importance to our nation’s seniors such as economic security, health care, housing, etc. 
• Use clearly focused and strategic efforts to address systemic problems;
• Forge partnerships with organizations to achieve better use of resources and to share knowledge.

Organizations applying for Advocacy Grants will:

• Maintain a separation between their lobbying and advocacy work;  
• Describe the activities to be funded by RRF;
• Acknowledge in writing that RRF funds will not be used for lobbying efforts.

Gadomski Foundation Grant

As family members live in the Lehigh Valley (located in Eastern Pennsylvania), San Francisco Bay area, Atlantic City (New Jersey) and Chicago area grants are typically limited to organizations serving these communities. The Gadomski Foundation intends to continue its financial contributions to organizations supporting education, under-served children, physical/mental health, the arts, and the local community.

The Foundation was formed in 2007 and is a private foundation. Due to aggressive grant making in recent years, the Foundation is well ahead of distributing its target of 5.5% in annual grants. In 2023 almost all assets of the foundation were transferred to the LVCF. The Foundation, through its donor-advised fund at the LVCF, will remain committed to ongoing support of charitable organizations through several multi-year grants; this currently limits new gifts to organizations not previously a grantee. Therefore, at this time, we are only providing grants to new organizations where The Gadomski Foundation, through its donor-advised fund at the LVCF, can make a notable impact.

The family's philanthropic interests are broad. We are especially open to grants where our grant is matched by others. Many grants are made confidentially and anonymously.

Our Interests

Over the years these organizations have received grants from The Foundation or our family:

• Religious organizations:
• Catholic Charities, Bishop's Appeal, Jewish Federation, Jewish Family Service, IJCU of Muhlenberg College, churches and temples 
• United Way Agencies:
• United Way of Lehigh Valley, Second Harvest Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley, Family Connection of Easton, Boys and Girls Club, Leukemia and Lymphoma of Eastern PA, Red Cross Of The Greater Lehigh Valley 
• Arts and Culture:
• Repertory Dance Theatre Foundation, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown Symphony, WDIY-public radio Lehigh Valley, WLTV-39 public TV, San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco Orchestra, Black Rock Arts Foundation, Historic Bethlehem Partnership
• Education:
• Purdue University, Lehigh University, Penn State-Lehigh Valley 
• Community wide agencies:
• Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, United Way
• Child Well Being:
• Make-A-Wish of Greater PA and West Virginia and Illinois, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, Community Services for Children, Embrace Your Dreams, Fund to Benefit Children & Youth, Minsi Trails Council, BSA

Mission

The A. Montgomery Ward Foundation was established by his daughter, Marjorie Montgomery Ward Baker, in 1959 to support and strengthen charitable institutions that provide quality educational and cultural programming for the current and future residents of Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding communities.

Program Type:

• Arts, Culture, & Humanities; Education

The majority of grants from the Montgomery Ward Foundation are 1 year in duration.

Our Mission...

The mission of The Needmor Fund for Social Justice is to work with others to bring about social justice. We support groups of people who come together to organize their community, build power, and challenge the social, economic, or political conditions that bar their access to participation in a democratic society.

Our Vision...

Our work is informed by a vision of democracy and justice:

• We strive to engage those whose participation in our democratic society has been systemically denied, because we believe our nation will operate most equitably when all of its people are actively involved in crafting the vision, values, and policies that affect their lives. This includes, but is not limited to, those who have traditionally been excluded — i.e., low- and moderate-income communities, BIPOC communities, the disabled, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community.
• We seek a just society in which all persons are treated with dignity and assured their fundamental rights, including equal access to the basic necessities of life: food, shelter, safety, healthcare, education, livable wages, and a clean environment.
• We work to build a nation in which all people are free to exercise their rights regardless of race, ethnic origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, economic status, or faith.
• We believe in the power of community and its ability to collectively determine the best strategies for improving the lives of its members.

Our Values...

Our work together is guided by the following beliefs:

• Every individual has inherent worth and has the right to have his or her voice heard.
• Community organizing is one of the most effective means to engage and lift the voices of those whose participation in our democratic society has been systematically denied.
• Equality, equity, and inclusion of the diverse voices of our society are central to responsible deliberation and decision-making, within both our institutions and society-at-large.

Core Grants

The Needmor Fund for Social Justice’s Core Grants Program provides general operating support to groups engaged in the work of community organizing. Grantees funded through this program are eligible to receive funding for up to three years, after which an organization may not apply for at least two years.

Needmor’s Core Grants Program will focus on supporting community organizing in the Midwest — specifically an eight state region that includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Basic Criteria

While Needmor embraces the opportunity to fund emerging organizations, our commitment remains to funding strong, effective community organizing. We thus seek to support groups that:

• Organize primarily low- and moderate-income people, as evidenced by demographic/ statistical data indicating social and economic distress.
• Have a multi-issue agenda that reflects an intersectional approach to addressing issues associated with race, economic justice and equality.
• Demonstrate a commitment to long-term base building and effectively link issue work to building organizational power.
• Are democratically run and consist of a dues-paying membership base, with deep member engagement and a process for both developing and regenerating a strong cadre of leaders over time.
• Have developed a power analysis and a clearly defined plan for challenging/altering the dynamics of power within their communities.
• Engage in direct action and have demonstrated the ability to win concrete victories of increasingly larger scale.
• Have a vision to continually build and aggregate power, enabling them to take on bigger policy issues and expand its base of allies to increase its impact over time.
• Are well managed, engage in strategic planning, and have a sound budget and diversified fundraising plan.

Additional Screens

In addition to meeting the above basic criteria, Needmor is interested in funding groups that:

• Organize across lines of race, class, and gender; and, promote the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Are linked to and leverage the power of faith, labor, and community into powerful organizations.
• Demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively for the purpose of building collective power to achieve systematic change at the regional, state, and national level. 
• Are connected to larger organizing networks that are working to implement new, broad, and creative public policies that address systemic issues facing low- and moderate-income communities.
• Integrate voter engagement strategies and the expansion of democracy into the building of powerful community organizations.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop an agenda that frames issues of relevance to both urban and rural constituencies.
• Recognize and address the impact of global corporatization as it relates to issues of economic and environmental justice.
• Have potential for attracting the interest and support of other funders.

Nordson Foundation Giving Strategies

The geographic areas in which Nordson has major facilities determine the Nordson Foundation's giving priorities. Nordson continues to commit 5 percent of pretax domestic earnings for charitable purposes in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. Within these geographic areas, granting priorities are driven by community needs. Although needs change quickly, our vision is long term. We pursue and support results-oriented opportunities that prepare individuals for full and equal participation in the economic and social mainstream. We believe these kinds of programs help improve the quality of life over the long term and produce stronger, more enlightened communities in which we live and work. We strive to fulfill these responsibilities in our communities through contributions to charitable activities with a focus on education. Other major giving categories that are supported are human welfare, civic affairs and arts and culture. 

Nordson Foundation Values

In the spirit of our corporate founders, the Nordson Corporation Foundation continues to operate on the belief that business, as a corporate citizen, has a social responsibility to share its success with the communities where it operates and draws employees.

The Nordson Foundation is dedicated to improving our communities by supporting the continuum of education from birth to adulthood in the belief that education is the key for individuals to become self-sufficient, productive members of society.

To prepare individuals for economic independence, a variety of quality educational experiences are necessary. To be successful today, individuals not only need to master the basics, “reading, writing and arithmetic”, they must also know how to think critically and creatively. Strengthening the community’s human capital – through quality education – is crucial.

The Nordson Foundation offers support to non-profit organizations that cultivate educational curriculum and experiences that foster self-sufficiency, job readiness and goals to aspire to higher education. The Foundation is well aware of the fact that for non-profit organizations to remain viable they must receive operating support. With this in mind, Nordson Corporation Foundation does invest in general operating support.

As stewards of the Foundation assets, the directors feel strongly that the organizations that are supported by the Foundation be able to measure the effectiveness of their mission and programs. Quantitative and/or qualitative data allows for the Foundation to ensure that the organizations it supports are bringing about the desired outcomes in our communities.    

Nordson Foundation Goals

The goals of the Nordson Corporation Foundation are to insure that:

• All children have access to and receive quality educational experiences from early childhood.
• All individuals have the opportunity to be self-sufficient members of society.
• There is a continuum of quality educational opportunities.
• Our communities are strengthened by the organizations we fund whether their focus is education, human welfare, civic or arts and culture.

Nordson Foundation Funding Strategy

Through its grant-making, the Foundation supports organizations that directly or indirectly seek to maximize success before, during and beyond the traditional classroom years. Grants will be reviewed and considered on the basis of their enrichment to the communities where our employees live and work. Organizations and programs receiving grants will be expected to identify relevant, measurable outcomes to demonstrate the effectiveness of their programs.

Education:

• Early Childhood Care and Education.
• Maximizing Student Success.
• Access to quality educational opportunities.
• Innovative programs.
• Partnerships/collaborations with school districts.
• Funding gaps not covered by public monies.
• Augmenting core curriculum.
• Exposure to programs that expand on traditional education.
• Workforce Preparation.
• Initial preparation for the world of work.
• Retraining for the new job market.
• Strengthening our communities.

Human Welfare:

• Promote prevention and lifestyle maintenance programs and activities.
• Promote crisis intervention.
• Promote life transition opportunities.
• Promote systemic change.

Arts and Culture:

• Actively seek to broaden the audience bases in Nordson communities.
• Support the visual and performing arts.
• Provide educational enrichment for students.
• Motivation for at-risk youth.
• Provide access to the arts for special needs audience.
• Promote greater understanding among people via the arts.

Civic:

• Work to improve the physical or economic environment.
• Provide cultural or historical preservation.
• Strive to inform citizens and increase their participation in community improvement.

Why Education?

We have chosen education because we believe that it is the best means to empower people to get better jobs, to become more independent and to participate more fully in our society.

Our Grantmaking Strategy

JSF makes grants to organizations that help people overcome barriers to education and employment. Addressing these barriers enables them to graduate and find good jobs, thereby contributing to and enriching their communities.

JSF assists people indirectly by making grants to schools, universities, and non-profits, and funds initiatives such as scholarships, mentoring, tutoring and internships. Grants are focused on three areas: individuals with disabilities, individuals with financial need, and Indigenous peoples.

Economically Disadvantaged Students

Our purpose is to help economically disadvantaged students pursue and achieve success in education so that they can obtain meaningful employment. Our programs to serve that purpose are focused on scholarships.

The Foundation has developed a broad spectrum of scholarship programs. Most of them are leveraged by matching funds (sometimes as much as 4 to 1) and, where available, government grants. Some programs seek to reach students in middle or high school on the theory that preparation and mentoring are necessary if these students are to succeed at the post -secondary level. Others are straight scholarship programs at the university level.

The Foundation’s university and college scholarships to students in financial need are offered at Berklee College of Music, Palm Beach Atlantic University, South Florida University, University of Florida, and University of West Florida. The Foundation also provides scholarship for dependents of UPS employees who attend college or university in Florida.

The Foundation has funded scholarships and endowment building at Florida's state (community) college level and has recently entered into an innovative project with the University of Central Florida and 4 state colleges in the DirectConnect partnership, which allows graduates from those state colleges to go directly to UCF and obtain scholarship support.

Examples of programs that seek to reach middle or high school students are the Johnson Take Stock program in the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida, and Providence St. Mel School in Chicago, Illinois. Both of these seek to engage disadvantaged students with a mentoring and scholarship program aimed at helping them to graduate from high school and attend postsecondary institutions.

GIG Fund

Flexible support to help arts and culture organizations grow their capacity, fund artist engagements, and build community.

What is the GIG Fund?

The GIG Fund is a grant of $2,000-4,000 that supports creative projects and educational events in the Midwest. These funds help organizations present artists in their community by supporting programming and touring costs. The GIG Fund is a grant that supports Midwestern organizations that want to contract with a professional artist to offer activities to their community. 

Matching requirement

Organizations will be required to demonstrate matching funds on a 1:1 basis for the grant amount.

To demonstrate the match, your expenses should each be at least double your GIG Fund grant. Potential sources for the match include salaries and wages, in-kind contributions, volunteer hours, earned and contributed revenue (donations, ticket sales, other non-Federal grants), or cash from the applicant or partner organizations.

Bell's Brewery Sponsorships and Donations

Sponsored events and donations play a key role within our Bell’s philosophy. Through these events, we are able to not only give back to the communities we sell our beer in, but also get to have a great time with our fans! We are always looking for new opportunities and welcome your suggestions and applications. Please keep in mind that while we would love to be able to participate in everything, we sometimes must respectfully decline.

We do have a few guidelines we follow for all sponsorships and donations, please read through them below before proceeding to our application.

• Requests must be submitted at least 8 weeks prior to the event start date or the date the donation is needed. Any events submitted with less than 8 weeks’ notice will automatically be declined. We want to give every event we are involved in the best chance for success, which means we need time to plan. While 8 weeks is our minimum time requirement, additional time is always appreciated, especially for larger events.
• We do very little traditional advertising, instead we focus our efforts on sponsorships. When we partner with an event or an organization, we like to be involved! That said, if your proposal only involves a logo placement, we will politely decline in favor of events that offer us a chance to interact with our fans.
• We’re an eccentric bunch here at Bell’s and love to be involved with events that reflect your community’s eccentricities, uniqueness and inclusivity.
• We are always happy to consider requests for donations of Bell’s swag for homebrew competitions, fundraisers and events! That said, due to Michigan state law, we are not legally allowed to donate beer to events in any state. We’re sorry, but we legally cannot make any exceptions.

Ms. Foundation for Women

The mission of the Ms. Foundation for Women is to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. We achieve our mission by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural and economic change in the lives of women.

Birth Justice Initiative

In 2022, Ms. Foundation for Women launched our first national, open call request for proposals for our Birth Justice Initiative to support Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities in addressing racial based health disparities in birth experiences and birth outcomes. Through this initiative, Ms. will mobilize funding and capacity building resources nationally to organizations implementing birth justice strategies rooted in movement building and organizing.

The Birth Justice Initiative will build upon our decades of experience supporting grassroots leaders fighting for reproductive justice. The overall goals of our initiative are to:

• Build power within the birth justice movement
• Increase connectivity and collaboration between Birth Justice Organizations and movement leaders.
• Provide philanthropic advocacy, thought partnership, and thought leadership, to influence the movement of more resources to the Birth Justice movement.

We are committed to deepening our investment in grassroots Black, Indigenous and WGOC-led organizations working toward achieving birth justice. In our first round of grant making, we will invest over $1,000,000 in support of birth justice organizations across the spectrum of movement building and organizing, and supporting our communities to advance more equitable birth outcomes.

About School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN).

Utilizing a unique framework of funding systems offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, managed care organizations, health insurers, and private donors, SBHSN promotes a system of care model (Coaching Model℠) offering a mix of evidenced-based intervention, prevention, and care coordination services to children in grades K-12. The Coaching Model aims to expand quality mental healthcare access on public school campuses and improve children's social, emotional, behavioral, family, and wellness outcomes.

School-Based Mental Health Implementation Grant

In response to the growing number of students who need mental health counseling, the School-Based Healthcare Solutions Network (SBHSN) is accepting applications from Local Education Agencies (LEA), Public and Private Universities, State and local Colleges, Charter School Management Companies, Public Schools, Charter Schools, and Non-Profit Organizations (501c3) to implement and expand mental health program services on local school campuses. Grantees will receive direct funding and reimbursement to support the following activities: 

• Expanding access to School-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
• Coordinating mental healthcare services with school administration and staff. 
• Delivering mental healthcare services and coordinating academic-support activities to students with a history of attendance, behavior, and poor academic performance.

FUNDING

5-Years, renewable based on meeting performance goals 5-year award ceiling is $5,500,000.

Background

In 1902, nine motor clubs across the country joined together to form the American Automobile Association (AAA) to protect the rights and interests of automobile users and promote better highway and traffic safety. Today, The Auto Club Group Foundation continues to support those interests by investing in traffic safety, education, tourism and comprehensive community development. The Auto Club Group Foundation which is a private Foundation, represents 14 states and 2 U.S territories, and is an integral part of AAA's evolution and success.

Priority Areas

The Auto Club Group (ACG) Foundation supports programming and initiatives that address Traffic Safety, Education, Tourism and Community Service.

Traffic Safety

The Auto Club Group Foundation is dedicated to supporting traffic safety programs and initiatives that make our roadways safer for all users. The ACG Foundation strives to be responsive to emerging traffic safety issues by considering grant applications that are forward thinking and address new technology.

Financial Literacy

The Auto Club Group Foundation supports financial literacy programming in grades K – 12, empowering students with the tools they need to make sound financial decisions.

Driver Education 

The Auto Club Group Foundation wants to ensure everyone has access to quality driver education by supporting scholarships and programming needs in underserved communities.

Background

The Citi Foundation’s Global Innovation Challenge is an open call for applications or request for proposals (RFP) designed to provide catalytic grant funding to community organizations across the world. This year, the Foundation invites proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between the ages of 15 and 24.

Funding Overview

Despite recent progress, young people globally continue to experience challenges in their pursuit of employment, including skills mismatch and gaining access to quality jobs. According to the International Labour Organization, 65 million young people globally are unemployed. Since the Citi Foundation’s inception, advancing youth employability has been integral to our mission of supporting low-income communities globally. The Citi Foundation invested more than $300 million over the last decade alone in programs that supported over one million young people in expanding their skills, experience and networks through its Pathways to Progress initiative. Building on our funding journey, this year’s Global Innovation Challenge is focused on youth employability, and we invite proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between the ages of 15 and 24

These innovative solutions could include, but are not limited to:

• Technical and vocational training programs that upskill or reskill low-income youth and move them into employment, which could include paid internships, apprenticeships or formal employment.
• Entrepreneurship programming that specifically focuses on the incubation or scaling of youth-led enterprises to increase job creation and access to selfgenerated income.
• Efforts to embed financial education programming into workforce development initiatives equipping low-income youth with financial skills and access to safe and affordable financials tools. 

UNICO Foundation

The UNICO Foundation Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation. This classification by the IRS allows various contributions to the Foundation to be tax-deductible. The Foundation was incorporated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1962. The purpose of the Foundation shall be to receive, accept and make gifts, donations, grants, awards, scholarships, fellowships, and the like, for charitable, scientific, educational, literary and religious purposes.  Every member of UNICO National is also a member of the Foundation. The Foundation also offers specific grants for cancer research & prevention and food bank/shelter. 

The UNICO Foundation makes substantial grants to:

• Cooley's Anemia
• Mental Health Organizations
• Italian Studies

Ralph J. Torraco Food Bank/Shelter Fund Grant

Mission: To feed the hungry and provide shelter for those homeless or the indigent.

Funding Criteria: To provide funds through community established food/shelter programs that provide food and shelter to those in need.

The program should not be located in a private home, and must meet all local and State health department regulations. The food/shelter program should have an established track record of providing food and or shelter to low-income clientele. Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens or Shelters should use 100% of the grant to purchase food or provide shelter. The program must be located in the United States and serve people in the United States.

Adtalem Global Education Foundation

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the Adtalem Global Education Foundation is organized to support charitable, educational and research purposes. The Foundation’s sole member is Adtalem Global Education. The Foundation’s activities reflect commitment to the following strategic areas: investing to expand access to education, jobs and careers; supporting the development of the communities where we live and work; and combating inequality and encouraging civic engagement. To learn more about the Adtalem Global Education Foundation or to apply for funding, please review the guidelines below. 

Areas of Focus

The Adtalem Global Education Foundation provides support to partners and programs through grants, educational programs, research, and volunteerism in the following focus areas, with preference to programs supporting the healthcare industry (which encompasses physical, mental, and behavioral well-being in both humans and animals):

• Strengthening the pipeline of underrepresented minorities to careers in the healthcare industry and related fields.
• Increasing access to quality educational opportunities for underserved populations, with focus on access to higher education.
• Addressing healthcare disparities, including gaps in access and quality.
• Promoting economic growth through skills-based workforce development and career readiness programming in the healthcare industry and related fields, or that is widely applicable in nature.