Grants for Fire Departments

Community Ties Giving Program

As part of the Community Ties Giving Program, Local Grants help us achieve our mission by providing small and medium-sized grants within our priority cause areas to local organizations spread widely across Union Pacific's footprint.

Funding Priorities & Objectives

Throughout its existence, the success of Union Pacific's business has been inextricably linked to the economic and community wellbeing of cities and towns across the nation. We take pride in the role we have played in helping communities thrive and believe the impact we can have on local communities is greatest when it is authentic to our history and reflective of the diverse company we are today.

As such, we have carefully aligned our Local Grants cause areas to our company's unique heritage, strengths, and assets. Specifically, we prioritize funding for direct services and efforts that build the capacity of organizations focused on the following causes within our local operating communities. Within each focus area, we aim to support programs and organizations working to advance the diversity, equity and inclusion of underrepresented populations within the local context and issue areas addressed. Find more information about our commitment to DEI in our FAQs.

Safety

In order for communities to thrive, all residents must feel safe. Just as the safety of our employees and community members is paramount to how we operate, Union Pacific is committed to helping communities prevent and prepare for incidents and emergencies, and helping residents get home safely at the end of each day. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to: 

• Encourage safe behaviors and prevent incidents through education and awareness, particularly projects which focus on rail, driver, bike, and pedestrian safety, and ensure outreach efforts reach underserved populations.
• Eliminate risks and improve safe and equitable access to community spaces through infrastructure improvements, such as signage, proper lighting, and public trail improvements.
• Prepare and equip residents and emergency responders* to effectively respond to incidents and emergencies if or when they occur.
  • *Union Pacific supports publicly funded emergency responders through a variety of corporate programs; only independent nonprofit, 501(c)(3) emergency response organizations, such as volunteer departments, are eligible for funding through this grant program
• Prevent crime and violent incidents and support survivors of domestic violence through efforts that address the root causes of these issues and seek to mitigate their occurrence.
• Build the capacity of safety-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Workforce Development

For more than 160 years, Union Pacific has helped stimulate economic growth in cities and towns throughout the nation by training and providing employment to millions of workers. More than ever, we are committed to helping underrepresented residents in our communities achieve family-supporting careers like those offered by Union Pacific. As such, we prioritize funding for programs that seek to:

• Put youth on the right track by creating awareness of and pathways toward employment opportunities; building foundational skills, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); establishing necessary technical skills and life skills; and providing mentorship and positive role models for the future.
• Raise awareness of, educate and prepare young adults for middle skills jobs like those Union Pacific offers, for instance through community colleges, vocational and career training programs, workforce readiness initiatives, and programs that assist with job placement and/or on-the-job experience.
  • Programs that develop proficiency in areas relevant to Union Pacific operations such as welding, electrical work, machine operations, and civil and electrical engineering are given priority.
• "Up-skill" the existing workforce by providing training and resources that enable them to reach the next level of their career.
  • Programs that develop proficiency in areas of relevance to Union Pacific operations are given priority.
• Resolve barriers to employment such as transportation, childcare, acquiring necessary equipment for work, and second chance employment programs.
• Build the capacity of workforce development-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Community Vitality

Union Pacific Railroad is committed to establishing vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities for employees, customers and residents to work, visit and call home. Just as the railroad opened avenues for economic development and opportunity more than 160 years ago, we maintain this tradition by cultivating unique cultural and recreational experiences and equipping community members with opportunities to live healthy, vital lives. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to:

• Create, sustain or expand artistic and cultural experiences offered to a broad and diverse audience (e.g., museums, theaters, zoos, cultural and local heritage, visual and performing arts, etc.)
• Provide recreational opportunities that foster wellbeing, enrichment and/or an appreciation for our natural environment (e.g., parks, libraries, senior centers, recreation centers, learning centers, etc.).
• Revive neighborhoods and main street areas, especially in historically underinvested neighborhoods, to improve livability, promote commerce and attract more residents, businesses and visitors to town.
• Ensure residents’ basic needs are met and barriers are overcome (e.g., safe shelter and homelessness prevention, hunger relief, mental health and community health needs, etc.).
• Offer youth development and educational opportunities to ensure young people can thrive into healthy and productive community members (e.g., mentoring, leadership development, tutoring, services for youth in foster care, etc.).
• Build the capacity of community vitality-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Environmental Sustainability

The future of our business, communities and planet depends on bold, collective action to reduce and slow the impacts of climate change while building a more sustainable economy for the next generation. Union Pacific is taking deliberate steps to reduce our environmental impact and helping our partners improve their own. Extending this commitment to our community investments, we seek to support leading environmental nonprofits and community-based organizations to advance the health of our environment. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to:

• Preserve and restore nature, including programs focused on natural habitats, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
• Protect and enhance water, soil and air quality through innovative and proactive solutions such as water conservation, carbon sequestration and emission reduction programs.
• Reduce waste through initiatives focused on promoting recycling and circularity throughout the community, including recycling and composting programs and other efforts that reduce waste.
• Develop environmental stewards through youth programs focused on fostering environmental appreciation, responsibility, and leadership.
• Advance a sustainable economy by helping communities accelerate their transition to environmental jobs and renewable energy, as well as helping nonprofits and small businesses build their own capacity to operate more sustainably.
• Promote environmental justice through initiatives that ensure access to clean air, water, and land and protect underserved populations from disproportionate and adverse environmental effects.
• Build the capacity of sustainability-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience.

International Paper supports U.S. non-profit organizations where our employees live and work.

Signature Causes and Guidelines

The majority of the Company donations and contributions to local non-profit organizations will support our signature causes and adhere to our giving guidelines.

We continue to be a force for good in our communities. We make sustainable investments to protect and improve the lives of our employees and mobilize our people, products and resources to address critical needs in the communities where we live and work. Most of the Company's donations and IP Foundation grants will support projects or programs focused on our Signature Causes – education, hunger, health and wellness, and disaster relief.

Education

The future of our communities depends on the children, and therefore, we support strategic partners that focus on helping children succeed via a comprehensive approach to education. Literacy, particularly from birth through 3rd grade, is our primary focus because reading skills form the foundation for all childhood learning.

Hunger

We work with food banks and other agencies to address hunger and food security for children, families and seniors. These organizations provide meals, access to healthy foods and other programs in the communities where our employees live and work.

Health & Wellness

We engage our employees and work with agencies to promote healthy living habits and achieve measurable improvements in health and wellness.

Disaster Relief

We partner with agencies to help communities prepare for and to recover from natural disasters, and we use our Employee Relief Fund to support our affected colleagues.

Limited Foundation funds are available in the following areas:

Critical Community Needs

Support is also available for other critical needs in the communities where our employees live and work. International Paper personnel at our facilities are in the best position to know local needs and are tasked with ensuring that donations are allocated based on the most critical of needs. A project or program does not necessarily need to benefit the community at large, but it should impact an underserved sector of the population or serve a critical need.

Significant Environmental Needs

At International Paper, our entire business depends upon the sustainability of forests. We will continue to lead the world in responsible forest stewardship to ensure healthy and productive forest ecosystems for generations to come. We continue to improve our environmental footprint and promote the long-term sustainability of natural capital. The Company and the IP Foundation will bolster this commitment by supporting organizations working on forest, water, air and responsible sourcing issues.

Employee Involvement

The Company and the International Paper Foundation endorse employees’ community involvement efforts by considering applications from charitable organizations supported by our employees. Organizations that are supported by full-time employees who either serve on the entity’s Board of Directors or who have been supporting the organization for at least six months are eligible to apply for funding.

ConocoPhillips Charitable Investments: Water and Biodiversity Stewardship

As one of the world’s largest independent exploration and production companies based on production and proved reserves, ConocoPhillips prides itself on being a great neighbor and a responsible citizen in the communities where we live and work. We recognize that the most effective Charitable Investments are achieved by entering into strategic relationships with organizations that serve the needs of the community and help the company meet its business objectives. We encourage collaborative problem-solving to allocate our Charitable Investments appropriately to achieve performance objectives. 

Water & Biodiversity Stewardship

ConocoPhillips looks for opportunities to improve conservation and restoration of marine and terrestrial ecosystems through our own activities and in collaboration with others. We work with strategic partners to invest in voluntary projects that contribute to the management of areas of national or international conservation significance. This includes partnering with communities and institutions to advance conservation efforts, practices, and build skills essential to slowing and ultimately reversing species decline. This deep commitment to species and habitat conservation is important to our operations and is integrated into the planning, exploration, development and production over the life of our assets.

Proposals that align with this cause area are evaluated based on the following:

• Does this proposal help support one or more of the long-term goals below:
• Conserving habitats with high biodiversity value
• Increasing water availability
• Increasing the scientific understanding of water and biodiversity conservation
• Identifying and supporting new, innovative tools, technologies and practices focused on water conservation, quality, recovery, and re-use
• Increasing public and key influencers’ awareness of the importance of freshwater resource management and biodiversity
• Tracking ConocoPhillips employee and community engagement to support conservation and water clean-up efforts
• What are the program goals and objectives? How will key metrics, outputs and outcomes be measured and tracked?
• How innovative or influential is this program?
• Does this program include collaboration with other NGO’s, universities, governments/policy makers, and/or key stakeholders?
• What is the proximity of this program to ConocoPhillips areas of operation?
• Are there opportunities for ConocoPhillips employee and/or community engagement (e.g. volunteering)?

Focus Areas

Entergy’s Open Grants Program focuses on improving communities as a whole. We look for giving opportunities in the areas of arts and culture, education and workforce development, poverty solutions and social services, healthy families, and community improvement.

Arts and Culture

The arts are expressions of ourselves – our heritage, feelings and ideas. To cultivate that, we support a diverse range of locally based visual arts, theater, dance and music institutions. Our long-term goal is to increase the access to contemporary art for a wider public, including children and the financially disadvantaged.

Community Improvement/EnrichmentEntergy supports community-based projects that focus community enrichment and improvement. A few examples include civic affairs, blighted housing improvements, and neighborhood safety. By giving to communities in this way, we actually help them become more self-sufficient.Healthy FamiliesChildren need a good start to grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults. With that in mind, we give to programs that have a direct impact on children educationally and emotionally. We’re also interested in family programs, like those that better prepare parents to balance the demands of work and home. The amount and nature of an organization’s request will determine which type of grant the organization would need to apply for.In considering requests for grants, priority is placed on programs in specific counties/parishes. 

Welcome To the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation

The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation is a private non-profit organization that promotes strengthening and supporting communities and draws upon the values and spirituality of the founders. The Foundation has a special interest in organizations and people who have less recourse to usual channels of resources, focusing on community-based initiatives in the State of Maine only.

Our Mission

The Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation was created because its founders wanted to give back to their communities. The foundation will strive to fulfill its mission with respect, integrity, and consideration. Persons working for the foundation may not sit on the board of organizations applying for funding, nor may they receive gifts or services from organizations applying for funding. Grant decisions are made by the foundation in its sole discretion and are not subject to review or appeal. The foundation has absolutely no obligation whatsoever to any particular applicant.

Guidelines

The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation was created in 1986 to provide support for Maine communities. As a family foundation, we are interested in projects that address the underlying causes of social and environmental problems, as well as those that address the consequences. We have a strong interest in literacy, community services and the arts. As community builders, we are particularly interested in organizations and projects that will affect or serve the most members of a community.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power. 

Through Entergy’s Micro Grants Program, we accept requests for up to $1,000 in all program areas:

• arts and culture;
• community improvement/enrichment;
• economic development,
• education/literacy,
• environment and
• healthy families. 

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.

Entergy’s Open Grants Program focuses on improving communities as a whole. We look for giving opportunities in the areas of arts and culture, education and workforce development, poverty solutions and social services, healthy families, and community improvement.

Arts and Culture

The arts are expressions of ourselves – our heritage, feelings and ideas. To cultivate that, we support a diverse range of locally based visual arts, theater, dance and music institutions. Our long-term goal is to increase the access to contemporary art for a wider public, including children and the financially disadvantaged.

Community Improvement/Enrichment

Entergy supports community-based projects that focus community enrichment and improvement. A few examples include civic affairs, blighted housing improvements, and neighborhood safety. By giving to communities in this way, we actually help them become more self-sufficient.

Healthy Families

Children need a good start to grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults. With that in mind, we give to programs that have a direct impact on children educationally and emotionally. We’re also interested in family programs, like those that better prepare parents to balance the demands of work and home.

The amount and nature of an organization’s request will determine which type of grant the organization would need to apply for.

North Carolina Community Foundation’s Community Grantmaking Program funds the work of charitable organizations that serve 67 counties within our statewide affiliate network. The Wake County Community Foundation joins more than 650 community foundations in transforming our nation and our neighborhoods through the power of philanthropy.

The Wake County Community Foundation is:

• A growing family of charitable funds. 
• A resource for area nonprofits.
• A source of grants for worthy local causes.
• A resource for donors.

Grants

The Wake County Community Foundation is also entrusted with grantmaking from the Friends of BOMA Charitable Endowment to support charitable uses in Wake and Durham Counties to strengthen and support the local community, the family, education, and to organizations serving the needs of veterans, active military personnel and their families. Grants typically range from $500 to $1,500.

CHS and the CHS Foundation award grants to projects that develop the next generation of ag leaders, improve ag safety and build vibrant rural communities. 

CHS Community Investment

Creating a strong future for rural America.

At CHS, we recognize we wouldn’t have success without our rural communities. For us, giving back is essential to our business. 

The CHS Foundation supports education and leadership development in rural America through funding of adult education and leadership programs. CHS gives priority to innovative and collaborative approaches to address emerging issues and opportunities in rural communities. 

CHS Seeds for Stewardship

Shaping the future of agriculture, the new CHS Seeds for Stewardship program matches dollars for projects in your community. Cooperatives can help grow pride in their community by applying for matching funds to support community projects.

When organizations in rural communities look for support, cooperatives across rural America step up and lend a hand. Many cooperatives give back locally through volunteer hours and donations. Over the past few years, CHS owners have spoken up , sharing their stores of local contributions made to keep rural communities thriving. 

CHS Stewardship has launched the Seeds for Stewardship (SFS) program to help owners and local organizations grow their impact on communities. The new competitive matching grants program allows cooperatives to apply for matching funds up to $5,000 for local projects ranging from agricultural education to safety.

How often can I apply?

• Each member cooperative can receive up to $10,000 in matching funds annually.
• A minimum matching contribution of $1,000 and maximum of $10,000 will be considered.
• Member cooperatives are eligible to receive up to two grants per year. For instance, a cooperative might choose to designate $5,000 to a local FFA chapter and $5,000 to assist a local fire department.
• Member cooperatives with multiple locations are only eligible to receive up to two grants per year on behalf of the entire organization, regardless of how many locations they have.

What is CDPP?

LCRA awards grants of up to $50,000 to worthy community projects in the LCRA wholesale power, water and transmission service territories through the Community Development Partnership Program, or CDPP.

The CDPP was established in 1996 to provide funds to rural, economically challenged communities that have difficulty fundraising for their needed projects.

CDPP grants support:

• economic diversification in local communities;
• contribute to the health, safety and development of a community; or
• improve the quality or quantity of services essential for the development of viable communities and economic growth.

CDPP grants are awarded twice a year for capital projects for volunteer fire departments, emergency responders, cities and counties, schools, libraries, civic groups, museums and other tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. The projects must benefit or be available to an entire community and must improve the value of a capital asset by building, renovating or purchasing equipment.

Notes:

• The minimum project cost/funding request allowed is $1,000.
• Project values of $5,000 or less do not require a match.
• The maximum funding request (award) for a project is $50,000.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Idaho and Montana Grant Program

The Steele-Reese Foundation is a charitable trust committed to supporting rural communities and the tax-exempt entities that serve them in Idaho, Montana, in the Native nations that share the geography, and in Appalachian Kentucky. Since its inception, the Foundation has maintained a focus on the unique challenges of rural living and on helping people build healthy, successful, and sustainable communities.

We support Rural Education, Rural Human/Social Services, Rural Conservation and Preservation, Rural Health, and Rural Arts and Humanities projects. Applications from organizations operating outside of the Foundation's regional or programming areas are not eligible for funding. Please check back periodically for the latest updates about the Foundation's priorities and application policies.

Idaho and Montana Grant Program

In its Idaho and Montana Grant Program, The Steele-Reese Foundation makes grants only to federally tax-exempt entities for work in rural Idaho and Montana communities, and in Native nations with whom we share this geography. 

Program Areas

Rural Education

In both the Appalachian Kentucky and Idaho and Montana Grant Programs, the Foundation focuses on early childhood to Grade 12 education programming. Examples include funding for supplemental programs in early childhood education settings; elementary, middle, and high school programs that improve outcomes for students; support of literacy programs and out-of-school-time services; and charter schools and other model school programs that provide quality educational options for students and families. We also provide assistance to small public libraries. The Foundation does not accept applications to directly fund higher education, though we will consider early childhood to Grade 12 programs operated by colleges or universities or state or local education districts.

The Foundation considers education projects that demonstrate a comprehensive level of engagement with participants that result in clear and measurable outcomes. We are not able to fund those projects with single or limited interactions with students or those whose primary outcome is to raise awareness or introduce a concept. We are unable to support summer camps.

The Foundation also supports a small college scholarship program only for graduates of high schools in Lemhi and Custer Counties, Idaho.

Rural Human/Social Services 

In the Idaho and Montana Grant Program, the Foundation considers programs in support of low-income and under-represented populations, including elders, homeless individuals, people living with disabilities, young children, disadvantaged or disconnected older youth, young people or adults involved in the criminal justice system, and survivors of abuse or domestic violence. Programming within this area also includes support to local libraries, fire-protection services, and local food banks.

Rural Conservation and Preservation 

In the Idaho and Montana Grant Program, the Foundation considers land, water, and wildlife conservation; historic preservation and restoration projects; and ecosystem protection programs. All conservation or environmental programs must be locally focused on rural communities or landscapes.

National organizations are eligible for support only if all Steele-Reese Foundation funds will be employed directly in projects located in the geographical areas served by the Foundation and if the coordinating entity can demonstrate substantial connections to the people and organizations in these areas.

Rural Health 

In the Idaho and Montana Grant Program, the Foundation considers services in preventive health programs; medical clinics; small hospitals; EMS and ambulance units; family-planning programs, and hospices. The Foundation is not able to support major equipment purchases for rural medical facilities.

Rural Arts and Humanities 

In the Idaho and Montana Grant Program, the Foundation considers local arts programs, and the broader support of creative arts activities and efforts to maintain the rich histories of the Foundation’s funding geographies. 

Capital Improvements and Campaigns

In all program areas, the Foundation makes a limited number of grants for capital improvements, fixtures, and remodeling, retrofitting, and building new structures. In projects involving the building of a new facility or other large-scale capital endeavors, we typically make these grants only during the closing phases when a substantial portion of the required funds are already in hand. 

Funding

The minimum grant awarded by the Foundation is $5,000. We rarely make grants of up to $50,000 for a single year or make multi-year grants.

Scrap Metal Recycling

SA Recycling is a full-service ferrous and non-ferrous metal recycler and processor. Recognized as an industry leader in metal recycling, we operate over 70 recycling facilities conveniently located throughout California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.

SA Recycling is committed to environmental sustainability. We recognize the importance of protecting our planet’s natural resources. With the support of our customers, recycling reduces the need for mining, lowers production costs for metal manufacturers and helps deliver quality metal products throughout the world. This is all part of our strategic approach to intelligent resource management and re-use.

How can we spread the word of recycling in your neighborhood?

SA Recycling is committed to being a vital part of all the communities in which our facilities are located. From providing local jobs to sponsoring community-based programs that help to ensure the health and well-being of our employees and the surrounding neighborhoods, we know that our work to improve and sustain the environment starts with our own backyard. In addition, we actively support local law enforcement, fire departments and various non-profit humanitarian groups. As our mission statement confirms, SA Recycling strives to improve the quality of life for our employees and their families, and the communities we serve.

 SA Recycling proudly supports organizations through community service and monetary donations. 

For information on how SA Recycling can show support for your organization, please contact us.

As a family foundation in Pittsburgh, PA, our philanthropic traditions are well rooted in our continued support of organizations that foster transformative programs which best serve the local community as a whole in the areas of arts and culture, education, environmental, health and medical, human services, and religion.

Even though the Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation encompasses many broad areas of concern, or categories, there is no one area deemed more important than the next. Nevertheless, the Foundation has found it beneficial underwriting grants that are tangible in nature or serve a higher number of individuals within the community and surrounding areas. The Foundation continually aids organizations that are endlessly striving to serve the community in various ways such as improving social conditions, expanding education, and working to better the environment.

Category Definitions

The Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation’s Board of Directors has designated several areas of concern comprised of specific intentions.

• Arts/Culture: Performing arts, humanities, media and communications, multipurpose museums, public broadcasting, and historical preservations.
• Education: Promotional programs for elementary, secondary and vocational systems, colleges/universities, graduate programs, adult and multipurpose libraries.
• Environmental: Support of natural resources, beautification programs, pollution control, environmental education, and horticultural/botanical programs.
• Health/Medical: Rural health care, crisis intervention, special programs in health centers, and prevention/treatment of specific diseases.
• Human Services: Youth development and recreation, disaster relief, employment training/ placement, multipurpose agencies, and abuse prevention.
• Religion: The theological education and ecumenical programs as well as the mission of many churches, synagogues, and religious charities.
• Miscellaneous: Because every grant cannot be included into a category, the Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation permits grants for animal welfare, community development, sports, camps, fire and police departments and economic development as miscellaneous grants.  

Focus Areas

The goal of the Entergy Charitable Foundation (ECF) is to support initiatives that help create and sustain thriving communities. The focus areas for foundation funding are education/workforce development, poverty solutions and environmental programs.

Education/Workforce Development

Entergy is committed to investing in the future of the communities we serve through our support for education. Education enables individuals to achieve their fullest potential and contribute positively to society. An educated, skilled, and diverse workforce is critical to Entergy’s long term success and the health and viability of the communities we serve. With our education partners, the Entergy Charitable Foundation strives to ensure that every child has access to a quality education and the skills to be successful in life.

Poverty Solutions

Entergy’s focus on poverty solutions is rooted in the economic reality of the region we serve. Our service territory encompasses areas some of the highest poverty states in the nation. The Entergy Charitable Foundation seeks to support programs that provide innovative and measurable poverty solutions and tools that help break the bonds of intergenerational poverty.

Such programs may include, but are not limited to:

• Sustaining families and self-sufficiency; 
• Technical assistance and training for non-profits;
• Housing;
• Home-ownership preparation;
• Energy management and awareness;
• Innovative use and promotion of alternative sources of energy.

Environmental Programs

Entergy is nationally recognized as an environmentally responsible utility. Entergy was the first U.S. utility to commit to voluntarily stabilizing CO2 emissions in 2000. In addition to our commitment to excellence in our environmental performance, we are committed to working with nonprofit organizations and community partners to protect, conserve and restore the natural beauty and biodiversity of regions that we serve. A large portion of Entergy's customer base and the majority of its utility infrastructure are in the Gulf Coast region, which is experiencing one of the fastest rates of wetland loss in the world, especially along Coastal Louisiana. The first line of defense to prevent further loss involves working with our communities to restore and maintain barrier islands and coastal wetlands that serve as natural protection in severe weather situations.

To that end, the Entergy Charitable Foundation seeks to invest in programs such as:

• Coastal and wetlands restoration; 
• Reforestation ;
• Stormwater management;
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy ;
• Environmental education ;
• Community resilience and mitigation.

About Us

Brothers Helping Brothers was started in early 2014, when Nick Magoteaux’s co-worker/firefighting brother, Art Springer, was hospitalized with the H1N1 virus. Originally, Nick started a line of t-shirts to raise money for his medical expenses. Unfortunately, Art passed away from complications of the H1N1 virus on January 23, 2014. The decision was made to continue the t-shirt campaign to raise money for Art’s daughter, Mollie. Through various efforts, Nick and his brothers from the Phillipsburg Fire Department (Phillipsburg, OH) and The Red Knights Ohio Chapter 16, raised over $20,000 for Mollie.

One of Art’s passions was making sure his brothers at the Phillipburg Fire Department had the proper tools, even if it was at his own expense. Many other fire departments out there today are without the necessary tools and lifesaving equipment and do not have the funds needed to buy them. This started the passion to create Brothers Helping Brothers.

We want to build the Brothers Helping Brothers brand, by raising funds to provide vital tools and equipment to small and/or rural fire departments in need. Brothers Helping Brothers became a 501c3 non-profit organization on July 1st, 2014. Since being founded they have given out fourteen grants and are working on many more. Brothers Helping Brothers is also researching to find out what tools and equipment are most needed in the fire and EMS service, in hopes to raise awareness of what departments desperately need.

About Us

Brothers Helping Brothers was started in early 2014, when Nick Magoteaux’s co-worker/firefighting brother, Art Springer, was hospitalized with the H1N1 virus. Originally, Nick started a line of t-shirts to raise money for his medical expenses. Unfortunately, Art passed away from complications of the H1N1 virus on January 23, 2014. The decision was made to continue the t-shirt campaign to raise money for Art’s daughter, Mollie. Through various efforts, Nick and his brothers from the Phillipsburg Fire Department (Phillipsburg, OH) and The Red Knights Ohio Chapter 16, raised over $20,000 for Mollie.

One of Art’s passions was making sure his brothers at the Phillipburg Fire Department had the proper tools, even if it was at his own expense. Many other fire departments out there today are without the necessary tools and lifesaving equipment and do not have the funds needed to buy them. This started the passion to create Brothers Helping Brothers.

We want to build the Brothers Helping Brothers brand, by raising funds to provide vital tools and equipment to small and/or rural fire departments in need. Brothers Helping Brothers became a 501c3 non-profit organization on July 1st, 2014. Since being founded they have given out fourteen grants and are working on many more. Brothers Helping Brothers is also researching to find out what tools and equipment are most needed in the fire and EMS service, in hopes to raise awareness of what departments desperately need.

Backing Safety Initiative

The Backing Safety Initiative Grant is for one Wireless Back Up Camera for Fire/EMS Apparatus.

The Neighborhood Reinvestment Program provides grant funds to County departments, public agencies, and to non-profit community organizations for one-time community, social, environmental, educational, cultural or recreational needs.

Funding Areas

To be eligible, non-profit entities must provide services in one or more of the following areas:

• educational/recreational projects for children and/or adults
• local business and tourism promotional activities
• arts and cultural programs
• environmental awareness programs or projects, including maintaining and increasing open space holdings
• public safety programs including fire protection projects
• health and social service initiatives and programs

Public agencies may apply to fund programs and projects that benefit the community and enhance the region’s quality of life.

A higher priority shall be given to requests for capital projects and/or one time expenses.

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.

Pride in Service Grants

Pride in Service grants are intended to serve those who serve, and will be available to organizations that honor and support national and local heroes – veterans, active military and first responders.

Grant submissions must fit into one of the following focus areas:

• Safety
• Mental, Social, and Emotional Health
• Bridging Community Divides
• Workforce Development
• Financial Assistance & Food Insecurity

At CSX we are committed to serving our customers day in and day out and providing local communities with what they need, when they need it. And, we are proud of what we do.

This is why we are proud to extend our commitment to service, from our customers to our communities and our country, by serving those who serve. Many of the communities we touch have high concentrations of military families, and we have deep connections to and gratitude for the first responders in and around all of the areas in which we operate.

CSX Community Service Grants 

CSX Community Service Grants assist organizations that make a strong, quantifiable impact on their greater communities. Applications are accepted online throughout the year. Every effort will be made to respond to applications within 30–45 days.

Radio Systems Corporation

Our legacy can be that of an organization that gives back to future associates, to pet welfare, and the community for decades to come. We are passing on a foundation that will last.

Helping pets breathe easier.

Since we created the first pet fence in 1973, Invisible Fence Brand has remained committed to saving the lives of pets. Our innovations not only help keep pets happy and safe in their yards, but also safe from other hazards like house fires. Although the U.S. Fire Administration doesn’t keep an official statistic, industry sources estimate 40,000 to 150,000 pets die each year in fires. Most succumb to smoke inhalation. In most states, emergency responders lack the equipment to resuscitate and save pets.

That’s why Invisible Fence created Project Breathe—a pet oxygen mask donation program designed to provide oxygen mask kits to fire departments and other first responders. Each kit includes a small, medium, and large mask; fire departments are eligible to receive one kit per station.

McElhattan Foundation Grants

Welcome to the McElhattan Foundation. We are a Pittsburgh-based grantmaking foundation.

Our mission is preserving and enhancing human life, and we are working toward this by focusing our grantmaking on four program areas: 

End Death on the Job 

The Foundation's interest in preventing death and serious injury in the workplace stems from the family's company, Industrial Scientific Corporation, which manufactures life-saving gas-monitoring devices. The McElhattan family is deeply committed to ending death on the job by 2050, and we expect the majority of our grant budget will be dedicated to this effort. We are especially interested in innovative safety technology, including virtual and augmented reality.

We do not fund applications from nonprofits for employee training or installing/buying safety equipment; we also do not fund road safety initiatives. If you've found us and are seeking funding for any of these things, we wish you the best of luck-- our team is small and it's necessary for us to stay within our particular areas of focus in this program area.

Education

The McElhattan Foundation believes that learning - about oneself and the world around us - is at the core of human life. After all, we learn throughout our entire lives, and in many different settings from school to home and everything in between. Learning brings joy, frustration, resilience, understanding, and purpose to our lives. Unfortunately, many in our region, specifically children living in poverty and children of color, do not have equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities. There are complex and systemic issues of racial and economic injustice at work. To address these issues, our grantmaking is focused on high-need, high-impact areas. Through careful consideration of evidence and urgency, we make grants to support out-of-school time learning and innovative approaches to expand educator diversity. 

Out-of-school-time (OST) Learning  - Research shows that interest-driven experiences in OST settings are key to unlocking the critical learning and life skills that help children to flourish. Because learning does not stop when the school day ends, we support high-quality afterschool, summer, and other informal learning experiences that take place outside the classroom. We fund hands-on learning experiences where youth can connect to positive adult mentors, feel safe to try new things, and have the opportunity to hone new skills. Through our funding, we work to strengthen and expand OST learning in the Pittsburgh region to ensure equitable access for all children.

We prioritize funding for programs that:

• primarily serve children living in poverty and/or children of color; 
• are community-based, rather than operated by schools; 
• primarily serve children in grades K-8; and 
• operate with dependable consistency and high frequency.

We are particularly interested in funding organizations that demonstrate a commitment to implementing critical quality standards, including:  

• social-emotional learning and skill development;
• positive relationship development among youth and with trusted adult mentors;
• youth-centered approaches that help individuals build on their strengths and talents; and 
• strong partnerships with families and schools.

The McElhattan Foundation aims to provide flexible support to grant recipients in the OST area and will direct the majority of our giving through general operating grants. We also will prioritize organizations with annual operating budgets of $10 million or less.

End-of-Life Planning and Care

The McElhattan Foundation believes it is possible for most people to have a higher quality of life at the end of life. Grants in our End-of-Life Planning and Care program area will support initiatives in three strategic areas: Awareness and Documentation, Caregiver/Provider Training and Support, and Technological Innovation. As always, we seek to fund changemakers—visionary leaders and strong teams who will create dramatic, measurable improvement in how patients and their families experience the inevitable process of dying.

• AWARENESS & DOCUMENTATION - We will support initiatives that educate and empower our community—Western Pennsylvania—about end-of-life decision-making, including clarifying the option of hospice care. We are open to funding broad awareness campaigns as well as targeted efforts aimed at reaching specific segments of the population, especially underserved groups. Once an individual understands their end-of-life options and decides upon their preferences, it’s essential for that person to make their wishes known, in advance and in writing, to their loved ones and medical providers. We will support initiatives designed to make recording and sharing this information easier.
• CAREGIVER/PROVIDER TRAINING & SUPPORT - We support initiatives that offer resources, such as respite care, practical training, and counseling, to family and other nonprofessional caregivers. We support programs that train or retrain professional end-of-life care providers—nurses, doctors, social workers, home healthcare aides, etc.—for careers that pay family-sustaining wages. We are particularly interested in improving communication skills around end-of-life care for providers, and in high-quality home-based care. This work too will be focused in Western Pennsylvania.
• TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION - We believe technology can play a role in improving the “quality of death” for many people. Perhaps there is an application for existing technology, like augmented reality, in training caregivers, or perhaps someone can use emerging technology to prevent pressure sores. We would love to see this innovation begin in Pittsburgh, but we are open to applications from end-of-life tech innovators anywhere in the U.S. (To clarify: the bar here is high. We are not funding requests to purchase equipment like VR headsets, iPads, etc. We are looking for game-changing new ideas that could move the entire field of end-of-life care forward.)

Economic Development in Knox & Franklin, PA

The McElhattan family's roots are in Knox and Franklin, PA, and we would like to see those communities thrive. We aim to support locally-led initiatives that improve residents' job opportunities, health, safety, and general quality of life. We have, for example, contributed to the renovation of Miller-Sibley Park and the renovation of the Franklin YMCA, and have funded the Knox Area Ambulance Company and the Knox Volunteer Fire Department.

Organizations that serve Knox and/or Franklin as part of a larger geographical service area are eligible to apply for funding, but in your LOI, please estimate what percentage of funds will be spent specifically on community development in Knox and/or Franklin. 

America the Beautiful Challenge

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), through anticipated cooperative agreements from the Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is pleased to announce the launch of the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) 2022 Request for Proposals (RFP). The ATBC vision is to streamline grant funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects around the United States. This Request for Proposals is a first step toward consolidating funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale, locally led projects that address shared funder priorities spanning public and private lands.

In year three of the ATBC, approximately $119 million will be awarded in nationwide funding to conserve, connect, and restore the lands, waters, and wildlife upon which we all depend. The ATBC seeks to fund projects across the following themes:

• Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands and watersheds 
• Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and other important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks 
• Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds and seascapes 
• Improving ecosystem and community resilience to flooding, drought and other climate-related threats
• Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities

Collectively, these themes allow applicants to develop landscape-level ATBC proposals that address conservation and public access needs that showcase cumulative benefits to fish and wildlife, carbon sequestration and storage benefits, engage with and benefit underserved communities, support community access to nature, and help safeguard ecosystems through conservation, resilience-focused and nature-based solutions. 

Program Priorities

ATBC will prioritize proposals that implement voluntary large-scale, on-the-ground conservation activities or otherwise lead to on-the-ground implementation through capacity building, community engagement, planning and project design. The overarching goal is to advance existing landscape conservation plans and/or propose to knit together a diverse stakeholder partnership that develops and/or implements new conservation plans. As part of this, projects should address priority species and/or habitat conservation actions identified in existing plans or other species recovery or conservation plans. Projects that are informed by Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) and promote Tribal co-stewardship are also encouraged. 

Competitive proposals will increase interagency and intergovernmental collaboration and address more than one of the program priorities below. 

Benefit At-Risk Fish, Wildlife and Plant Species

Conserve and restore habitat to improve ecosystem function and biological diversity, as identified by conservation plans, ITK, or emerging information for priority fish, wildlife and/or plant resources, such as threatened and endangered species, species of greatest conservation need (including game species). 

Expand Habitat Connectivity

Conserve and restore priority habitat and stopover areas along key migratory routes; conserve, restore or improve fish passage; conserve or restore lands and/or waters that are critical to habitat connectivity; or expand and enhance wildlife corridors that contribute to larger-scale conservation efforts (e.g., removing and right-sizing culverts, removing encroaching trees from grassland and sagebrush ecosystems, rehabilitating areas damaged by fire, treating exotic/invasive vegetation to improve habitat values, or voluntary conservation easements to strengthen habitat connectivity).

Provide a Range of Ecosystem Services

Demonstrate and quantify a range of ecosystem services restored (e.g., improving stream flow for aquatic resources, watershed health, carbon sequestration, restoration of Tribal subsistence resources).

Strengthen Ecosystem and Community Resilience

Conserve and restore natural systems that help ecosystems and/or communities respond to, mediate and recover from disturbances such as floods, wildfire, drought (e.g., enhancing a wetland to improve coastal resilience, invasive species prevention or removal to reduce wildfire risk, restoring fire resilient stand structure and species composition in fire prone forests, water conservation to address drought, expansion of wetlands to protect from flooding, grassland restoration to promote natural prairie ecosystems).

Expand Public and Community Access to Nature

Create, improve or expand opportunities for public access and recreation, in particular for underserved communities that lack access to the outdoors, in a manner consistent with the ecological needs of fish and wildlife habitat. Projects should be conducive to high-quality recreational experiences, such as biking, birding, boating, fishing, hiking, outdoor education, cultural activities, hunting and wildlife viewing. Projects should be predominantly nature-based in application. Hard infrastructure, such as parking lots and visitor center amenities, are not eligible under this funding opportunity.

Engage Local Communities

Applicants are encouraged to develop projects that incorporate outreach to communities, particularly underserved communities in accordance with the Administration’s Justice40 initiative, foster community engagement, and pursue collaboration with farmers, ranchers, Tribal Nations, states or other land managers to produce measurable conservation benefits. When possible, projects should be developed through community input and co-design processes, and incorporating ITK when possible. Additionally, projects should engage community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations), as appropriate, to help design, implement, and maintain projects to secure maximum benefits for communities, maintenance, and sustainability post-grant award. 

Support Tribally Led Conservation and Restoration Priorities

Consistent with the Administration’s commitment to honoring Tribal sovereignty and advancing equity for Indigenous people, applicants are encouraged to prioritize projects that uplift Tribal and Indigenous-led efforts. These efforts may include but are not limited to Tribal co-stewardship of federal or other lands, restoration of Tribal homelands, access to and/or restoration of sacred sites, and elevation of ITK.  

Contribute to Local or Tribal Economies

Implement conservation projects that, as a co-benefit, directly contribute to local economies and underserved communities. For example, projects could help expand tourism or recreational economies, promote regenerative agriculture, or contribute to working lands and/or community or Tribal forestry. Applicants are encouraged to estimate the economic benefits that are expected because of the project (e.g., number of jobs sustained or created). 

Contribute to Workforce Development

Develop the next generation of conservation professionals, including through support for national service, youth and conservation corps engaged in conservation and climate-related work. Projects that develop the restoration workforce, in particular with AmeriCorps and 21st Century Conservation Service Corps programs, are encouraged.

About Cary Women's Giving Network

The Cary Women's Giving Network is a giving circle of the North Carolina Community Foundation. The Giving Network leverages the power of collective giving through a local network that supports the community in a purposeful way. The Network supports charitable organizations serving women, children and families in the Cary community.

The Giving Network is designed to maximize women’s leadership in philanthropy by engaging and educating its membership and increasing charitable contributions.

Cary Women’s Giving Network

Cary Women’s Giving Network members use a collaborative decision-making process to provide grants to local 501(c)3 charitable organizations that have a strong impact on critical and/or emerging needs in the Town of Cary. 

Grants typically range from $1,000 to $5,000. 

AgWest Farm Credit

AgWest Farm Credit is an agricultural lending cooperative with more than a century of experience serving farmers, ranchers, timber harvesters, and aquatic producers throughout the West. 

Rural Community Grants

AgWest Farm Credit is committed to improving the economic and social well-being of rural communities.

We are looking for creative and collaborative approaches to address challenges and provide opportunities to people who live in rural communities. This program provides grants to non-profit organizations for projects that improve rural communities within Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. This includes efforts such as building or improving facilities; purchasing necessary equipment to facilitate a local program; and funding capital improvements which enhance a community’s infrastructure, viability and/or prosperity.

Examples of rural community grant projects

• Fire engine for rural fire department
• Multi-purpose community building
• Improving community park facilities
• Computers for a community center’s educational classes

Grant amounts

Maximum grant request is $5000. Due to growing demand, the average amount awarded is between $500 and $2,500. An organization may only be awarded grant funds once per calendar year.

Spark Good: Strengthening Community 

Small actions can lead to big impact, and Spark Good is the force multiplier.

Walmart Spark Good brings together all of Walmart and Sam’s Club’s community giving programs under one brand and puts customers and associates in the driver’s seat, making it easier to give to the causes they care most about.

Spark Good includes programs like local grants, round up, registry, space tool and associate giving and volunteerism.

Local Grants

Walmart believes that strengthening local communities creates value for business as well as society. That’s why we empower each Walmart store, Sam’s Club and distribution center to strengthen and support local communities through local donations, fundraising outside of facilities and participation in corporate cause-marketing campaigns.

Each year, our U.S. stores and clubs award Spark Good Local Grants ranging from $250 to $5000. Spark Good local grants are designed to address the unique needs of the communities where we operate. They include a variety of organizations, such as animal shelters, elder services, and community clean-up projects. 

The AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge is a global $100 million initiative from the Bezos Earth Fund. The Grand Challenge is exploring new ideas for multiplying the impact of climate and nature efforts using modern AI. The first round of awards will focus on sustainable proteins, power grid optimization, and biodiversity conservation, in addition to embracing visionary wildcard solutions for climate and nature.

An Urgent Need

Climate change and threats to nature are among the world’s most difficult problems. People are already using artificial intelligence to monitor greenhouse gas emissions, detect methane leaks and forest fires, and advance a clean energy economy — but it’s time to do more, faster. The Bezos Earth Fund wants to explore how the responsible use of modern AI may supercharge efforts to help protect our planet and our future.

Climate and nature organizations working on the ground understand global conditions and what it takes to implement workable environmental solutions. However, many of these frontline organizations don’t have sufficient technology expertise, infrastructure, or funding to apply AI solutions on their own. Meanwhile, AI researchers and technology providers understand the potential and practical application of rapidly evolving technologies, but may not have experience implementing climate or nature solutions on the ground.

A world-changing opportunity

To create and scale new solutions, we need to incentivize partnerships across experts in climate, nature, and AI. Through the Grand Challenge, these collaborators have an opportunity to bring speed, scale, accuracy, and precision to their climate and nature efforts by proposing, designing, and deploying modern AI solutions. Targeted funding — combined with access to mentorship and other in-kind resources — can incentivize collaboration, stimulate innovation, and nurture solutions that might not otherwise exist.

In keeping with the Bezos Earth Fund’s commitment to equity and access, eligible applicants may collaborate with organizations all over the world to develop their proposals. Proposals from non-affiliated individuals are not eligible.