Grants for Religious Nonprofits in Alabama

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Background

The Robert F. Schumann Foundation was established by Mr. Schumann out of his beliefs that the environment is essential to sustain the future of the planet, that education is essential to solve many quality of life issues for society, and that arts and cultural programs offer society hope and the ability to dream.  Mr. Schumann was an avid environmentalist and fought for open spaces where birds and other animals could maintain habitats and where people could enjoy nature.  He supported efforts to improve the planet through environmental education, as well as artistic and cultural institutions that sought to raise the quality of life for local communities. Robert F. Schumann developed a love of birds early in his life.  From a young age, he continued to learn and understand the importance of protecting the environment from over-development and pollution.  He purchased acreage in upstate New York where he created a bird sanctuary known as Nuthatch Hollow.  There he began a partnership with the local university allowing students, faculty and staff to use the land for environmental studies.  Mr. Schumann served on the board of many environmental and educational institutions seeking to encourage the interests of students of all ages to understand and appreciate the importance of protecting and enjoying the environment. Robert F. Schumann died on December 8, 2011.  His legacy of support for the environment, education, arts and culture will continue through the work of his foundation for many years to come.

Mission

The Robert F. Schumann Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life of both humans and animals by supporting environmental, educational, arts and cultural organizations and agencies.

There are no program limitations; however, the foundation is interested in primarily supporting environmental sustainability, education, the arts and humanities.

Program areas

• Environment, animals

Helping the Disadvantaged Become Self-Reliant

Gupta Family Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, USA. Our mission is to support organizations that provide focused intervention in the lives of people who have been disadvantaged in some way to help them become self-reliant. We take a very broad view of “disadvantage” to include anything that holds a person back from realizing their potential, such as poverty, physical or mental disability, social alienation, etc. The foundation also supports relief agencies that serve people affected by emergencies such as natural disasters.

The foundation evaluates and awards annual and multi-year grants ranging from $5,000 to over $250,000 (USD). Our focus is on funding smaller organizations all around the world that are led by individuals with a deep personal commitment to their missions. 

Our selection criteria include:

• Mission alignment
• The organization is run by the founder or, if not, by a successor who embodies the original inspiration, passion and commitment of the founder.
• At least 90% of grant monies reaches the intended beneficiaries.
• The organization is non-sectarian, i.e.,
  • It does not, directly or indirectly, support or condone the proselytization of any religion,
  • It is not supported by or affiliated to a religious organization.

Global Impact Cash Grants

Cisco welcomes applications for Global Impact Cash Grants from community partners around the world who share our vision and offer an innovative approach to a critical social challenge.

We identify, incubate, and develop innovative solutions with the most impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We’re looking for programs that fit within our investment areas, serve the underserved, and leverage technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services. We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. An initial information form is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application.

Social Investment Areas

At Cisco, we make social investments in three areas where we believe our technology and our people can make the biggest impact—education, economic empowerment, and crisis response, the last of which incorporates shelter, water, food, and disaster relief. Together, these investment areas help people overcome barriers of poverty and inequality, and make a lasting difference by fostering strong global communities.

Education Investments

Our strategy is to inclusively invest in technology-based solutions that increase equitable access to education while improving student performance, engagement, and career exploration. We support K-12 solutions that emphasize science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as literacy. We also consider programs that teach environmental sustainability, eliminate barriers to accessing climate change education, and invite student engagement globally to positively affect the environment.

What we look for:

• Innovative early grade solutions using the internet and technology to bridge the barriers preventing access to education for underserved students globally.
• Solutions that positively affect student attendance, attitudes, and behavior while inspiring action by students to improve learning outcomes, whether they participate in person, online, or in blended learning environments. 
• Solutions with high potential to replicate and scale globally, thereby increasing the availability of evidence-based solutions that support student-centricity, teacher capacity in the classroom, and increased parental participation to help students learn and develop.

Economic Empowerment

Our strategy is to invest in early stage, tech-enabled solutions that provide equitable access to the knowledge, skills, and resources that people need to support themselves and their families toward resilience, independence, and economic security.

Our goal is to support solutions that benefit individuals and families, and that contribute to local community growth and economic development in a sustainable economy.

We target our support in three interconnected areas:

• Skills development to help job seekers secure dignified employment and long-term career pathways in technology or other sectors, including environmental sustainability/green jobs.
• Inclusive entrepreneurship with small businesses as engines of local growth as well as high growth potential start-ups as large-scale job creators nationally and internationally, in technology or other sectors, including environment sustainability/green businesses.
• Banking the unbanked through relevant and affordable financial products and capacity building services.

Cisco Crisis Response

We seek to help overcome the cycle of poverty and dependence and achieve a more sustainable future through strategic investments. We back organizations that successfully address critical needs of underserved communities, because those who have their basic needs met are better equipped to learn and thrive.

What we look for:

• Innovative solutions that increase the capacity of grantees to deliver their products and services more effectively and efficiently
• Design and implementation of web-based tools that increase the availability of, or improve access to, products and services that are necessary for people to survive and thrive
• Programs that increase access to clean water, food, shelter, or disaster relief and promote a more sustainable future for all
  • By policy, relief campaigns respond to significant natural disaster and humanitarian crises as opposed to those caused by human conflict. Also by policy, our investments in this area do not include healthcare solutions.

Climate Impact

Our strategy is to invest US$100 million in Cisco Foundation funds over the next decade to help reverse the impact of climate change, working toward a sustainable and regenerative future for all.

The commitment includes both grant and impact investment funding for early-stage climate innovation. Both categories of support will be focused on bold climate solutions, and the grants side will also concentrate on community education and activation. Grants will go to exceptionally aligned nonprofit organizations, while impact investments will go to highly promising for-profit solutions through the private sector and climate impact funds.

Funding comes from the Cisco Foundation and will focus on:

• Identifying bold and innovative solutions that:
  • Draw down the carbon already in the atmosphere
  • Regenerate depleted ecosystems and broadly support the transition to a regenerative future
• Developing curricular initiatives to spur community engagement that can lead to measurable behavioral change and collective action

We will prioritize organizations that can achieve, measure, and report outcomes such as:

• Reduction, capture, and/or sequestering of greenhouse gas and carbon emissions
• Increased energy efficiency and improved mapping and management of natural resources, such as ecosystem restoration, forest treatments, reforestation, and afforestation that also will help repair our water cycles
• Transition to inclusive, just, coliberatory, and regenerative operating models, ways of being, and ways of organizing economies
• Creation of, and increase in, access to green jobs and job training
• Changes in community and individual behavior that lead to carbon footprint reduction, community climate resilience, and localized roadmaps to a sustainable shared climate future for all

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Grants

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation only accepts unsolicited proposals for specific areas within the education, family economic stability and childhood health sectors in select countries where we work, namely the United States, India and South Africa.

As a guideline, the foundation does not fund more than 25% of a project’s budget or more than 10% of an organization’s total annual operating expenses.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has always recognized the power of providing grants to partner organizations that we knew were already working hard to improve the lives of urban children living in poverty. By aligning with organizations that are already making a difference, we continue to make an immediate impact on the lives of thousands of children.

Foundation priorities:

We fund social enterprises that directly serve or impact children or youth from urban low-income communities in the areas of education, health, and family economic stability (including livelihoods and financial inclusion). These social enterprises may be structured as for-profit or nonprofit entities.

Partnerships

We collaborate with a range of organizations focused on creating opportunities for children and families living in urban poverty, with a deep emphasis on measuring impact. Our funding advances projects already making an impact in education, health, and family economic stability. Through these enduring and long-standing partnerships, we create lasting change together.

The Sidney Stern Memorial Trust is devoted solely to the funding of charitable, scientific, medical and educational organizations.

The Board endeavors to support soundly-managed charitable organizations that give service with a broad scope, have a substantial effect on their target populations, and contribute materially to the general welfare. The Board does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

Background

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation seeks to dramatically improve the lives of underserved communities across the globe by supporting scalable, innovative, and impact-first solutions that leverage existing systems and stakeholders. Our goal is to find social entrepreneurs with dynamic products or services that have a proven ability to positively impact the lives of underserved people, and nurture those organizations at the early stages by providing capacity, capital, and community.

Our application process is designed to be open and accessible, and we accept applications year round from across our priority geographies and sectors. Borrowing from our venture capital legacy, we find exceptional entrepreneurs and provide them with: 

Capacity

• The core of DRK’s model is deep and extensive operational and technical support for each portfolio organization, both through dedicated hands-on Board service and specialist capacity-building resources for fundraising, board and organizational development, leadership, financial support, and scaling strategy,

Capital

• DRK provides up to $300,000 USD in either unrestricted grant funding or investment capital over a three-year period, and

Community

• DRK convenes our portfolio and alumni annually, facilitating connections and community. 

What We Fund

DRK Foundation funds early-stage social impact organizations solving the world’s biggest social and environmental problems using bold, scalable approaches.

What stage of growth does DRK Foundation typically fund?

Early stage: Organizations who are early stage, which we define as post-pilot and pre-scale. This typically means: 

• Your program, product or service is already being used in the market or in the field, 
• You have early indication that your model is having its intended impact on the beneficiary populations,
• Your organization is relatively young (ideally between two and five years old, although we will consider both younger and older organizations).

Venture funding: In the case of for profits, we typically support Seed to Series A organizations, and never lead rounds; we also generally but not exclusively refrain from participating in financings exceeding a $15M USD post-money valuation.  

Mission

The DanPaul Foundation will use its resources to help train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, stimulate children's personal social responsibilities, and offer them opportunities for enrichment and growth.

The Foundation will also encourage children to be concerned and informed about the environment and the underprivileged, particularly with regard to clean air and water, and adequate housing and nutrition for all.

Beliefs

The DanPaul Foundation believes that children should have ample opportunities for enrichment in their lives, and thus strives to provide many different ways to enrich and expand children's minds through direct programs and monetary support to organizations doing similar work.

We have provided or currently provide grants related to the following program areas:

• Workshops, Conferences, + Seminars: We strive to offer educational workshops, conferences, and seminars for parents and teachers on topics related to early childhood development.
• Student Scholarships: We aim to help students attending post-secondary education institutions by providing need-based and academic scholarships.
• Scientific Endeavors: We desire to advance scientific endeavors which seek to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world.
• Clean Air + Water: We hope to pass on knowledge and practical life skills to youth regarding their personal responsibility to the environment, teaching them about issues surrounding clean air and water.
• Child Advocacy: We believe in protecting children from abuse and neglect and particularly love to support programs that provide education and assistance to children as well as organizations advocating or caring for vulnerable children.
• Homelessness: We want to encourage young people to take a personal interest in seeing that adequate housing and proper nutrition, especially for the underprivileged and homeless, are available.
• Poverty + Neglect: We seek to help those in poverty as well as educate youth about their responsibility to consider the underprivileged and take care of those most in need of life's basic essentials like adequate housing and proper nutrition.
• Refugee Enrichment: We wish to help refugee youth by supporting programs that provide them enrichment and help them transition to life in a new country.

The DanPaul Foundation provides grants to 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations as defined by the IRS. The Foundation is interested in providing funding to programs that directly serve the health, education, development, and welfare of the world's youth.

Grants range from a few hundred dollars up to $15,000 per calendar year.

PNC Foundation

Strengthening and enriching the lives of our neighbors in communities where we live and work.

Vision & Mission

For decades, we have provided resources to seed ideas, foster development initiatives and encourage leadership in nonprofit organizations where imagination and determination are at work enhancing people's lives everyday.

The PNC Foundation's priority is to form partnerships with community-based nonprofit organizations in order to enhance educational opportunities, with an emphasis on early childhood education, and to promote the growth of communities through economic development initiatives.

Foundation Grant

The PNC Foundation supports a variety of nonprofit organizations with a special emphasis on those that work to achieve sustainability and touch a diverse population, in particular, those that support early childhood education and/or economic development.

Education

The PNC Foundation supports educational programs for children and youth, particularly early childhood education initiatives that meet the criteria established through PNC Grow Up Great. Specifically, PNC Grow Up Great grants must:

• Support early education initiatives that benefit children from birth to age five; and
• Serve a majority of children (>50%) from low- to moderate-income families; and
• Adhere to all other standard PNC Foundation guidelines, as outlined on the PNC Foundation website, applicant eligibility quiz, as well as the Foundation policies and procedures; and
• Include one or a combination of the following:
  • direct services/programs for children in their classroom or community;
  • professional development/workforce development for early childhood educators;
  • family and/or community engagement in children’s early learning
• Additional considerations:
  • The grant focus should include math, science, reading, vocabulary development, the arts, financial education, or social/emotional development.
  • The grant recipient, or collaborative partner, should have early childhood education as an area of focus. If the organization’s focus is beyond birth to age five, the specific grant must be earmarked for birth to age five.
  • Incorporate opportunities for PNC volunteers in classroom or non-classroom-based activities.

Economic Development

Economic development organizations, including those which enhance the quality of life through neighborhood revitalization, cultural enrichment and human services are given support. Priority is given to community development initiatives that strategically promote the growth of low-and moderate-income communities and/or provide services to these communities.

• Affordable Housing
  • The PNC Foundation understands the critical need for affordable housing for low-and moderate-income individuals.
  • We are committed to providing support to nonprofit organizations that:
    • give counseling and services to help these individuals maintain their housing stock;
    • offer transitional housing units and programs; and/or
    • offer credit counseling assistance to individuals, helping them to prepare for homeownership.
• Community Development
  • Because small businesses are often critical components of community growth and help foster business development, the PNC Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations that
    • offer technical assistance to, or loan programs for, small businesses located in low-and moderate-income areas or
    • support small businesses that employ low-and moderate-income individuals.
• Community Services
  • Support is given to social services organizations that benefit the health, education, quality of life or provide essential services for low-and moderate-income individuals and families.
  • The PNC Foundation supports job training programs and organizations that provide essential services for their families.
• Arts & Culture
  • Support is given for cultural enrichment programs benefitting the community.
• Revitalization & Stabilization of Low-and Moderate-Income Areas
  • The PNC Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that serve low-and moderate-income neighborhoods by improving living and working conditions.
  • Support is given to organizations that help stabilize communities, eliminate blight and attract and retain businesses and residents to the community.

Our Mission

The Hansen Family Foundation provides opportunities to domestic, international, secular, and non-secular organizations that support the American way of life, which is defined by the principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

Causes

Children

The Hansen Family Foundation supports causes dedicated to helping children both home as well as abroad. Learn More

Education

The Hansen Family Foundation believes that a decent education should be made available to everyone, young or old, the world over. Learn More

Animals

The Hansen Family Foundation believes in helping those who cannot speak on their own behalf. Learn More

Environmental

The Hansen Family Foundation is dedicated to preserving the world we all share. Learn More

Humanitarian

The Hansen Family Foundation views the plight of our fellow man as an opportunity to actively engage and effect change. Learn More

Arts & Culture

The Hansen Family Foundation supports all forms of artistic and cultural endeavors. Learn More

Community Grants

State Farm is committed to helping build safer, stronger and better-educated communities.

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We are committed to auto and home safety programs and activities that help people manage the risks of everyday life.
• We invest in education, economic empowerment and community development projects, programs and services that help people realize their dreams.
• We help maintain the vibrancy of our communities by assisting nonprofits that support community revitalization.

Good Neighbor Citizenship company grants focus on safety, community development and education.

Focus Areas

Safety Grants

We strive to keep our customers and communities safe. That's why our funding is directed toward:

• Auto safety — improving driver, passenger, vehicle or roadway safety
• Home safety — shielding homes from fires, crime or natural disasters
• Disaster preparedness and mitigation
• Disaster recovery

Community Development

We support nonprofits that invest and develop stronger neighborhoods. That's why our funding is directed toward:

• Affordable housing — home construction and repair
• Commercial/small business development
• Job training
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Financial literacy
• Sustainable housing and transportation
• Food insecurity

Education

Our education funding is directed toward initiatives that support the following programs:

• Higher education
• K-12 academic performance
• K-12 STEM
• Pathways for college and career success

Who We Are

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

What We Fund

/ What We Fund

The Creag Foundation is focused on innovation in the industry. We will consider proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations that are finding new ways to address societal issues facing the nonprofit community. Applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for one year before submitting. If your organization has held 501(c)(3) status for over a year, and your believe that your organization has a new approach to an existing social problem or is addressing a previously unaddressed social issue, you are welcome to contact us and request that we consider your organization for a funding opportunity.

Presentation Grants Program

Presentation Grants are an opportunity for organizations in South Arts' nine-state region to receive fee support to present Southern guest film directors, visual and performing artists, or writers from outside of the presenter's state. Artist fee support is awarded for:

• film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
• performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance),
• literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry),
• traditional arts, and
• visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media).

Projects must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement component. These grants are limited and very competitive. Based on the artist fee, the maximum request is $9,500 for modern dance and contemporary ballet or $7,500 for other artistic disciplines. 

South Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We have prioritized this commitment to ensure that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led organizations, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations representing persons with disabilities are represented as both applicants and grantees. In addition, we encourage applications for projects that engage BIPOC artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with disabilities.

Closing the Opportunity Gap Grant

The “opportunity gap” refers to a nationwide trend of unequal access to education and out-of-school opportunities for youth of all ages. Our kids across southwest Alabama face a growing opportunity gap that, for many, hinders their ability to reach their full potential and threatens our communities’ future prosperity. 

Our collective impact agenda includes strengthening southwest Alabama’s system of early childhood education to make sure all kids get a great start; supporting parents, families and youth in underserved and rural communities; and helping opportunity youth (ages 16-24 not in school and not employed) get the higher education and workforce training they need to succeed.

Each area of investment for our Community Foundation includes strategic partnerships with the public sector, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, educational institutions and businesses. Closing the opportunity gap is vital in building strong, thriving children who grow into capable, contributive adults for a prosperous and sustainable community.

Focus Areas

The Community Foundation of South Alabama has six key focus areas for our eight-county footprint: Family, Education, Work, Racial Equity, Arts and Culture, and Mental and Behavioral Health. For the current year, the Foundation will accept grant applications in the following six priorities:

• Promoting parenting education
• Expanding opportunities to help young people get well-paying jobs through workforce training
• Increasing access to preschool education
• Increasing youth access to extracurricular activities
• Advance matters of fairness and racial equity with a critical focus on underprivileged youth
• Increasing youth access to equitable, high-quality arts and culture
• Mental and behavioral supports for individuals and families

Types of Grants & Grant Terms

Through its competitive grant-making, CFSA is awarding program grants only for this year. These grants are typically one-year funding commitments. 

Program Grants

Program grants enable a nonprofit organization or coalition of organizations and interested stakeholders to implement a specific project designed to benefit the community. CFSA is most interested in supporting sustainable programs that have the potential to produce meaningful results on community priorities and/or needs. Funding is provided for the expansion or refinement of existing programs as well as new programs that show promise of efficacy and sustainability. Grants to programs with a successful track record are also considered. Program grants are restricted to expenses directly and indirectly related to the operation of the project. No more than 20% may be used to pay for indirect or administrative expenses. Grants may not be used for general operating support or organizational capacity building. 

Grant Amounts

CFSA grant amounts may range from $5,000-$15,000. Requests should not exceed $15,000. Please be advised that submitting an application does not guarantee funding.

Eide Bailly Resourcefullness Award

Our nonprofit industry advisory group is thrilled to offer this opportunity for nonprofit organizations who develop outstanding initiatives to support their communities. Our Resourcefullness Award program was established in 2013 and each year we receive an abundance of wonderful applications. It’s hard choosing a winner!

Ultimately, we are passionate about helping our clients (and non-clients) thrive and succeed. This award program allows us to showcase nonprofit organizations that stand out and in turn, we are able to offer education around revenue generating trends, ideas and campaign strategies.

Eide Bailly’s Resourcefullness Award is our way to support the financial health of the nonprofit sector while recognizing and celebrating nonprofits across the nation for their creative and sustainable revenue-generating initiatives. Through a short application process, three judges from outside of the firm will select one 501(c)(3) organization as the Award winner, receiving a $50,000 prize.

Criteria for Evaluation

Our Resourcefullness Award judges will reference the following criteria when evaluating application submissions:

• Sustainability
• Creativity
• Financial Impact
• Overall Impression
• Implementation

Our Mission

The Tony Robbins Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of people often forgotten.

We’re dedicated to creating positive changes in the lives of youth, seniors, the hungry, homeless and the imprisoned population, all who need a boost envisioning a happier and deeply satisfying way of life. Our passionate staff, generous donors and caring group of international volunteers provide the vision, inspiration, and resources needed to empower these important members of our society.

Grants

Dedicated to meeting challenges within the global community, creating solutions and taking action, The Tony Robbins Foundation provides monetary donations to various organizations around the world. Funding requests are evaluated on an ongoing basis. We look for organizations that align with our mission to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of those often forgotten.

Georgia-Pacific Foundation

Established in 1958, the Georgia-Pacific Foundation sets aside resources to improve life in the communities where we operate. We’ve worked with thousands of outstanding community-based programs, service projects and disaster relief efforts, focusing our investment in four areas we believe make the most impact:

• education,
• environment,
• enrichment and
• entrepreneurship.

Investment Priorities

• Aligns with GP’s mission and values
• Aligns with GP’s Four Focus Areas of giving: Education, Environment, Enrichment of Community and Entrepreneurship
• Serves communities where GP has manufacturing facilities
• Creates value by contributing to and positively impacting long term well-being and sustainability of GP communities

Our Mission

Formed in 2017, give256 was created by a group of community leaders and the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville to unite, encourage, and inform emerging philanthropists to make a collective impact on Greater Huntsville. This innovative program allows members to pool their money and make a positive impact on our community.

give256 Fund Grant Description

give256 unites, encourages, and informs emerging philanthropists to make a collective impact on Greater Huntsville. give256 is a giving circle in which members pool their money to make a positive impact through grants to nonprofits. Grant applicant finalists, which are selected by the give256 Grants Committee, present their projects at an annual finals event. Members are invited to the finals to watch the three-minute presentations and cast their votes.

Our Mission

Our mission is to continue and further the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. and the Cowles family, which includes promotion of education, social justice, health, and the arts.

The Founder

The Cowles Charitable Trust was first established in 1948 by Gardner “Mike” Cowles, Jr. (1903-1985). Born into the Cowles publishing family of Des Moines, Iowa, Mike was the youngest of Gardner Cowles and Florence Call Cowles’ six children. A newspaper editor and publisher by trade, he was committed to his family’s traditions of responsible, public-spirited, and innovative journalism as well as philanthropy. 

The Cowles Charitable Trust supports the arts, education, the advancement of ethical journalism, medical and climate research.

Compass Society Grant Description

Created to “Map the Future” the Compass Society brings the region’s spirit of innovation to generosity and serves as a catalyst for Greater Huntsville’s future. Compass Society funding supports high-impact, collaborative, and visionary projects that span the Community Foundation’s Quality of Life Framework. Grants of $50,000 will be awarded to nonprofit organizations serving the Greater Huntsville area – Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and Morgan Counties. Exact allocations will be determined based on funding and projects.

Through the power of generosity, the Compass Society implements collaborative, visionary projects that have a significant and sustainable impact across many areas of our community's quality of life. Visionary doesn't just mean something new, but rather it is the future-focused opportunity to create a community you want for your children and your grandchildren. These proposals require organizations in our community to work together to achieve something greater than any one organization could achieve alone, no matter how great the work they are doing. What are your bold dreams for our community's future?

Focus Area: The work of the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville stretches across eight areas in the Quality of Life Framework, which are defined below. 

• ARTS & CULTURE: Enriches the community through arts, culture, and lifestyle experiences
• BASIC NEEDS: Provides food, clothing, shelter, and other basic necessities
• ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: Equips individuals and organizations through training, creating employment opportunities, and promoting growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem
• EDUCATION: Invests in early childhood development, K-12 students, college and career readiness, post-secondary education, and lifelong learning
• ENVIRONMENT: Stewards our community’s natural resources
• HEALTH & WELLNESS: Addresses physical and mental health and wellness
• NEIGHBORHOODS & COMMUNITIES: Strengthens entire neighborhoods or communities through a holistic approach
• RECREATION: Engages in experiences that refresh the mind, body and spirit

Grantmaking

Compass Society grant objectives include grant applications that are high-impact, collaborative, visionary, and span the Community Foundation’s Quality of Life Framework.

Funding Priority: Priority will be given to projects that meet the following criteria:

• High-impact: Affect a large number of people through scalable, ripple-effect transformation
• Collaborative: Involve three or more partners that may or may not all be nonprofits. The organization applying must meet the Eligible Recipient qualifications below.
• Span the focus areas in the Quality of Life Framework: Impact three or more of the focus areas listed above
• Visionary: Create innovative, future-focused projects or programs

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

Pathway to Sustainability Fund

he Pathway to Sustainability Fund was established to support a cohort of nonprofits intentionally focus their work as it relates to their mission, collaborate to leverage resources, and track outcomes in order to strengthen their organizations and our community.

Fund Description: The Pathway to Sustainability Fund is a collaboration fund to incentivize Madison County direct social service organizations who provide case management to do the following:

• Focus on their mission
• Collaborate to leverage resources
• Track outcomes
• Strengthen organizations and their community

Progress on the Pathway is not linear but progress is possible. Each client’s journey will be unique and organizations will need to work with each client on an individual basis to understand and provide support for their journey. This is not an exhaustive list of client experiences in each phase of the Pathway. It is also not a complete list of possible Focus Areas. Each organization may determine what their clients’ experience looks like and where the organization can intentionally focus its efforts to be most effective.

Crisis

• Likely unemployed & struggle to meet basic needs
• May rely entirely on family, friends, agencies, & other assistance to get by
• May struggle with addiction & mental health issues
• May even engage in illegal activities to survive
• Feel hopeless, helpless, isolated

• Homeless Shelters
• Mental Health Crisis Care
• Hospital Emergency Care
• Law Enforcement
• Domestic Violence Programs
• Basic Needs (food, clothing,shelter, utility assistance)

Transition

• May have obtained part-time employment but still struggle to make ends meet
• Begin to access government and other resources
• Have found a safer living environment
• May enter recovery programs
• Begin accessing legal services

• Transitional Housing Programs
• Health Care Programs
• Child Care Assistance
• Transportation Assistance
• Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Recovery
• Legal services & Court Systems
• Job skills & Employment Programs

Stability

• Earn an hourly wage & regular paycheck & benefits
• Can pay their bills on time & reduce debt
• Have found permanent, safe, affordable housing
• May increase skills and education
• Rely more on their own resources with less outside assistance

• Affordable Housing
• Education & Certification Programs
• Quality Child Care Programs
• Workforce Development
• Financial Counseling
• Health Care & Insurance

Growth

• Permanent employment with good pay, benefits, & opportunities to advance
• May become homeowners
• May even start a business & employ others
• Comfortably meet needs & some wants

• Home-ownership Programs
• Financial Institutions
• Investment Advisers
• Two & Four Year Colleges
• Wellness Centers
• Entrepreneurial Programs
• Personal & Spiritual Growth

Abundance

• Become self-reliant with a sense of having enough & some to spare
• Plan for retirement and build wealth
• Continue to give back by being generous in many ways, including mentoring others
• Worry less & experience peace of mind

Focus Areas

• Philanthropy
• Volunteering & Mentoring Programs
• Civic Engagement & Leadership Development
• Life-Long Learning Opportunities
• Asset Creation & Growth
• Spiritual Development

Why We Created The Pathway To Sustainability

Our vision is to end generational poverty. We believe that is only possible by working with one client at a time and making intentional investments to break down barriers to progress. We know we can’t do it alone. We work with a variety of community partners who share our vision to close service gaps and help our participants move toward self-reliance.

We started the Community Connections project to help create a community wide collaborative care network that now has almost 200 organizations working together on our network. The next step is to create a community model to help each organization on the network find a focus and work in their area of strength. We hope that, as a result, we will all better serve our clients, reduce duplication of services, and leverage community resources.

Using inspiration from change models in other communities, we have created the Pathway model with input from local organizations. We hope the model will start a community conversation about focusing on what we each do best as we work together to help our clients progress toward self-reliance.

Calling to Serve

Since its inception in 2016, the Robinson Foundation has sought to demonstrate God’s love through sharing the gifts we have received. We understand the often unspoken hardships and struggles that people in and outside of our community face everyday. As such, our contributions are focused on relieving these hardships for the betterment of our world.

As a family-operated foundation, we pray that our small efforts will not only create immediate change in the lives of our neighbors, but will help set those lives on a course for success in the future. We are thankful for each and every day we have on this earth to use what God has granted us to make a difference.

Areas of Interest

• Animal Welfare
• Children & Families
• Disaster Relief
• Education
• Medical Assistance
• Nature & Wildlife Conservation
• Poverty Relief
• Religious & Spiritual Endeavors
• Veterans' Issues

Grant Considerations

We take many different aspects of applications into account when making grant issuing decisions, however these are some of the high-level questions we ask ourselves during the process:

• How does the organization serve their key audience goals?
• Is the organization fiscally responsible?
• Will a grant have a tangible, meaningful impact?
• Will we see direct results from this grant?
• Does the organization have other financial contributors?

Women’s Foundation of Alabama

Mission

Women’s Foundation of Alabama is a community-driven foundation impacting the world around us by accelerating economic opportunity for women.

Vision

We envision a society where power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, or place.

Values

Insight, Advocacy, Impact, Equity, and Inclusion

Competitive Grantmaking

Each year, Women’s Foundation of Alabama accepts proposals from local, community-based organizations across the state, representing greater potential for even broader impact towards gender and economic equity for women in the state. Through this process, Women’s Foundation of Alabama aims to support high-impact organizations and projects working to usher women and girls along the path of greater economic opportunity and to remove the complex, interconnected barriers women face along that same path.

Focus Areas

Our three grant focus areas are Women + Work, Women + Leadership, and Women + Wellbeing – reflecting the foundation’s interest in holistic, innovative approaches to women’s economic opportunity. We fuel organizations that address the barriers to entering the workforce.

• Women + Work
  • The future of Alabama’s workforce depends upon inclusion and equity for women. In 2022, over 80,000 women were missing from the state’s workforce, placing Alabama dead last in labor force participation for women in the South. This doesn’t have to be Alabama’s fate.
  • Through this focus area, the foundation plans to fund nonprofit organizations providing education, skills training, credentials, critical supports, and public policy initiatives that enable women to access quality jobs and advance along their career path.
• Women + Leadership
  • Where women lead, change follows. Whether on the job, in the community, at the highest levels of power, or in the home, decades of studies show women leaders help increase productivity, enhance collaboration, and improve fairness for everyone.
  • Through this focus area, we aim to support programs and public policy efforts that invest in the personal and professional leadership development of women and the implementation of women led solutions.
• Women + Wellbeing
  • Success at work and personal well-being do not have to be mutually exclusive. At Women’s Foundation of Alabama, we believe good jobs and living wages are only the beginning.
  • For this focus area, we are focused on funding programs and public policy solutions that enable women to thrive, within and beyond their career, along the eight dimensions of wellness with a focus on the following three: financial, physical, and mental wellness.

Funding

Applicants may request funding up to $50,000. The total cost and scale of the project should be reasonable, feasible, and sustainable in relation to the applicant’s overall budget and activities.

Depending on the scale and schedule of the proposal, funds may be requested over a one—or two-year period.

2024-2025 Competitive Grantmaking Guidelines

Established in September 2020 the North Baldwin Community Foundation, an affiliate of The Community Foundation of South Alabama (“CFSA”), serves as a comprehensive center of philanthropy to enhance the quality of life for its residents. The North Baldwin Community Foundation Advisory Committee is pleased to announce the opening of its 2024-2025 competitive grantmaking cycle which will award grants to local nonprofits. These grants are funded through the North Baldwin Community Fund, a field of interest fund established by donors to address the most pressing needs in Bay Minette and surrounding areas.

Grantmaking Priorities

For 2024-2025, the North Baldwin Community Foundation will accept proposals from organizations that strive to preserve and/or enhance the quality of life of residents in the community of Bay Minette and/or surrounding areas. Programs or projects could address one or more of the following: Arts, Community Development, Education, Environment/Beautification, Health, Human Services, Recreation, Technology, or Youth.

Funding Considerations:

The North Baldwin Community Foundation seeks to fund proposals that:

• Focus on work aligned with the North Baldwin Community Foundation’s mission
• Exhibit the potential to accomplish meaningful results or impact in one or more priority area
• Address community challenges, underserved populations, and/or service gaps
• Articulate measurable outcomes (desired results), effective approaches, and viable plans for maintaining ongoing efforts
• Demonstrate strong community support, capable leadership and knowledge of, and involvement in, the communities served
• Include a realistic project budget and organizational financial information demonstrates fiscal health
  • (e.g. diversified revenue sources, sustainability, solvent, etc.)

2024-2025 Competitive Grantmaking Guidelines

Established in April 2017, the Atmore Community Foundation, an affiliate of The Community Foundation of South Alabama (“CFSA”), serves as a vehicle to receive donations and bequests to benefit the community in perpetuity. The Atmore Community Foundation Advisory Committee is pleased to announce the opening of its 2024-2025 competitive grantmaking cycle which will award grants to local nonprofits. These grants are funded through the Atmore Community Fund, a field of interest fund established by donors to address the most pressing needs in the Atmore community.

Grantmaking Priorities

For 2024-2025, the Atmore Community Foundation will accept proposals from organizations that address the needs of the Atmore community and strive to improve the quality of life of Atmore residents, including but not limited to the following areas: Arts & Culture, Community/Economic Development, Education, Environment/Beautification, Health & Wellness, Human Services, Recreation, Technology, &/or Youth.

Programmatic Grants

The Foundation is most interested in supporting sustainable, evidence-based programs that have the potential to produce meaningful results on community priorities and/or needs. Funding is provided for the expansion or refinement of existing programs that, through program evaluation, show promise of effectiveness, value, and sustainability. Grants to programs with a successful track record are also considered. Program grants are restricted to expenses directly and indirectly related to the operation of the project. No more than 10% may be used to pay for indirect or administrative expenses. Program grants may not be used for general operating support or organizational capacity building. 

Capacity Building 

The Foundation defines organizational capacity building as any strategy that improves and enhances an organization’s ability to achieve its mission and sustain itself over time. The Foundation recognizes great value in developing the internal capacities of organizations to increase their effectiveness and community impact. More pointedly, the Foundation believes that by supporting organizational capacity building it will enable organizations to strengthen their operations and effectively address systemic issues that significantly impede the quality of life for individuals and families that they serve.

Organizations proposing a capacity building grant should address how the project strengthens the organization and how it will enhance its mission and benefit the community served. 

Examples of capacity building activities include the following:

• Strategic planning, organizational assessments or evaluations
• Leadership development and training (Board, Executive or Staff)
• Enhanced marketing, branding and communications planning or technology
• Improved fundraising and fund development training or technology
• Database or technology improvements

Funding Considerations:

The Atmore Community Foundation seeks to fund proposals that:

• Focus on work aligned with the Atmore Community Foundation’s mission
• Exhibit the potential to accomplish meaningful results or impact in one or more priority areas
• Address community challenges, underserved populations, and/or service gaps
• Articulate measurable outcomes (desired results), effective approaches, and viable plans for maintaining ongoing efforts
• Demonstrate strong community support, capable leadership and knowledge of, and involvement in, the community served
• Include a realistic project budget and organizational financial information demonstrates fiscal health
  • (e.g. diversified revenue sources, sustainability, solvent, etc.)

2024–2025 Competitive Grantmaking Guidelines

Established in August 2018, the Tri-City Community Foundation, an affiliate of The Community Foundation of South Alabama (“CFSA”), serves as a comprehensive center of philanthropy to inspire and promote resiliency and enhance the quality of life for its residents in the cities of Foley, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach as well as the communities within their respective service areas. The Tri-City Community Foundation Advisory Committee is pleased to announce its first competitive grant-making cycle which will award grants to local nonprofits whose mission supports initiatives that support the Grantmaking Priorities listed below. These grants are funded through the Tri-City Community Fund, a field of interest fund established by donors to address the most pressing needs in the Tri-City community.

Grantmaking Priorities

For 2024-2025, the Tri-City Community Foundation will accept proposals from organizations that strive to preserve and/or enhance the quality of life of residents in the Tri-City communities. Programs or projects could address one or more of the following: Arts, Mental Health and Wellness, Education and Workforce Development, Leadership Development and/or Economic Opportunity.

Funding Considerations:

The Tri-City Community Foundation seeks to fund proposals that:

• Focus on work aligned with the Tri-City Community Foundation’s mission
• Exhibit the potential to accomplish meaningful results or impact in one or more of priority areas
• Address community challenges, underserved populations, and/or service gaps
• Articulate measurable outcomes (desired results), effective approaches, and viable plans for maintaining ongoing efforts
• Demonstrate strong community support, capable leadership, knowledge of and involvement in the communities served
• Include a realistic project budget and organizational financial information that demonstrates fiscal health
  • (e.g., diversified revenue sources, sustainability, solvent, etc.)