Hearst Foundations' Mission

The Hearst Foundations identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States have the opportunity to build healthy, productive and inspiring lives.

Hearst Foundations' Goals

The Foundations seek to achieve their mission by funding approaches that result in:

• Improved health and quality of life
• Access to high quality educational options to promote increased academic achievement
• Arts and sciences serving as a cornerstone of society
• Sustainable employment and productive career paths for adults
• Stabilizing and supporting families

Funding Priorities

The Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of interests – culture, education, health and social service – and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Culture

The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those which enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent.

Types of Support: Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Education

The Hearst Foundations fund educational institutions demonstrating uncommon success in preparing students to thrive in a global society. The Foundations’ focus is largely on higher education, but they also fund innovative models of early childhood and K-12 education, as well as professional development.

Types of Support: Program, scholarship, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Health

The Hearst Foundations assist leading regional hospitals, medical centers and specialized medical institutions providing access to high-quality healthcare for low-income populations. In response to the shortage of healthcare professionals necessary to meet the country’s evolving needs, the Foundations also fund programs designed to enhance skills and increase the number of practitioners and educators across roles in healthcare. Because the Foundations seek to use their funds to create a broad and enduring impact on the nation’s health, support for medical research and the development of young investigators is also considered.

Types of Support: Program, capital and, on a limited basis, endowment support

Social Service

The Hearst Foundations fund direct-service organizations that tackle the roots of chronic poverty by applying effective solutions to the most challenging social and economic problems. The Foundations prioritize supporting programs that have proven successful in facilitating economic independence and in strengthening families. Preference is also given to programs with the potential to scale productive practices in order to reach more people in need.

Types of Support: Program, capital and general support

NOTE: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the project start date. Applicants will be notified by email within four weeks of submission. Projects must take place between between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.

New applicants are encouraged to contact the director of presenting & touring to discuss eligibility prior to submitting an application.

Detailed Program Description

South Arts believes that rural communities deserve great art, and can require specialized support to make that vision viable. Distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, Express Grants support rural organizations and communities with expedited grants of up to $2,000.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must program arts experiences featuring an out-of-state Southern artist. Express Grants can be used to support fees for presenting Southern guest film directors, visual and performing artists, or writers from outside of the presenter’s state. Touring support is awarded for film (documentary, fiction and animation), performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater and dance), literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry), 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 component.

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 led by people 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. 

Guidelines

The project must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement component. Presentations at conferences and school-focused presentations (primarily engaging students, whether taking place at the school or another venue) will not be considered public presentations that are open and accessible to the general public; however, school-focused presentations will satisfy the educational component requirement.

The public presentation must meet the following requirements:

• For a public reading, a minimum of 30 minutes of presentation by the writer is required. 
• For a public performance, a minimum of 60 minutes of performance by the artist/company is required.
• For a public film screening, a minimum of 40 minutes of running time (this can include a full-length film or a collection of shorts) with the film director is required.
• For a public exhibition, a presentation with the artist is required.

The educational/community engagement component is an integral part of the engagement and should be carefully planned. A meaningful educational component should involve concentrated preparation by the artist/company and presenter, and include a learning event that has a lasting impact upon the audience (e.g., workshops, lectures and master classes). The artist(s)/company must conduct the educational activity. Please be aware that failure to include an educational/community engagement component will result in ineligibility.

Helping Build Stronger Communities

Mission

The Mission Statement of Vulcan Materials Company states that Vulcan “will be a good corporate citizen in each community in which we operate. We will support and take an active part in public and charitable projects.” Vulcan established the Vulcan Materials Company Foundation in 1988 to assist in carrying out that mission. Because contributions made by the Foundation are corporate-based business dollars, it is essential that they be made in a planned and consistent manner that best serves the combined interests of Vulcan and the communities in which we operate.

Vision

Helping Build Stronger Communities

Support Priorities

The Foundation supports many types of worthwhile organizations that enhance the quality of life in Vulcan’s communities. The Vulcan Materials Foundation focuses on three areas in particular:

• Working with schools;
• Supporting environmental stewardship; and
• Encouraging employee involvement.

Education

A major focus of the Foundation is to play a part in maintaining or improving the quality of life and standard of living through the support of education.

Elementary/Secondary Education

The Foundation will consider proposals that provide public education programs and projects that enhance the quality of learning for all students. The Foundation works to support efforts to improve educational systems and individual schools in Vulcan’s communities by partnering with public schools located in its operating areas. Vulcan has adopted 276 schools in its communities through support from the Foundation. It is Vulcan’s goal to increase the number of its school partnerships every year.

The Foundation is also interested in efforts to encourage young people to develop an interest in math, science and business. The Foundation, therefore, gives consideration to proposals designed to help maintain students’ curiosity and excitement about the world of math and science and to explore the world of industry and business. The Foundation is particularly interested in helping young people and their teachers understand the relevance of math and science to society, and supports efforts to link these subjects to their application in the workplace. The Foundation also will consider programs designed to educate our students about the vital role of business and industry in society.

Higher Education

Higher education will play an increasingly critical role in helping the economy effectively compete in the global market. The Foundation recognizes the invaluable contributions made by institutions of higher learning in educating the nation’s future workforce.

The Foundation will consider proposals from those institutions located in states where the Company has facilities, particularly proposals that focus on science and engineering or improving public education. Although proposals for capital improvements will be considered, the Foundation prefers to fund projects that directly affect the outcome of the educational process, such as scholarships and science and technology programs.

Environmental Stewardship

The Foundation supports the philosophy that economic development and environmental stewardship have common goals. Responsible economic growth provides the resources necessary to be a good steward of the environment, while this stewardship helps to sustain growth.

There are important links between industry, the environment and technological innovation. A society that is better informed about environmental issues will be able to participate more effectively in public policy debates. Grantmaking will focus on organizations and programs that seek to develop an understanding of the connection between environmental stewardship and sustainable development. 

The Foundation will consider supporting those environmental organizations that adhere to fact-based, balanced environmental principles.

Employee Involvement

Vulcan has a history of encouraging its employees to participate in volunteer activities in their communities. We recognize that our workforce offers a unique resource to provide leadership in the communities where we operate. Thus, high priority will be given by the Foundation to proposals from those organizations in which company employees are actively involved, especially in our focus areas of education and environmental stewardship.

Geographic Funding Priorities

In addition to the corporate headquarters, located in Birmingham, Alabama, there are eight Construction Materials divisions. Further, Vulcan has 400* active aggregates facilities located in 22 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, and Mexico and the Bahamas. Regarding proposals submitted to the Foundation, first consideration will be given to those organizations that will benefit the communities where Vulcan employees live and work. The Foundation’s giving program is decentralized to spread ownership of the program to a wider base. Because unit managers are directly involved with the communities where they do business, decentralization enables the Foundation to be more informed about, and to better address, local needs. Proposals submitted to the Foundation should be sent directly to the charitable contributions officer in the appropriate geographical area.

* Updated after the acquisition of U.S. Concrete

NOTE: Capital Campaign grants will be considered in the first and third quarters of each year (deadline February 1 and August 1). Grant applications pertaining to the Black Belt Region will be considered twice a year, on January 16 and June 16.

Since 2009, the Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation has been providing grants to nonprofit organizations in our community, the Black Belt, and the state as a whole to support a variety of programs. From education to the environment, from the cultural arts to neighborhood revitalization, the Foundation has distributed over $26,000,000 in grants to 221 organizations whose work we are proud to support.

The Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation seeks to strengthen communities and improve the quality of life primarily in the Birmingham metropolitan area and the State of Alabama.

Our Service Area

The Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation focuses its grantmaking in the Birmingham metropolitan area. Special consideration is given to support programs that serve the Woodlawn community in Birmingham.

The Foundation will also support efforts that build opportunities in the Black Belt of Alabama, particularly Hale and Greene Counties. Grants that impact the State of Alabama as a whole or that impact policy issues affecting all Alabamians will also be considered.

Grants from the Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation are made to support programs that impact:

• The Birmingham metro area;
• The Woodlawn area of Birmingham;
• The Black Belt area in Alabama;
• The State of Alabama as a whole, through influencing policy change at the state level.

Our Program Areas

The Foundation is interested in developing partnerships with nonprofit organizations to achieve measurable results in the following areas:

• Education
• We believe that every child should have the educational resources to become a successful adult. Based on our belief that education is still the best road out of poverty, the Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation supports a strong education pipeline. Grants are made to support efforts in early childhood to help children be ready to learn when they enter the school system. Other grants support teachers, students and families to help more children achieve and succeed. These include grants to improve academic outcomes through teacher and principal coaching as well as support for meeting non-academic needs, like physical and mental health needs.
• Neighborhood Revitalization
• We believe in the Purpose Built Communities’ holistic model for rebuilding strong neighborhoods. A strong cradle – to – adult educational pipeline, affordable mixed-income housing, wrap-around social services and local economic revitalization are necessary components for creating livable communities and helping to break the cycle of poverty.
• The Environment
• We believe that the protection of our natural resources and green spaces are vital to the environment and to the health of our communities.
• The Arts and Culture
• We believe that the cultural arts enrich lives and are an integral part of a dynamic and vibrant community.
• Positioning Strategic Community Assets
• We believe that the success of our community depends on the strength of its intrinsic partners – those institutions that represent the best of Birmingham. We are committed to their success.

Grant applications must be geared toward achieving specific results in these focus areas.

Program, Operating and Capital Campaign Grants

We fund capital campaigns and provide grants for operating and programmatic support to organizations engaged in activities that align with the Foundation’s funding interests listed above.

• Program grants are grants of up to $30,000 to support a specific program.
• Operating grants of any amount may be applied for in up to three year increments with an annual review.
• Our goal is to help our grantees focus more on their missions and less on application cycles.
• Capital Campaign grants of any amount will be considered in the first and third quarters of each year (deadline February 1 and August 1).

Snook Foundation Grant

Our mission is to provide funding for scholarships, promote health care, contribute to civic organizations for the general public, enhance school facilities and provide increased educational opportunities.

Over the last two decades, the foundation has provided funding for scholarships, promoted health care, contributed to civic organizations, enhanced school facilities and educational programs, and increased educational opportunities. We have expanded our goals and provided assistance in times of natural disasters, helped open the doors to numerous fitness, health, and medical centers, and provided a large umbrella of educational assistance with funding for libraries, historical organizations and local afterschool programs.

On the humanitarian side, the foundation has moved to help local nonprofit organizations that specialize in aide and assistance to our local residents. We have provided funding for local food banks, first responders, programs for veterans, and numerous other worthy agencies and organizations.

Our goal at The Snook Foundation is to continue to grow, support and provide to the numerous organizations that strive to open doors and lend assistance to the residents of Baldwin County. We will continue to evolve, much like our area, and our trustees will examine each grant request on a case-by-case basis. Our hope is to open new avenues and pave the way for current and future generations to succeed on all levels.

A Passion for Pets and Animal Services

The Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services is a special fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (CFGB) that considers grant requests from organizations with a mission or specific programs that involve traditional companion animals (cats, dogs, and horses). Areas of priority are:

• rescue/shelter programs for traditional companion animals
• spay/neuter programs
• animal-assisted therapy programs involving traditional companion animals
• education and advocacy programs (promoting the humane and dignified treatment of traditional companion animals)

In 2010, Birmingham businessman and philanthropist Ken Jackson honored the memory of his late dog Remy, a Jack Russell- Shih Tzu mix, by establishing the Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. The fund awarded its first grants in 2011 and since that time has awarded more than $500,000 to support diverse animal organizations in our community.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

NOTE: Micro Accessibility Grants will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning July 2022 through May 15, 2023. 

MICRO ACCESSIBILITY GRANTS

Micro Accessibility Grants provide up to $2,500 for organizations to make arts programs accessible to persons with disabilities.

The Southeast is home to some of the world’s more diverse and vibrant artistic communities. At South Arts, we believe that the arts are for everyone. The arts enrich the lives of people of all abilities and backgrounds. In our commitment to amplifying the success of the Southeast’s arts ecology, South Arts offers micro-funding to supplement the efforts of arts organizations throughout our service area. 

Art making is for everyone too! South Arts encourages arts organizations to hire artistic personnel of all abilities at all levels; for these grants in particular, we encourage arts organizations to work directly with artists who identify as disabled. 

Through our partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, South Arts offers small grants that compliment existing efforts by arts organizations to include audiences and artists with disabilities. Accessibility micro-grants are available to support Nonprofit, 501c3, arts organizations located within the South Arts Service region states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. This funding program is open to a wide variety of organizations, including community cultural organizations, museums, performing arts presenters, theatre companies, visual arts and music organizations. 

South Arts has prioritized the following:

• South Arts prioritizes applications from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ identifying organizations.
• South Arts prioritizes applications from organizations led by persons with disabilities or organizations that provide significant programming to artists or audiences with disabilities. 
• South Arts is committed to funding artists organizations in rural communities (with populations under 50,000).

Grant Requests

Applicants may request funding of $500-$2,500 for eligible projects. Organizations must provide a 1:1 funding match; note that 50% of the recipient's match must come from a cash match.

Alabama State Council on the Arts 

The Alabama State Council on the Arts is the agency charged with supporting the arts in Alabama, primarily through grant funding. It was established in 1966 by an act of the Alabama Legislature to benefit non-profit arts organizations, schools, colleges, local government departments, and individual artists to provide arts programming for the general public. The Council on the Arts works to expand Alabama’s cultural resources and preserve its unique cultural heritage . A high priority is placed on arts programming by and for schools and school-aged children.

Visual Arts

Nurturing excellence, professionalism, multiculturalism and audience access in the disciplines of painting, sculpture, crafts, printmaking, design, photography, and media that have origins and/or impact in Alabama.

Projects support a wide range of activities undertaken by museums, art galleries, art centers, and other organizations with visual arts and crafts programming. Preference is given to activities emphasizing the work, display, and interpretation of professional Alabama visual artists and crafts people.

Consolidated Project Grant

A single application that consolidates several related projects by the requesting organization may be submitted for new or existing activities.  

Examples of appropriate singular visual arts projects include:

• Projects that make programming accessible to special constituencies.
• Conservation of art works.
• Planning, preparation, promotion, and mounting of exhibitions by professional artists.
• Residencies or workshops conducted by recognized artists who do not work with the organization on a regular basis.
• Educational activities or services undertaken by a gallery or museum.
• Commissioning new works by Alabama artists or offering purchase awards to artists in juried exhibitions.
• Commissioning or purchasing works for art for public places. Consult with the Visual Arts Program Manager to determine the proper program category and appropriate supporting documentation.
• Activities enhancing the professional growth of visual arts and crafts organizations. This may include bringing in a consultant to implement an administrative or artist development project.
• Conferences and workshops designed to enhance communication, planning, programming, and artist skills.
• Publications promoting shows, artist and activities within the state, special documentary pieces for public use and non-commercial purposes; art criticism and discussion featuring Alabama artists and art work; and resource directories featured and presented as the main purpose of the festival.
• Touring of special exhibitions.

Appropriate singular media/photography projects include:

• Creative works about a broad range of topics and/or journalistic documentation of an artist or art form.
• Supplementing funds for producing, processing, editing, and distributing films, video, audio or other media presentations for public use.
• Residencies or workshops conducted by recognized film/video makers and photographers to discuss their art and interact with local artists and the public.
• Commissioning of a film or video by a recognized Alabama film or video artist(s) to be presented to the public as an expressive art form.
• Conferences and workshops designed to enhance communication, understanding, artistic and programming skills, planning, and cooperation relative to the media arts.
• Noncommercial publications promoting media arts and providing information on media arts for the general public.
• Film and/or video festival showcasing the work of independent media artists working in the state.

Criteria for Evaluation

The quality of work to be presented is an important consideration in reviewing proposals.Applications are graded on the following aspects: artistic excellence, Alabama’s living cultural heritage, evidence of community support, educational benefits, benefits to artists, cultural diversity, accessibility, appropriateness of venue, strength of personnel, an appropriate budget, established partnerships, and potential for long-term impact. 

Consolidated projects are also examined for the cohesiveness and interdependence of the aspects of the project.