NOTE: Due to COVID-19, travel for professional development might not be possible. Applications will be accepted for virtual professional development opportunities as well as staff training.

New applicants are encouraged to contact the program officer to discuss eligibility prior to submitting an application. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the project start date.

The Program

Professional Development and Artistic Planning Grants are available to support the professional development needs of Southern presenters, programmers, or curators, for strengthening program design or increasing organizational capacity. South Arts strongly believes professional development for presenters/programmers/curators is integral to success, including traveling to see new works and attending convenings. This grant program is open to film, visual arts, performing arts, traditional arts, literary arts, and multidisciplinary organizations.

This funding can support staff’s travel expenses to conferences, festivals, exhibitions, workshops, and other professional development opportunities. Funding also supports guest artists’ or guest curators’ travel expenses for onsite planning meetings with presenting organizations. These grants support travel expenses (for example, lodging and air/ground transportation), admission/registration fees, and other related expenses. In addition, these grants support expenses for virtual professional development opportunities and staff training (for example, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility training or technology training for virtual engagements).

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.

Mission

We are a public foundation created to serve southern communities and organizations seeking social, economic, and environmental justice by providing them with financial resources, opportunities for technical assistance and training, and access to systems of information and power. 

Purpose

Develop and nurture grassroots community-based leaders and organizers. Build the capacity of their organizations. Strengthen rural communities and people. Develop equitable peer relationships, which support real transformation toward a just society.

Our Values

Using a grassroots perspective, we believe that culture is the essence of its people and should be valued, shared and preserved in the process. 

We must build our strength and unity by incorporating standards of integrity, respect, love, diversity, quality and interconnectedness.

Please note over the next four years SPF will focus on three primary issue areas in its grantmaking: Education Reform; Immigration Rights; and Voter Engagement

The Discretionary Fund

Existing grantee partners as well as organizations new to SPF may apply for funding. All applicants should fall within the scope of the SPF mission and guidelines: grassroots community organizing for economic, social and environmental justice, in rural communities in the South.

Discretionary support includes (not limited to) grants for capacity building, community organizing events and/or activities, and voter engagement activities. There are three primary funding areas within discretionary

• General Discretionary: funds in this category will typically be used to support community organizing activities or small projects that fit within SPF guidelines and will lend its self to creating change within SPF funding region.
• Technical Assistance: The funds awarded in this category will support the capacity building needs of your organization or your constituency. These activities could include (but are not limited to) strategic planning, organizational development, trainings for your base and/or constituency and small technology upgrades.
• Travel Assistance: This category includes (but again, not limited to) travel to and participation in conferences and actions of civic engagement.

Discretionary fund resources are limited. Organizations may submit a maximum of two requests per year for a total reward of $3,500 per year.  

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

The most versatile Alabama Power Foundation tool

As a part of all five of our initiatives – Educational Advancement, Civic and Community Development, Arts and Cultural Enrichment, Health and Human Services and Environmental Stewardship – Alabama Power Foundation Grants are designed to meet a number of different objectives.

Focus Areas

Arts & Culture

• Employing arts to incorporate academic achievement
• Exposing underserved youth to various artistic events and styles
• Grassroots arts programs
• Arts in education

Education

• Programs that improve literacy
• Teach and educational leadership development
• Programs that attract female and minority students to math, science and technology
• Programs that encourage students to finish high school
• Programs that encourage students who show aptitudes for skills to pursue careers in the trades

Environment

• Community gardens
• Aquatic gardens
• Urban forestry programs
• Environmental education
• Recycling/reuse programs
• River/watershed environmental programs

Health & Human Services

• Programs that promote health and well-being
• Programs that promote access to health services
• Direct service programs
• Programs that improve networks services (from parent organizations)
• Programs that combat childhood obesity

Communities

• Playgrounds & Parks
• Community improvement programs
• Youth development programs

NOTE:  Round 1 applications are due March 3, 2023. Select applicants will be invited to join the second- and third round RFPs.

Background

The national housing shortage continues to make headlines. Estimates on the number of homes needed to close the gap run in the millions. But one thing is clear: without a stable, affordable place to call home, it’s impossible to thrive.

In an effort to scale needed housing solutions, Enterprise and the Wells Fargo Foundation have teamed up to launch a new $20 million competition. The Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge will identify and propel implementation-ready innovations that transform current practices and reimagine access to affordable homes.

Eligible applicants will compete for individual grants of $1 million, $2 million and $3 million to scale ideas that lay the groundwork for system-wide change. Winners also will receive two years of technical assistance to turn their ideas into real-world programs.

Focus Areas

The Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge aims to meet the nation’s affordable housing challenges across Native, rural, suburban, Tribal and urban communities.

Proposals must encompass one or more of three focus areas:

Construction

• Construction innovations must introduce transformative practices, processes or new materials that will create construction efficiency, streamline supply chains, bolster climate resiliency, or reduce building costs.
• Construction approaches can include but are not limited to:
  • Creation and use of innovative, environmentally sustainable materials 
  • Streamlining the construction supply chain (e.g., materials production, purchasing, delivery, assembly) 
  • Innovative development in the affordable housing construction workforce to accelerate production 
  • New economies of scale through efficiencies in building design
• Construction technologies can include but are not limited to deployment of enhanced building practices and new building technologies.

Financing

• Financing innovations must introduce new tools or strategies to transform or offer alternatives to current practices, broadening access to capital, unlocking or leveraging financial resources, and creating a more equitable housing market for renters and homebuyers.
• Financing approaches can include but are not limited to:
  • New investment strategies
  • New funding sources to support acquisition, development, or building operations
  • New financing mechanisms for acquisition, construction, or permanent financing
  • Improved efficiencies in financing and underwriting
  • Risk mitigation through new investment approaches
  • New credit enhancement strategies
  • Unique ownership structures
  • New approaches that reduce the cost of capital
• Financing technologies can include but are not limited to deployment of technology that accelerates the financing process, development of tools that reduce timelines for approval, and development of tools that facilitate efficient, equitable access to capital.

Access and Resident Support

• Access and Resident Support innovations must introduce new processes or models that improve the housing experience for residents, such as housing access, choice, and stability, advancing fair housing, promoting personal agency and creating pathways for upward mobility.
• Access and Resident Support approaches can include but are not limited to:
  • New models that increase housing choice for renters and homebuyers, such as:
    • Improved housing search process
    • Expanding acceptance of renter subsidies
    • Ensuring equitable access to capital to support homeownership
    • Identifying and addressing discrimination or differential treatment against protected classes
  • Services that connect residents with resources to support upward mobility
• Access and Resident Support technologies can include but are not limited to development and deployment of technology to improve access to housing options, resident experience and resident housing stability.

Innovations across all three focus areas must demonstrate how they center racial equity and, where applicable, integrate environmental sustainability.

Mission

The mission of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) is to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public's health by providing U.S. researchers, health professionals, the public health workforce, educators, and the public with equal access to biomedical and health information resources and data.

Purpose

The Innovation Impact Award supports new projects that involve creative program improvement and seek to enhance health information outreach. These innovative projects may not fit squarely into the other award categories for Region 2. However, projects awarded in this category will still align with our larger funding objectives of enhancing the community’s access to health information resources, improving defined health literacy skills, and building community members’ confidence to make informed decisions regarding their health. The approach to these projects may be unique but will have the potential to make a large impact from their distinctive project design.

Potential Project Ideas

• Purchase software or hardware to improve operations in community organizations, health service organizations, libraries, or academic institutions in order to serve their constituents better.
• Pilot a reading group using the materials from the NNLM Reading Club about a prevalent health topic.
• Develop a more accessible and/or culturally inclusive collection of materials (ex: Spanish language, books by diverse authors, graphic novels about health issues, large print books).
• Form a mentoring group and schedule a professional development week for young people related to health issue. This program could integrate an educational component. Recruit adult mentors to support the program. 

NOTE: The 'pre proposal' deadline above is the priority deadline. It is not mandatory, but all applicants who submit by this date will receive feedback from the Outschool.org team.

Outschool.org Community Partner Grant Program

Are you an innovative microschool, homeschooling co-op, community-based organization, or K-12 district or charter school looking to provide high-quality, enriching, and learner-led education? 

Outschool.org is looking for at least eight organizations (“community partners”) aiming to close academic achievement and/or enrichment gaps for BIPOC and economically marginalized learners for our third cohort of community partners, sponsored by Walton Family Foundation. We co-design programs with community organizations and offer funding for program support, education design expertise, family navigation tools and programming, training, and access to technology resources. 

What Will Community Partners Receive?

Training & Support Valued at More Than $85,000

Throughout over the course of 1-2 years, Outschool.org will provide all community partners with support in educational programming co-design, marketing, family training and community building, and organizational stability and growth.

One $10,000 Grant to Support Program Implementation

All community partners will receive funding to pay caregivers to navigate educational options, or use towards stipends or salaries required for on-the-ground program support. For partner organizations that do not have direct-to-family public funds, Outschool.org will also provide $500/learner.

Free and Discounted Resources

Community partners will gain access to free and discounted resources, including but not limited to Outschool classes. Other high-quality content providers grantees can access include Reconstruction, CommonLit, Zearn, and Newsela.

Building Capacity to Increase Older Adult Access to Benefits

AARP Foundation has specific objectives to achieve outcomes for older adults with low income. These objectives focus on increasing income and decreasing expenditures, primarily through gainful employment, securing benefits, and accessing refunds and credits. Our work prioritizes equitable strategies and services that address systemic barriers, racial and ethnic disparities, and other biases that perpetuate economic instability.

Capacity building grants offer up to $50,000 to support direct service organizations in their efforts to work more efficiently and effectively with and for older adults. These grants are intended to aid organizational development at a structural level. Capacity Building grants are not intended to pay for general operating expenses or existing programs and services. These projects should instead focus on enhancing, optimizing or streamlining resources, processes, or programs to better assist eligible older adults with enrollment in multiple benefits during and beyond the grant cycle. Proposals must demonstrate that the expanded capacity is sustainable (financially and operationally) beyond the project lifecycle.

Capacity building support offered through this RFA is limited to organizational planning, implementation or evaluation of projects that focus on enhancing, optimizing or streamlining resources, processes or programs to better assist eligible older adults with enrollment in multiple benefits during and beyond the grant cycle.

Projects in the following categories are eligible:

• Planning
• Partnership/Relationship Development
• Operations
• Technology

Southern SARE recognizes the value and importance of on-farm research in developing solutions to agricultural production problems. On-Farm Research Grants provide opportunities for ag professionals working directly with farmers and ranchers to conduct on-farm research projects in sustainable agriculture. On-Farm Research Grants emphasize relationship building between the researcher and the farmer and help support farmers in their efforts to conduct new and innovative sustainable agriculture production and marketing practices.

Focus Areas

The focus areas have been chosen by the On-farm Research Grant Committee as areas needing investigation.  These focus areas elaborate topics for applicants who are in need of information on research areas of interest to the SARE On-Farm Research Grant program. 

 Beneficial Insect Habitat

• Developing cover crops or other plant mixes and locations that provide habitat (refuges) that keep populations of native beneficial insects living on the farm ready to attack crop pests as they occur.

Alternative Crops/Animals 

• Developing cover crops or other plant mixes and locations that provide habitat (refuges) that keep populations of native beneficial insects living on the farm ready to attack crop pests as they occur.

 Organic Agriculture 

• Projects that address the production, distribution, marketing and consumption of organic farm products.  This includes farmers adding value to organic products. Research into farming systems and practices that make use of on-farm biological cycles for soil, plant and pest management.

Sustainable Marketing Projects

•  Developing markets for existing or alternative crops, animals or products.

Sustainable Grazing Systems

• Use of native grass species and or plant/animal management systems to make grazing systems more sustainable.

Soil Organic Matter Building/protection/management

• Projects that increase the sustainability of farming systems by developing soil organic matter and soil biota.

Increasing Sustainability Of Existing Farming Practices 

• Any practice or system that increases the sustainability of an existing farming practice. The results should be able to be used by other farmers.

Appropriate Technology 

• Projects that develop a device or piece of machinery that promotes sustainable agriculture and can’t be purchased off the shelf.  

Agroforestry

• Studies are needed that demonstrate and quantify the feasibility of establishing agroforestry in the region.  Information on the performance of various forage combinations under shaded conditions is needed.