Search Through Arts Grants for Nonprofits in District of Columbia in the U.S.

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.

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.

Global Impact Cash Grants

Identifying and incubating innovative early-stage solutions. We identify, incubate, and develop innovative early-stage solutions with the highest potential for impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We're looking for programs that fit within our investment sectors, focus on the underserved, and use technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services.

We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. A brief Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application. Please expand and carefully review each of the three sections below to learn more

Our priority social impact sectors

We focus on investing in innovative, tech-enabled solutions to the challenges and opportunities that matter most to communities in need, prioritizing four social impact sectors:

Cisco Crisis Response

Mobilizing to provide essentials to communities in need and those in crisis, including food, housing, secure connectivity, and disaster relief

By leveraging Cisco’s people, technology, financial resources, and strategic partnerships, we help strengthen community resilience and drive long-term recovery from crises.

Education

Supporting students, teachers, and schools by increasing engagement, building skills, promoting subject mastery, and expanding their capacity to thrive

Cisco is committed to inclusive access to digital skills training and supporting those who use technology to educate. Through programs like Cisco Networking Academy and social investments in education, we create new opportunities for individuals to thrive.

Economic Empowerment

Transforming communities through skill development, long-term career opportunities, entrepreneurship, and access to financial products and services

Strategic grants that unlock economic prosperity and growth for individuals and communities.

Climate Regeneration

Building an inclusive, regenerative, and resilient climate future through education, regenerative agriculture, conservation, protection, and clean energy solutions

Our efforts began in 2021, when the Cisco Foundation committed US$100 million over 10 years to fund nonprofit grants and impact investing in climate solutions. 

Mission

The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—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.

Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.

Culture Grant

The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those that enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent. Supported organizations include arts schools, ballets, museums, operas, performing arts centers, symphonies and theaters.

Funding Priorities in Culture

In the recent past, 25% of total funding has been allocated to Culture. Organizations with budgets over $10 million have received 60% of the funding in Culture.

The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted toward new grantees.

Types of Support

Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

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.

Philanthropy is our commitment to communities in which we operate and broader society. We focus our resources on a limited number of key projects that can deliver valuable benefits from our contributions and those of our partners. We give priority to innovative, high-quality projects that meet the following criteria:

• promote sustainable development
• offer an opportunity for Roche to use its expertise and logistics capabilities
• involve Roche actively at an early stage with local authorities and established partners
• engage Roche employees in cultural (focus on contemporary arts), educational and social activities
• managed by an accredited charity

Our four focus areas

Humanitarian and Social

We direct the majority of our philanthropic donations to humanitarian and social development projects.

Science and education

We are dedicated to programmes that promote scientific interest and provide educational opportunities for young people around the world.

Community and Environment

We are committed to building stronger communities and responding to natural disasters sustainably.

Arts and Culture

We support groundbreaking contemporary art, cultural projects and activities that explore the parallels between innovation in art and in science. 

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.

About

We are an all-volunteer women’s collective giving organization working to fuel the work of nonprofits addressing unmet needs in our community, particularly those that result from systemic racism and structural inequity. We aim to create and sustain a diverse community of dynamic women committed to building bridges across the wide demographic divides in the Washington, DC area and to empower women as philanthropists and leaders. Since 2021, we have awarded over $550,000 in funds to nonprofit organizations on the front lines of change in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Focus Areas

• Arts & Culture
  • Includes projects that foster greater exposure to or participation in the arts, expand arts education, or use art as a medium for creative expression.
  • Priority will be given to programs that target residents in underserved communities that have lacked access to quality arts programs.
• Environment, Preservation & Recreation
  • Includes projects that focus on improving or preserving the natural and/or built environments; promoting environmental justice, fighting climate change, and/or conserving natural resources; creating, restoring, or revitalizing recreational facilities or spaces; and enhancing community safety, particularly in communities which disproportionately lack green space and access to natural resources, recreational facilities, and safe communities, due to disinvestment and inequitable development.
• Education
  • Includes projects that expand or improve learning opportunities for students of all ages who lack access to a quality education, including projects focused on providing early childhood education, language and literacy skills training, and tutoring and mentoring, as well as programs focused on improving high school graduation rates and or enrollment in higher education, especially for populations that have experienced systemic racism or discrimination, including returning citizens and immigrant communities.
• Family
  • Includes projects that support the lives of individuals, children, families, and seniors, especially but not limited to immigrant communities, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color, focusing on housing, living wage, food insecurity, job skills training, and other basic needs.
• Health and Wellness
  • Includes projects that address access to health care and that seek to improve the physical or mental health of people who experience discrimination, including people of color, the disabled, and incarcerated individuals and returning citizens, as well as projects that foster healthy living habits and holistic wellness.

Funding

We require all proposals to include a plan and budget utilizing the full $100,000 award.

You may submit a proposal in excess of the Impact100 DC grant amount as long as:

• you are clear about where funds to cover the remaining costs are expected to come from, and
• your proposal budget clearly specifies what portions of the total project budget the Impact100 DC grant will fund.

Ameriprise Financial Grantmaking

At Ameriprise Financial, giving back is deeply rooted in our culture. We’ve initiated positive change in the communities where we live and work for more than 120 years. We believe our community involvement enables us to actively live our values. Through grant making, volunteerism and employee and financial advisor gift matching programs, we support a diverse group of over 6,000 nonprofits across the country.

Focus Areas

Awarding grant dollars to nonprofits is one way we strengthen our communities and help individuals on a path to financial independence. To ensure we're meeting the needs of our communities and making an even greater collective impact, we focus on three key giving areas when awarding grants.

Volunteer engagement is a priority across all focus areas:

The engagement of Ameriprise employees and financial advisors is a critical component of our philanthropy. Whether it’s serving on a nonprofit board, engaging friends, clients and community members in volunteering or providing skills-based support, our relationships with nonprofits go deep. For this reason, we give priority across all focus areas to applications where there is active volunteer engagement of Ameriprise advisors and employees. 

Meeting Basic Needs

At Ameriprise Financial, we help clients achieve financial security and peace of mind. That’s satisfying, meaningful work. We also help the people in our neighborhoods who struggle to meet basic needs such as where their next meal comes from, where they’ll sleep tonight or how they’ll find a higher wage job. We’re here to help them through the three platforms of our Meeting Basic Needs focus area.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Hunger
• Food banks, food shelves and food pantries, daily meal programs or meal services for the homebound
• Hunger-relief programs targeted to meet the special needs of children, ethnic populations or veterans
• Food programs run by nonprofits where hunger is not their sole focus, for example a youth meal program at the YWCA or a backpack program run by a Boys & Girls Club
• Shelter
• Emergency shelter, including youth homelessness
• Transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and efforts to end chronic homelessness
• Housing-first models (programs quickly providing housing and then addressing needed services)
• Achieving and maintaining home ownership, repair and maintenance efforts helping keep seniors, veterans and other populations in their homes 
• Adult Self-Sufficiency: Programs serving adults age 21 and older that help address the following areas:
• Basic hard and soft skills that help adults achieve economic and family stability
• Basic financial and budgeting skills
• Increase employability and wages, including work readiness and job transitions
• Employment of disabled adults

Supporting Community Vitality

We believe communities should be strong, healthy and resilient. We want livable places for all, where neighbors look out for one another, cultural events are well-attended and people pull together in times of crisis and joy. We work to create economic vitality and cultural enrichment through the following areas of focus.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Community Development
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Economic development
• Strengthening and supporting small businesses and nonprofits through technical expertise
• Cultural Enrichment
• Arts education
• Access for underserved populations
• Diverse artists and performances that spark topical community conversations 

Volunteer Driven Causes: Ameriprise employees and financial advisors are outstanding volunteers who serve in teams and also as individuals bringing personal skill-sets to nonprofits. Volunteering is part of the culture at Ameriprise and we are proud to support communities through contributions of both service and financial resources. 

Funding for Volunteer-Driven Causes is determined by current Ameriprise volunteerism. In general, funding is in proportion to the size of the Ameriprise volunteer team supporting a nonprofit. A team may include employees, financial advisors and/or staff or a combination of any Ameriprise volunteers. 

Many Hands Grants

Since 2004, Many Hands has granted more than $2.5 million to nonprofit organizations serving women, children, and families in socioeconomic need in the Washington, DC area. We currently make four grants each year, including one in each of four focus areas: economic empowerment, education, health, and housing. Of the four annual grantees, one receives the Many Hands $100,000 Impact Grant, and three receive Many Hands Partner Grants, the value of which is dependent on annual fundraising. In 2022, each Partner Grant was $67,000. 

Many Hands provides unrestricted funding (which may be used for operating, program, or capital expenses) to well managed and financially viable local organizations that operate effective programs and services. Successful applicants will be able to describe how a Many Hands grant will have an impact on organizational and/or programmatic capacity that leads to an increased ability to help the intended beneficiaries.

Focus Areas

Our grantmaking supports area nonprofits that serve women, children, and families in socioeconomic need through programs in the areas of economic empowerment, education, health, and housing.

Economic Empowerment

The Economic Empowerment Committee seeks to fund organizations that work to improve the economic security and financial well-being of women, youth (ages 14-25), and families in the areas of:

• Job readiness 
• Entrepreneurship
• College/post-secondary success
• Financial literacy
• Adult literacy
• English language proficiency
• Eliminating barriers to work (including legal, transportation, and childcare)

Education

The Education Committee seeks to fund organizations that work to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for children and families in the areas of:

• Early childhood education and development 
• School readiness
• K-12 education
• Academic support and enrichment (including tutoring, mentoring, arts, and after-school or out-of-school time programs)

Health

The Health Committee seeks to fund organizations that work to improve health and safety outcomes for women, children, youth, and families in the areas of:

• Healthcare access 
• Healthcare services and treatment
• Mental health and emotional support
• Substance abuse treatment/prevention (including family supports)
• Public safety (including domestic and community violence prevention)
• Hunger and food security
• Wellness
• Aging

Housing

The Housing Committee seeks to fund organizations working to support women, youth, and families facing homelessness or housing instability in the areas of:

• Homelessness prevention, including emergency rental or utility assistance 
• Emergency, temporary, and transitional housing and shelters
• Permanent or semi-permanent housing
• Housing with wraparound services
• Homeownership services

The Foundation

When Herb Block died in October 2001, he left $50 million with instructions to create a foundation to encourage the art of editorial cartooning and to support charitable and educational programs that help promote and support the causes he championed during his 72 years of cartooning. The Foundation is committed to defending basic freedoms, combating all forms of discrimination and prejudice and improving the condition of the poor and underprivileged.

Pathways Out of Poverty

This program will focus on helping needy young people and adults gain a quality education. For projects serving youth, The Herb Block Foundation seeks proposals which focus on improving student achievement and healthy development of young people. Projects may include in-school and community-based educational programs, after-school activities, and mentoring programs. Programs designed to increase high school graduation rates are encouraged to apply.

For projects serving adults, The Herb Block Foundation seeks proposals to provide literacy education and GED preparation, and to offer vocational training and job placement.Grants in the range of $5,000 to $25,000 will be considered. Grants will be considered for one year's funding.

About

The DC Oral History Collaborative (DCOHC) documents, preserves, and celebrates the lived experiences of all Washington, DC residents and communities through oral history. The Collaborative accomplishes this by providing training, mentorship, resources, programs, and funding to current and aspiring oral historians.

Grant Opportunity

Help us create exciting public humanities programs for the people of Washington, DC! This grant opportunity funds the creation of innovative interpretations of humanities scholarship for public audiences. Applicants are encouraged to think creatively about how they engage the public. Potential projects can include, but are not limited to documentary films, planning or executing an event or performance, publications and curricula, tours and exhibits, websites and other digital humanities projects; and archives.

This opportunity is part of the Humanities Grant Program supported with funding from the District of Columbia Government through the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Funding Scope

Visions – Projects & Events funds innovative interpretations of the humanities for public audiences. This includes support for ongoing programs or limited-time activities. All projects must incorporate relevant humanities scholarship into the stories that they tell and have an advisor or partner who is knowledgeable about the relevant field or subject matter.

Prospective projects must:

• be informed by one or more of the humanities disciplines;
• have an advisor or team member who is knowledgeable about the proposed subject matter;
• demonstrate a connection to Washington, DC;
• be innovative, unique, and of strong educational interest to a wide public audience; and
• be publicly accessible.

Project examples include:

• Neighborhood organizations partnering with local experts to create walking tours that explore the various layers of a community;
• Conferences focusing on the connection between national issues and their impacts on DC residents;
• Humanities organizations holding space for dialogue around civic engagement;
• Educational organizations creating an exhibition with a humanities theme as it relates to DC residents;
• Documentary films that tell a humanities story about Washington, DC;
  • Documentary films will be showcased in a HumanitiesDC sponsored film festival and be made available for non-commercial, educational use.
• Planning or execution of an event, conference, festival, or other gathering;
  • Events, conferences, festivals, or other gatherings should promote DC-focused humanities topics for the public.
  • They should create networking opportunities for humanities professionals, a platform for scholars and local experts, and/or a space for people wanting to explore a humanities-based topic or area of interest.
  • Additionally, they must be open to the public and include some portion of free or affordable programming.
• Development of humanities-focused publications and curricula;
• The development or enhancement of archives, websites and other digital humanities projects.

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.

Background

The Foundation seeks to be responsive to community issues and needs. Our process is highly competitive and is open to new projects and new organizations. The following summary, Examples of our Grant-Making, is offered to help guide applicants. While this is not intended to be an exhaustive description and may, as appropriate, change over time, we hope that the following will suggest the kind of meaningful work in which the Foundation is seeking to invest.

Generally, the Foundation looks to support work that improves the lives of DC-area residents, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable and underserved individuals. We encourage organizations that provide comprehensive services and work towards systemic change, which addresses all levels of, and all who are affected by, the issue. The goal is that all in the region become self-sufficient and lead healthy, fulfilling lives. We search for nonprofits that also employ effective partnering and show cultural competence in engaging effectively with communities and people of various cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. On occasion, the Foundation invests directly in strengthening the nonprofit sector by helping current grantees to build organizational capacity and by supporting advocacy and other efforts.

Grants are made in five program areas:

Arts and Humanities

The Foundation recognizes the intrinsic value of the Arts and Humanities, as well as their power to innovate and create social change. The funds distributed support an array of artistic disciplines, as well as organizations that promote the humanities. These nonprofits demonstrate the depth and breadth of their initiatives, including how to meaningfully engage communities that have been historically underrepresented in the Arts and Humanities.

Community Services - The Community Services portfolio includes, but is not limited to:

• Community Development
  • The Foundation seeks to ensure access to safe housing and economic development across the region. These awards support affordable housing production and preservation, services for people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, programs to address wealth disparities, as well as civic engagement and volunteerism.
• Children, Youth and Families
  • Grants in this area help young people improve their academic performance, gain employment, develop relationships with trusted adults and make connections to the larger community. The Foundation prioritizes programs that promote youth voice, empowering young people to advocate for change within their schools and communities.
• Justice
  • The Foundation seeks to ensure access to justice for all individuals in order to create a more equitable region. These grants support civil legal aid, services to survivors of violence, efforts to help people stay out of the criminal justice system and advocacy for system reform.
• Workforce Development
  • The Foundation supports organizations that focus on specific fields and career pathways as well as those that concentrate on broader job- and career-readiness.
• Capacity Building
  • The Foundation supports capacity building organizations that improve the sustainability, quality and impact of nonprofits in the region.

Education

The Foundation recognizes that a high-quality and equitable education system can reduce barriers to opportunity and transform lives. These grants aim to ensure that from the first day children enter an early childhood setting, to the day they receive a technical certificate or a degree, they are receiving an education that is founded in strong relationships, responds to their unique needs, and equips them with the skills they need to thrive and succeed in life.

Environment

The Foundation strives to restore and protect our region’s natural resources so that all individuals can have equal access to clean water, air and land. These grants focus on the restoration and protection of local parks, the Anacostia and Potomac rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Grants to environmental education and stewardship programs for people of all ages create greater awareness of the dangers of an unhealthy environment and the need to protect open natural spaces.

Health & Wellness

The Foundation takes a holistic view of health and wellness to ensure that across the region people of all ages can live healthier lives, regardless of income or zip code. These grants include healthcare provision and supportive services, food and nutrition, as well as coalition building and advocacy.

Background

Mid Atlantic Arts was established to promote and support multi-state arts programming in a region that includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is one of six regional arts organizations in the United States, and works in close partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and its member state and jurisdictional arts agencies. Mid Atlantic Arts distinguishes itself through its work in international cultural exchange, model programs in performing arts touring, its knowledge and presence in the jazz field, and its support of folk and traditional arts.

Mission

Mid Atlantic Arts nurtures and funds the creation and presentation of diverse artistic expression and connects people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond.

Vision

Mid Atlantic Arts envisions a future in which artists and creators are actively engaged with diverse communities to energize the transformative power of the arts.

Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Grant

Mid Atlantic Arts’ Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects that support the vitality of traditional arts and cultures in the mid-Atlantic region.

Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects that support the vitality of traditional arts and cultures in the mid-Atlantic region. Non-profit organizations in DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, USVI, PR, or WV may apply for $1,000 to $7,000 grants. A 1:1 match is required.

Eligible project activities may include performances, public art collaborations, workshops/trainings, exhibitions, fieldwork/documentation, and creation of new traditional work. Mid Atlantic Arts encourages projects that cross state/territory borders, as well as projects that support or engage underserved or underrepresented artists, practitioners, traditions, or constituents.

Grant support range: $1,000 – $7,000

Philip L. Graham Fund Grant

Named for the late Publisher of The Washington Post and President of The Washington Post Company (now Graham Holdings Company), the Philip L. Graham Fund devotes its resources to the betterment of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Fund awards several million dollars in grants annually to groups providing educational, health, community enrichment, and arts programs and services to communities in and around Washington, D.C.

What We Support

Understanding the broad and changing needs of the communities in and around Washington, D.C., the Philip L. Graham Fund is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide a wide array of direct services to individuals and families. The Fund awards grants across four focus areas and a geographically vast area that includes 10 counties in Virginia and Maryland as well as the District of Columbia.

The Fund is always looking for innovative and efficient organizations to support. Over the past several decades, the Fund has invested tens of millions of dollars in the physical infrastructure, information technology, and transportation needs of local nonprofit organizations. The Fund’s five-member board prefers to fund requests for one-time projects or expenses, but does occasionally award grants for program and general operating expenses.

In 2017, the Philip L. Graham Fund awarded $4.1 million in grants to 138 organizations across Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Twenty grants went to first-time grantees. Together, grants in the Health & Human Services and Education focus areas represented 84% of the Fund’s giving last year.

Focus Areas

From its inception, the Fund’s mission has been to use its resources for the betterment of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. In the past, the Fund also worked to foster improvements in the fields of journalism and communications. Grantees include large, regional organizations as well as small, community-based groups; all share a commitment to our community.

Health & Human Services

The Health & Human Services segment of the Fund’s portfolio is the largest portion of the Fund’s giving and includes a wide array of services designed to ensure everyone in the greater metropolitan area has access to the tools necessary for healthy and productive living. Nonprofits providing shelter, food, medical care, and workforce development programs to members of our community are a high priority for the Fund as well as efforts to increase access to fresh foods, legal services, routine primary care and dental visits, and comprehensive behavioral health services for children and adults.

Education

The Philip L. Graham Fund is committed to supporting efforts to advance and expand educational offerings for children and adults in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Fund gives high priority to programs that improve public education and adult literacy.

Arts & Humanities

From its earliest days, the Philip L. Graham Fund has supported both large and small arts organizations in and around Washington, D.C. Many of the city’s largest and most innovative theater companies, museums, dance companies, and arts education programs can trace their earliest funding back to the Graham Fund. The Fund remains committed to supporting longstanding organizations devoted to bringing high-quality and unique programs to the community and to seeking out new organizations bringing fresh ideas and offerings to the metropolitan area. The Fund is specifically interested in arts programming that shows a clear intersection with one of the Fund’s other focus areas.

Community Endeavors

Recognizing the importance of Washington, D.C., to the nation and the world, the Fund considers requests from institutions that tell the stories of our country’s history, values, and accomplishments and strengthen the greater metropolitan community as a whole. This includes support for a broad spectrum of organizations, such as institutions of national significance located in the metropolitan area, improvement of local parks and playgrounds, and efforts to help our community through programs that strengthen families and neighborhoods.

How and Why Giving Back to Communities is Important to O’Reilly

From O’Reilly Auto Parts’ inception, O’Reilly co-founder C.H. “Chub” O’Reilly instilled the culture of maintaining high standards for every endeavor, including the area of building civic pride. With Chub’s good example to guide them, all four of his children adopted a business and family philosophy of “giving back” to the community as the Company grew and prospered. Supporting a large number of charitable organizations in all communities in which we operate has long been a focal point for O’Reilly Auto Parts. In order to make an even greater impact, the O’Reilly Automotive Foundation was established in 2020.

O’Reilly Automotive Foundation, Inc.

Impact

The O’Reilly Automotive Foundation complements O’Reilly Auto Parts’ role as the Friendliest Parts Store in Town. The Foundation serves as an additional conduit to connect with, support, and strengthen the communities in which O’Reilly Auto Parts’ team members and customers live and work. The Foundation continues the philanthropic legacy of the O’Reilly family as dependable community partners, seeking to support critical services in times of need to build stronger communities.

Mission

The O’Reilly Automotive Foundation strives to have a lasting, positive impact in the communities where O’Reilly Auto Parts’ team members and customers live and work by supporting organizations and programs which address issues critical to improving the quality of life for underserved and underrepresented individuals and families. In particular, the Foundation will concentrate its giving in support of organizations and programs addressing economic stability and mobility, workforce development, health and social services, and disaster relief.

Economic Stability and Mobility

Advocating for and endowing programs which provide assistance with issues including hunger, homelessness, and poverty for the economic betterment of the communities in which we operate.

Workforce Development

Promoting programs which aid in workforce readiness, technical training, and literacy, including children’s literacy, to ensure the continuance of an educated society and a capable, innovative workforce.

Health and Social Services

Championing and prioritizing matters of health, including mental and behavioral health, access to basic needs such as medical and dental care for underprivileged communities, and providing funding for organizations focused on childhood development and children’s advocacy as well as care and support for victims of domestic violence.

Disaster Relief

Providing funding and visibility to organizations specializing in providing relief from natural disasters and state of emergency, including providing temporary shelter, food, water, and hygiene or sanitation products to those affected and aiding in cleanup efforts.

Application Requirements

We will consider three principal types of grants:

Project Support Grants support specific projects or programs aligned with our mission. These requests may include some funds earmarked for the overhead costs associated with running a project.

General Operating Support Grants provide limited general operating support for the core operations or organizations whose missions and activities are aligned with our mission. These grants will often help the grantee build organizational, programmatic, and fundraising capacity. Operating support is not intended to help organizations in fiscal crisis. Applicants must have a current strategic or business plan that clearly outlines the organization’s goals and presents a plan for achieving results. Operating support grants must not exceed 15% of an organization’s total agency budget.

Capital Support Grants provide limited support for capital campaigns to fund the acquisition and construction of facilities, existing property renovation, or the purchase of major equipment. The program has a comprehensive approach to funding capital initiatives, which also includes funding for increased program capacity. A feasibility study may be required for capital initiatives to be considered.

Partnering with nonprofit organizations and community involvement have always been a significant part of New Belgium's ethos. We strive to positively impact communities where we do business, to give back to those who have supported us along the way and to advocate for a future that's bright for all

In 1995 when the Grants Program was conceived, $1 for every barrel of beer sold was donated to nonprofit organizations in communities where our beer was distributed. This effort spurred the establishment of the coworker grants committee that, to this day, remains the backbone of the program. This inter-departmental group, open to all coworkers, researches, reviews and allocates funds to worthy organizations doing important work across our areas of focus.

Since its inception, New Belgium has donated more than $11.3 million through the Grants Program. All told we've donated more than $27 million to help solve the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges through grants and other giving initiatives. 

The purpose of the program is to serve and connect with communities where we sell our beers. We want to cultivate relationships and support those making an impact. Our program consists of both small and large grants and has had several focus areas over the years including: youth environmental education; sustainable agriculture; smart growth and climate; water conservation and restoration; social equity; bicycle advocacy; sustainable transportation; the arts; and substance abuse support. We are incredibly proud of our partnerships and the achievements of New Belgium grantees across the country.

Small Grant Focus Area: Bicycle Advocacy

It's no secret, we like bikes! The bicycle is near and dear to our New Belgium hearts, as you might notice from the label of our flagship beer, Fat Tire. Not only is the bicycle all kinds of fun to ride, but as our friend Jimmy Hallyburton says, it allows us to experience our communities and our world at the speed of discovery: to connect with the world around us in a way that simply cannot be achieved when a car door is separating us from our surroundings.

We are in support of Bicycle Advocacy projects that break down barriers and fosters support for riders of all ages and abilities. We believe the bicycle keeps ourselves and the planet healthy, and we celebrate it daily here at the brewery. Ride on!

Projects, Events, or Festivals

Projects, Events, and Festivals (PEF) furthers CAH’s mission by encouraging progress in the arts and humanities in the District of Columbia. This program supports individuals and nonprofit arts, humanities, arts education, and service groups. Strong applicants showcase their contributions to DC as a world-class cultural capital.

This grant opportunity program goals:

• Provide access to high-quality arts and humanities experiences for all District of Columbia residents.
• Improve quality of life by supporting vibrant community projects within the arts and humanities.
• Strengthen the creative economy through investments in local individuals and organizations. 

PEF is open for projects of all sizes that show District impact and engage District residents and visitors.

CAH encourages community-based projects. They share traits like location, interests, or impact. Arts and humanities projects may include concerts, art shows, readings, or festivals. These festivals feature dance, folk art, film, music, theater, and other art forms. CAH encourages unsure applicants to contact a CAH grants manager.

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?

In support of local visual artists and District nonprofit art organizations, CAH acquires studio artwork by metropolitan artists to become part of the permanent Art Bank Collection. New artwork is added annually through a competitive grant called the Art Bank Program Grant. CAH manages the artwork from this municipal collection and oversees the Art Bank Loan Program. Artwork is loaned to District Government Agencies and Council offices for display in public areas within DC government buildings. The Art Bank Collection, which started in 1986, has over 3,000 artworks.

CAH seeks grant applications from qualified artists and District nonprofit art galleries or organizations representing metropolitan artists for the acquisition of original two- and three- dimensional artwork including, but not limited to:

• Ceramics
• Collage
• Drawings
• Fabric Arts
• Mixed media works
• Paintings
• Photographs
• Prints
• Sculptures

For the purpose of this grant, metropolitan artist is defined as a legal resident of Washington, DC, or a legal resident within a 50-mile radius of the Washington, DC boundaries, for at least one (1) year prior to the application deadline.

Program Goals

• Grow the District’s collection of fine art to reflect the rich, diverse artistic history and communities of the metropolitan region.
• Provide support, exposure and professional benefit for visual artists residing in the District of Columbia metropolitan area.
• Enhance the aesthetic experience for District employees and visitors that access the District of Columbia government buildings and public spaces.

About NAEB

The Native Arts Ecology Building is a powerful tool that enables us to extend our impact beyond individual artists by supporting Native nonprofit organizations, artist collectives, and Native Community Development Financial Institutions (NCDFIs) in their efforts to uplift Native artists within their communities. Our cohort-based grant programs provide nonprofits with resources to identify opportunities for Native artists to thrive and to highlight their value to the broader Native community.

In 2018, we published a report detailing the results of our work with Native Arts Ecology Building Grant grantees, Investing in the Indigenous Arts Ecology. This report builds on the findings from our 2013 market study, "Establishing a Creative Economy: Native Arts as an Economic Engine.

Rooted Pathways

Rooted Pathways is a program that aims to provide resources and stability to an ecosystem of Native arts and cultural organizations through unrestricted general operating support, empowering organizations to define and advance their organizational well-being. If selected, organizations will be required to submit an Interim and Final report. Participation in the Learning Cohort is also a feature of this funding program.The program is designed to help organizations deepen their alignment with their mission and vision, strengthening their roots, fostering growth, and supporting their journey toward becoming thriving, resilient organizations.

This funding program is a part of the Wallace Foundation’s two- to three-year $36 Million Dollar Advancing Well-Being in the Arts Program.

Community Partnership Award

The Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award recognizes outstanding nonprofit organizations in the United States that have shown exemplary leadership by facilitating partnerships with public, private or social sector leaders who are working together as equal partners, not as donors and recipients, to build a cohesive community that serves as a model for collaborating with others for the greater good.

Each year, the Mutual of America Foundation sponsors a national competition in which hundreds of organizations demonstrate the value of their partnership to the communities they serve, their ability to be replicated by others and their capacity to stimulate new approaches to addressing significant social issues.

Six organizations are selected by an independent committee to receive the Community Partnership Award.

• The Thomas J. Moran Award is given to the national award-winning program and includes $100,000 and a documentary video about the program.
• The Frances R. Hesselbein Award is given to a partnership that is addressing social challenges in more than one community, or which demonstrates the potential to be replicated in other communities. This recipient receives $75,000.
• Four other organizations are named Honorable Mention recipients for their programs, and each receives $50,000.

Since its inception in 1996, the Community Partnership Award has recognized 262 partnerships from cities and towns across America. Like so many of our clients working in the nonprofit community, Mutual of America is dedicated to having a direct, positive impact on society.

Welcoming both those organizations with little to no experience presenting jazz and seasoned jazz presenters seeking to strengthen programming, application occurs annually through an open, competitive process. Once selected, membership is ongoing upon meeting annual requirements.

JTN expands the presentation of jazz throughout the mid-Atlantic region while ensuring regional programming reflects the vibrancy and diversity of the current field of jazz. Members take part in professional development activities and work together to block-book a series of jazz tours each year.

Delaplaine Foundation, Inc., is a private family foundation based in Frederick, Maryland, dedicated to the enrichment of communities and families within Maryland, nearby states and the District of Columbia by supporting programs to strengthen the arts and sciences, historical preservation, educational advancement, spiritual enlightenment and well-being.

What We Support

We are committed to strengthening communities and families through the support of non-profit organizations whose missions are closely aligned with our own, related to the cultural arts, educational advancement, health, human services, historical preservation, and spiritual enlightenment. Approximately 70% – 75% of our grant funding is awarded annually in Frederick County with the balance distributed in other parts of Maryland, to nearby states, the District of Columbia, and even some discretionary national and international grants have been funded. Eligible applications must be a nonprofit organization as recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)3 and 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Cultural Arts

The arts enrich the quality of life for everyone and elevate the quality of life in the communities where they exist. Delaplaine Foundation supports cultural organizations that bring performances and exhibits to the public, and provide arts education experiences to those who may not otherwise have such access.

Education

Delaplaine Foundation is committed to the support of students, educators, academic programs, and institutions through the funding of educational initiatives, tuition assistance programs and operational support.

Health

Delaplaine Foundation is committed to helping meet the physical, mental and behavioral health needs of individuals, families and communities, ensuring that quality health care is accessible to all.

Historical Preservation

Delaplaine Foundation believes strongly in the importance of history and preservation for present and future generations. Learning from the past helps us to best respond to the present and prepare for the future. For this reason, we support historical programming, as well as archival and structural preservation.

Human Services

Delaplaine Foundation supports non-profit organizations whose programs and services provide critical support and enhance the quality of the life for children, youth and adults.

Spiritual Enlightenment

Delaplaine Foundation values spiritual enlightenment, which we believe positively impacts and deeply enriches the quality of life for everyone and the community-at-large.

Corporate Contributions

Community involvement and corporate citizenship are an example of Insperity’s mission in action. We are committed to helping the communities where we live and work because together, we know we can make great things happen.

Grants

Philanthropic grants are a strong part of our community outreach and aid institutions needing financial support to meet important service goals.

Event Sponsorship

Fundraising events are an important part of nonprofit support. Insperity provides event sponsorships to approved charities to assist them in meeting their financial and community goals.

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation Vision

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation, "A Foundation for All", was established in 2002. It was begun in order to give a clear voice for those who wish to be a part of the many, worthy, forces for change in our world.

We are a foundation whose purpose is to look ahead towards the future, giving the past its due by remembering where we came from, and how much we can all accomplish together. We aim to make the critical difference on our planet by recognizing and having respect for our ever changing world. We respect all Life, the Environment, and all People, no matter who they are.