Search Through Community & Civic Engagement Grants in the U.S.

Background

EIn 1955, Ted re-established what was then known as the Glenellen Foundation, renaming it the A. O. Smith Foundation. The Foundation's mission was to support qualifying charitable, educational, human services, scientific, literary, cultural, arts, and civic organizations located primarily in communities where A. O. Smith Corporation has facilities.

Throughout his life, Ted engaged in numerous civic and community activities in Milwaukee. He and his wife Lucy established a convalescent home for children suffering from tuberculosis. Ted also gave a lot of his time to the Medical College of Wisconsin, heading “Project Merit” to raise $17 million to construct a medical education and research complex.

Our Mission

The A. O. Smith Foundation is committed to making our communities a better place to live and work. We achieve this by partnering with and supporting education, arts and culture, health, and human services in the communities in which we operate. At the same time, the Foundation encourages A. O. Smith employees around the world to live the Company’s values through volunteerism and community involvement.

Our Values

Active Patience

Good outcomes take time. While patience may suggest stasis, such rigorous discipline in fact requires constant, dynamic engagement. 

Independent Thinking

Different is our advantage. In a world where fitting in feels better than standing out, generic viewpoints and hollow information reign supreme. 

Focused Expertise

We go deep. Jacks of all trades need not apply. 

Bold Teamwork

Confident humility holds us together. No one person is sufficient to our clients’ success. We can only win as a team, and we know diverse teams drive better outcomes.

Ariel Investments Charitable Donations

At Ariel Investments, we have made a firm-wide commitment to social and civic responsibility. We believe that it is our duty to support the community in which we work and live.

Crankstart Foundation Grant

Crankstart is a San Francisco-based family foundation devoted to bolstering the foundations of a just society - wider access to better education, jobs with prospects for advancement, housing security, social welfare and the protection of civil rights. Crankstart also supports the arts, basic science and efforts to mitigate climate change. About 60% of grants go to groups in the San Francisco Bay Area.

While the Bay Area is our home, on occasion we have made commitments elsewhere – particularly in Chicago and the United Kingdom. The bulk of our grants fall between $100k - $1m. Once we have developed confidence in an organization, we lean toward making multi-year commitments for general support.

Crankstart envisions a vibrant, thriving Bay Area, where our region’s prosperity is strengthened and shared more equitably by all who live here.

Programs

• Economic Mobility - Everyone should have choices and opportunities that lead to economic stability and security. Crankstart focuses on root causes of economic disenfranchisement, particularly in low-income communities hurt by generational poverty.
  • We support work that:
    • Provides the tools and training needed for careers and economic security.
    • Strengthens safety net programs that provide food and health services.
    • Increases access to public benefits programs serving low-income people.
    • Mitigates the insidious effects of fines and fees that erode wealth.
• Education: Our public education system should provide every child and adult, regardless of circumstances, an opportunity to shape their lives.
  • We support work that:
    • Expands post-secondary access to academic and vocational studies, to help students develop the tools and resilience needed to pursue upward mobility.
    • Develops more opportunities for early childhood education and out-of-school learning, particularly in historically marginalized communities.
    • Strengthens the teacher pipeline, to recruit and retain excellent educators in public schools.
• Democracy: We envision a robust democracy in which elections are held securely and with integrity, every person has the information they need to fully participate in civic life, and the underlying structure of our electoral system is fair.
  • We support work that:
    • Protects voting rights through mobilization and engagement.
    • Supports immigrants, ensuring they have the opportunities they need to thrive.
    • Works to change harmful and unfair criminal justice policies.
    • Develops robust interventions to mitigate recidivism and provide economic opportunity.
• Housing Security: Housing security means all people have a place to call home. They have choices that promote economic well-being, health and safety.
  • Crankstart supports work in San Francisco and Oakland that:
    • Reduces homelessness through preventive measures and targeted services.
    • Provides affordable housing choices that allow people to live near work and become involved in their communities. We emphasize housing opportunities for those who are most affected by displacement and high housing costs.
    • Uses policy, law, public resources and good governance to promote economically integrated communities.
• Environment: Communities disproportionately affected by climate change should be partners and the primary beneficiaries of mitigation efforts.
  • We support work that:
    • Accelerates the transition to clean energy.
    • Restores and protects ecosystems in ways that benefit local communities.
• Medical Science & Innovation: Basic science is a foundation for knowledge and discovery based on facts, hypotheses and replicable results. This painstaking endeavor enhances our understanding of the world around us, which may translate into breakthroughs that benefit humans and life on earth.
  • We support work that:
    • Gives researchers funding and time to test novel hypotheses.

Vision

To promote wellness and access to opportunities so that individuals and communities can thrive.

Grounded in our work in Connecticut and New York, we support visionary leaders and nonprofit organizations that serve historically marginalized populations, help individuals contribute to their communities, and champion advancements and experiences that make it possible for all people to live healthy and joyous lives.

Our Story

The Tow Foundation was established in 1988 by Leonard and Claire Tow as a way to give back to the communities that shaped them.

Leonard and Claire’s three children, Andrew, Emily and Frank, joined the board of directors soon after its inception, and our initial investments were largely guided by the personal passions of the boardroom. With a focus on New York, our earliest grants went to innovative projects in the fields of medical research and higher education.

As our organization evolved, so did our areas of support. Emily Tow was hired as the Foundation’s president and first full-time staff member in 1995. Motivated by the belief that every child deserves an opportunity to thrive, our grantmaking expanded to include nonprofits with a focus on youth justice. As the years went by, the transformative power of theater and performing arts led us to add culture as a core area of interest.

Today, our five primary impact areas are

• Arts and culture,
• Higher education,
• Civic engagement,
• Equity and justice
• Medicine and public health.

What We Fund - Justice Initiatives

We must address the harm caused by unfair systems and work to build new ones grounded in equity and justice. To realize a future in which all people are healthy, safe, and free to lead a fulfilling life, there must be a commitment to racial equity and justice.

We invest in work at the policy-change level to end mass incarceration, mass criminalization, and other harmful systems. We also fund direct service organizations working to support and empower individuals and families who have been impacted by these systems.

• Advocacy, organizing, and coalition-building, led by directly impacted leaders
• Initiatives that affirm the humanity and dignity of people who are incarcerated and remove barriers to their success
• Opportunities, care, and resources for individuals impacted by the criminal legal system
• Cross-disciplinary, intersectional approaches to achieving equity and justice

Exemplary Projects Awards

Goldin Foundation for Excellence in Education Exemplary Projects Awards are designed to recognize excellence, expertise, and demonstrable achievement in education. They are recognition awards to projects of excellence that have been in existence for a minimum of 3 full years and have potential for replication and/or adaptation. Criteria for this award correspond closely to the Foundation’s belief that educators play a vital role in society supporting young people’s growth and preparing them to be adaptable, flexible, creative, and responsive to future societal changes.

Criteria used in the selection process of a project recognized for excellence are:

• The tangible project demonstrates excellence in education and has successfully impacted children, students, and/or educators: early childhood-grade 12.
• The project exemplifies a creative and innovative approach that has made a difference in a classroom, school, or community.
• The project evidences: developing academic, social, and emotional growth of young people; respecting individual needs and talents; fostering self-esteem; and encouraging realization of individual potential.
• The project fosters and evidences a community of teachers and learners.
• The project encourages and evidences civic awareness and engagement.
• The project has been implemented for a minimum of 3 full years.
• The project has potential for replication and/or adaptation.

Funding

At the discretion of the Goldin Foundation for Excellence in Education Advisory Board, awards will be $5000-$10,000. Approximately 3-4 awards will be given each year. Recognition wards must meet criteria; and they will include a nomination process and a visit by Goldin Foundation Advisory Board members. 

We believe those most impacted by inequity and injustice are in the best position to develop solutions. Our intent is to achieve a better future for all by providing support to community-based, grassroots organizations confronting social and environmental injustice. We are inspired by Civil Rights icon John Lewis’ admonition, “Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

The National Grassroots Organizing Program (NGO) offers two-year unrestricted, general operating support grants of up to $30,000 per year, with an average grant size of $20,000 per year, to small (budgets under $350,000), constituent-led grassroots organizations throughout the United States and its territories.

Our Approach to Funding

While our broad goals are to further social and environmental justice, our primary purpose is to support the local leadership and grassroots organizing activities of our grant partners rather than any specific issues the organizations are addressing. We are interested in supporting groups that are carrying out activities that build support and collective action to address impacts of inequity and injustice in their communities.

While our broad goals are to further social and environmental justice, our primary purpose is to support the local leadership and grassroots organizing activities of our grant partners rather than any specific issues the organizations are addressing. We are interested in supporting groups that are carrying out activities that build support and collective action to address impacts of inequity and injustice in their communities.We are guided by common principles of community organizing which we look for in proposals. In general these are:

• The organization is led by the people directly impacted by the issues the organization works on, and those people have clear decision-making power.
• A plan with clear goals to gain rights, win collective political power and create positive community change.
• An assessment of the problem being addressed and best tactics to employ.
• Outreach, networking, and ally gaining activities that build support and momentum.
• Educational activities and events that inform and motivate and build support.

We know that organizing can take many forms. Some grassroots organizing activities might include but are not limited to:

Community & ally outreach

Consistent, multi-faceted efforts to recruit and engage people in your work. Examples include sharing information and resources, public forums, canvassing, workshops, tabling at events, phone-banking, and media engagement.

Leadership development of constituents

Investing time, training and resources to cultivate innate leadership assets within people who historically haven’t had access to civic and community engagement opportunities or positions of power.

Constituent empowerment & decision-making

The organization is driven by the people impacted by the problem. Constituents define core values, identify and prioritize issues, and determine the appropriate course of action to solve them.

Popular education

An educational technique, based on the theories of Paulo Friere, designed to raise the consciousness of its participants and allow them to become more aware of how an individual’s personal experiences are connected to larger institutional or societal problems.

Root cause analysis

The practice of continually peeling back the layers of a problem and asking “why?” each one exists until the root cause(s) of the issue can be identified and targeted for change.

Power analysis

The process of identifying which individuals or entities hold the power to make decisions that positively and negatively affect an issue.

Campaign development

A game plan of action including tactics, materials, timelines and their intended audiences and effects.

Mobilizing constituents & allies

Moving people to take specific action toward achieving a common goal. Examples include attending rallies and protests, tabling at events, testifying at hearings, contacting public officials, speaking to the media and phone-banking.

Coalition building

Partnering with other organizations that have allied missions and interests with the goal of creating power in numbers.

Non-violent direct action (NVDA)

Public forms of protest for the purpose of demonstration, obstruction or dissent.

Journalism & Media Grant

The Journalism and Media program seeks to promote and amplify just and inclusive news and narratives, based on the belief that accurate and compelling media plays an important role in informing, engaging, and activating individuals and groups to take part in democratic practices and processes.

To build and strengthen organizations creating and disseminating just, accurate, and inclusive news and narratives, the program supports work in three areas:

• Professional Nonprofit Reporting
• Nonfiction Multimedia Storytelling
• Participatory Civic Media

In each of the three areas, the program pursues the following objectives:

• Build strong, independent, and sustainable organizations and networks that exemplify leadership and innovation in a rapidly changing media ecosystem and comprise the media infrastructure required to meet the democratic ideals of a multiracial, multiethnic America.
• Address barriers that limit the creation of, access to, or participation in media activities, including the legal, safety, digital security, and technological challenges facing organizations and individuals.
• Promoting learning, leadership, innovation, and field-building opportunities that explore timely and emerging issues related to the production, dissemination, and engagement with journalism and media.

Our Journalism and Media program supports U.S.-based nonprofit institutions with national reach and influence. In a few cases, we support regional and place-based organizations that are exemplars in their fields and provide a model for others to replicate.

We also support journalism and media in Chicago, where the Foundation is located, and in 2021, in partnership with MacArthur’s Technology in the Public Interest Program, we began supporting a small portfolio of organizations and activities focused on combatting racialized disinformation and conspiracy.

Types Of Projects That We Fund

We support our grantee partners in implementing various independent revenue-generation projects. From optimizing online donation forms to selling climate justice walking tours on AirB&B Experiences to embedding peer-to-peer fundraising in relational organizing, our partners are experimenting with endless ways to grow their revenue.

Our Program Areas

REALIZING DEMOCRACY

We support work that creates informed and engaged communities, sparking civic participation and empowering them to hold companies and lawmakers accountable for the fair and equitable treatment of all people and communities.

ACHIEVING JUSTICE

We support work that addresses the barriers to equality that people face because of who they are, what they believe, a condition they have, something they have done or are trying to do, or a role they have (i.e gender justice, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, religious freedom, HIV/AIDS, immigration rights, economic justice, parental rights, education, incarceration, etc)

RESTORING THE ENVIRONMENT

We support work that protects and restores our earth and addresses the right that all people have to a clean and healthy environment.

The Affirm Cares Employee Foundation

Our 501(c)(3) non-profit was established by Affirm in late 2019. We aim to make a significant and meaningful impact in the communities where we work and live.

Purpose

Affirm Cares gives grants to and partners with local organizations that make a meaningful impact in our pillar focus areas. We empower organizations working to provide financial literacy and inclusion, alleviate housing insecurity and homelessness, encourage civic engagement, promote community enrichment, and technology education. We support sustainable and scalable initiatives with a measurable impact in at least one of our three pillars: 

• Financial Literacy and Inclusion
• Vibrant Communities
• Technology Education and Training

Focus Areas

Affirm Cares volunteers share our time, funding, and energy to support:

• Financial literacy & inclusion: Provide fair and responsible credit for communities and businesses, credit education support, and nonprofit investments focused on equitable economic growth.
• Technology education & training: Support access to technology for K–12 coding academies and bootcamps, as well as providing workforce development and support for small urban and rural businesses.
• Vibrant communities: Partner with organizations focused on housing insecurity, homelessness, civic engagement, neighborhood preservation and revitalization, small business development, and community enrichment.

Funding

 Awards will typically range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000 barring exceptional circumstances. 

We work with involved citizens, organizations and corporate partners on local initiatives to promote civic pride, economic development and revitalization.

Causes we support

Environmental Stewardship - With a commitment to sustainability, we give priority consideration to organizations whose programs preserve and/or enhance renewable resources and empower environmental stewards.

Sustainability Education - We’re committed to equipping individuals with knowledge needed to enhance their communities through programs that support clean, resilient and sustainable place to live.

Community Vitality - When we ensure that our neighborhoods and communities are safe and sustainable, we provide the best living environment for customers, employees and stakeholders.

Environmental Justice - By engaging with people in the communities where we operate, we can understand their needs and address operational impacts to help those communities thrive.

Workforce + Skills Development - We strive to give individuals the tools and training they need to excel while empowering employees to take care of our customers, neighbors and their environment via programs that prioritize economic mobility.

Supplier Diversity - We address inequity and economic development for underserved groups by working towards targets that prioritize collective impact, collaboration, education, and achieving ambitious sustainability initiatives.

Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation collaborate with a wide range of nonprofit organizations that align with our strategic funding priorities. We prioritize our funding to activities and programs that have a broad reach and support the needs of underserved communities. We aspire to have a positive impact on the communities we serve by using our financial and volunteer resources and business expertise in collaboration with community organizations to help solve complex societal problems.

• Financial health
• Housing affordability
• Small business growth
• Sustainability

We may also support other local needs in eligible communities such as disaster relief, arts and culture, civic engagement, education, human and social services, and workforce development. However, opportunities are limited as our intent is to direct the majority of our giving within our major focus areas.

The Ford Foundation seeks to reduce inequality in all of its forms, and artist-driven documentary and emerging media projects are crucial to this effort. As part of the Creativity and Free Expression program, JustFilms funds social justice storytelling and the 21st-century arts infrastructure that supports it. The projects and people we support inspire imaginations, disrupt stereotypes, and help transform the conditions that perpetuate injustice and inequality.

What we do

We believe that artist-driven moving image storytelling is vital to the pursuit of justice and equity in the 21st century. To flourish, storytellers and their networks need aligned creative, financial, and professional support, as well as distribution systems that enable them to reach a wide range of audiences. Historically, the field of independently produced film and emerging media has been under-resourced—and affordable, reliable access to the work for audiences remains a challenge.

To address this, JustFilms supports ideas, individuals, institutions, and networks that work to reduce inequality through film, video, and emerging media platforms, with a special focus on documentary practices. We strive to increase resources in the field, develop artists as leaders, and connect storytellers with the tools and talent they need to do their best work, amplify their message, and extend the impact of their projects.

JustFilms projects are inspired by courageous individuals and undaunted communities seeking justice. These powerful stories expand opportunities for civic engagement and affirm the central role of cultural strategies in social transformation. Our strategy is informed by the foundation’s long history of supporting independent documentary film, public media institutions, artists, and freedom of expression—all of which have had a profound effect on the public consciousness.

JustFilms inquiry

JustFilms supports independent film and emerging media projects that explore urgent social justice issues and seek to challenge inequality in all its forms. We also support the organizations and networks that help further these projects. Funds are distributed in two areas, social justice storytelling and 21st-century infrastructure, which together aim to transform pervasive narratives that produce and maintain inequality, and attract more resources for artist-driven creative visual storytelling around the world.

Large Grants

For Requests Above $10,000

Organizations requesting a grant greater than $10,000 or more must use the application set forth below. All grant applications must satisfy the Foundation’s eligibility requirements and restrictions irrespective of grant size.

Our Program Areas

Our Foundation focuses on several key program areas that aim to create lasting, positive change in the communities we serve. These areas include Arts and Culture, Civic and Public Affairs, Education, Health, and Human Services. 

Arts and Culture

Our Foundation is dedicated to supporting the arts and culture as essential elements that enrich and define our communities.

Civic and Public Affairs

Our Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations and initiatives that promote civic engagement and strengthen public affairs. 

Education

Our Foundation is committed to supporting educational initiatives that provide equitable access to learning and foster the development of critical skills for individuals of all ages.

Health

Our Foundation is committed to supporting initiatives that improve health and well-being, with a focus on promoting access to quality care and addressing health disparities. 

Human Services

Our Foundation is dedicated to supporting human services initiatives that address the immediate and long-term needs of individuals and families, particularly those facing challenges such as poverty, homelessness, and hardship. 

Smaller Grants

For Requests of $10,000 or Less

Organizations requesting a grant of $10,000 or less must use the application set forth below. All grant applications must satisfy the Foundation’s eligibility requirements and restrictions irrespective of grant size.

Our Program Areas

Our Foundation focuses on several key program areas that aim to create lasting, positive change in the communities we serve. These areas include Arts and Culture, Civic and Public Affairs, Education, Health, and Human Services. 

Arts and Culture

Our Foundation is dedicated to supporting the arts and culture as essential elements that enrich and define our communities.

Civic and Public Affairs

Our Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations and initiatives that promote civic engagement and strengthen public affairs. 

Education

Our Foundation is committed to supporting educational initiatives that provide equitable access to learning and foster the development of critical skills for individuals of all ages.

Health

Our Foundation is committed to supporting initiatives that improve health and well-being, with a focus on promoting access to quality care and addressing health disparities. 

Human Services

Our Foundation is dedicated to supporting human services initiatives that address the immediate and long-term needs of individuals and families, particularly those facing challenges such as poverty, homelessness, and hardship. 

What is 100x...?

100x Impact Accelerator is a world-leading impact accelerator, based at the London School of Economics. Our goal is to create cohorts of social unicorns driving positive social change around the world - at scale.

We have built 100x on a set of values that embrace ambition, humility, rigour, and trust. We believe in entrepreneurs that take risk, stay curious, and prioritise their mission. We like evidence based solutions where end customers and constituents find real value in the products or services they are accessing. And most of all, we know your work is some of the hardest work in the world. That’s why we believe in empathy – making sure you have people by your side who can support you on your journey and have been in your shoes before.

What we are looking for

100x is looking for the next generation of social unicorns - organisations affecting positive change on the scale of billions. We are looking for radical thinkers, the visionaries and the entrepreneurs who crave a new, better world.

Impact Areas

• Climate and Environment
  • We recognise that the world is facing unprecedented environmental challenges.
  • We aim to support and accelerate the development of innovative solutions that address these challenges and promote environmental sustainability.
  • We believe that entrepreneurship and innovation are key drivers of environmental progress.
  • This is why we work with passionate and visionary entrepreneurs who are developing solutions that reduce environmental impact, promote resource efficiency, and create sustainable value for all stakeholders.
  • Our goal is to shape a planet where humans thrive, economies develop, and the environment prospers.
• Democracy
  • We believe that social movements and interventions are fundamental to shaping healthy democratic systems and that strong and inclusive democracies are essential for promoting human rights, social justice, and sustainable development.
  • Our goal is to support and accelerate the growth of innovative solutions that strengthen democracy and promote citizen participation.
  • We believe that access to information, civic education, and inclusive political processes are critical for promoting democracy and ensuring that all voices are heard.
  • At 100x, we aim to help ventures build scalable, impactful businesses that can transform how citizens engage with politics and hold their leaders accountable
• Happiness and Wellbeing
  • We believe that a thriving society must prioritise the well-being of its people.
  • We recognise that happiness and well-being are not just individual concerns but also significantly impact social and economic outcomes.
  • Our goal is to support and accelerate the development of innovative solutions that promote happiness, mental health, and well-being.
  • We believe that access to quality mental health resources, community support, and healthy lifestyle choices are essential for promoting overall well-being.
  • There are social enterprises redefining how wellness works - for all, not just a few, and we're determined to accelerate the impact of those making huge strides towards a happier society.
• Education
  • Education is a powerful tool for creating positive change in the world.
  • Our goal is to support and accelerate the development of innovative education solutions that have the potential to transform the way people learn and acquire skills.
  • We believe there are social enterprises creating bold solutions that level the education playing field.
  • At 100x, we want to partner with these ventures and skyrocket their impact; fundamentally transforming education systems for students, families, and teachers around the world.
• Equitable Economies
  • We recognise that the current economic system is not working for everyone.
  • We believe that a more equitable economy is not only possible but essential for creating a sustainable and just future.
  • Our goal is to support and accelerate the development of innovative solutions that promote economic equity and empowerment, particularly for marginalised communities.
  • We believe that radical thinkers are the key to replacing broken economic models.
  • At 100x, we're searching for social ventures who are proving that fair and inclusive economic systems are not only possible but scalable.
• Health and Social Care
  • Healthcare systems around the world are facing significant challenges, including rising costs, inadequate access, and poor-quality care.
  • Our goal is to support and accelerate the development of innovative solutions that improve health outcomes, promote wellness, and increase access to healthcare and social services.
  • We believe there are social enterprises creating scalable solutions to improve population health, and we want to partner with these ventures that share our vision of driving radical social change in this area.
• New Frontiers
  • We believe that disruptive innovation and emerging technologies can potentially transform the world in unprecedented ways.
  • New frontiers in science, technology, and entrepreneurship are opening up new opportunities for addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges.
  • Our goal is to support and accelerate the development of innovative solutions that leverage cutting-edge technologies and disruptive business models to create positive impact at scale.
  • 100x aims to work with passionate and visionary entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible and disrupting the status quo by helping them to build scalable impactful businesses that can transform industries and create new markets.
• Refugees and Cohesion
  • We recognise that the displacement of people due to conflict, persecution, and natural disasters is a major global challenge that requires urgent attention.
  • We believe that promoting social cohesion, inclusion, and integration is critical for creating a more just and peaceful world.
  • We aim to support and accelerate the development of innovative solutions that promote the integration and wellbeing of refugees and host communities.
  • We know there are passionate and visionary entrepreneurs who are committed to creating sustainable solutions that address the needs of refugees and host communities.
  • We want to help them build scalable, impactful businesses that can transform how refugees are supported and integrated into their new communities.

Selection Criteria

100x is looking for the next generation of social unicorns - organisations affecting positive change on the scale of billions. Our selection process is rooted in a holistic evaluation of both the people and the model. Here are the key criteria we consider:

• Outstanding Leadership
  • We want to back social entrepreneurs who demonstrate grit, potential for growth and ambition for the future
• Addressable Impact
  • Identified and evidenced impact opportunity that is sizeable and can create system level change
• Established Proof-of-Concept
  • Developed and delivered a model with evidence to suggest it is the ‘right solution'
• High Velocity of Change
  • Growing traction and there is a sense of solution being on the precipice for explosive growth
• Distinctiveness of Solution
  • A quality or feature that is impressive, rare and novel
• Cohort Fit
  • Alignment with our programme offerings, cohesiveness across the portfolio, and willingness to be an ambassador for 100x

Through these criteria, we aim to select ventures that not only have innovative solutions but also leaders deeply committed to driving positive social and environmental change. We value proximity to communities, inclusive approaches, and the capacity to affect systematic transformation.

We aim to have 70% of our portfolio to come from emerging markets and value applications where founders and/or senior team members be based in the region the organisation operates in.

We want to back organisations that are female-led, have considered gender in their product or service designs, and reflect a global market of leaders.

What We Offer

Our funding is flexible, impact-first, unrestricted, and based on trust. We offer catalytic grants and repayable grants to charities and social enterprises. Upon completion of the 100x accelerator programme, if your organisation has achieved extraordinary and outsized impact, you may be eligible for our follow-on funding.

Our programme is hybrid and spans 12 weeks. Two leaders (including at least one Founder and/or C-Suite member) from your organisation must be able to attend two sponsored trips to London at the start and end of the programme. Each trip will last no more than 3-5 days. 100x will cover reasonable transit and visa costs. You will also be expected to participate virtually for the rest of the programme. Please note, that the 100x Impact Accelerator programme is delivered in English, and you must have a reliable internet connection. If this is an issue, we offer a small stipend to support internet access so that you can fully engage in the programme.

• £150,000 in catalytic capital
• 12 Weeks Impact Accelerator programme
• World-Class support and bespoke mentors
• Cohorts of like-minded social entrepreneurs
• Summit Day celebrating and connecting ventures
• Alumni Membership long-term access to our community

Grant Opportunities

Communities need nonprofits to thrive

We believe in transformational ideas that help individuals, families and communities flourish—and since 1975, the Murdock Trust has invested more than $1.4 billion into nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to thinking bigger, challenging problems and making a true difference.

Strategic Project Grants

Capacity-building awards for mission-focused projects and infrastructure investment

Capital Grants

Is capital growth or expansion important to your nonprofit’s vision for long-term growth and success? The Murdock Trust regularly makes grants that support construction, renovation, land purchase and other capital projects. In most cases, we prefer to receive requests for these types of projects once your organization has raised a portion of the needed funds.

Grant Opportunities

Communities need nonprofits to thrive

We believe in transformational ideas that help individuals, families and communities flourish—and since 1975, the Murdock Trust has invested more than $1.4 billion into nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to thinking bigger, challenging problems and making a true difference.

Strategic Project Grants

Capacity-building awards for mission-focused projects and infrastructure investment

Program & Staff

Expanding programs and adding staff are important markers of nonprofit success. Murdock Trust grants help fund both new programs and the expansion of existing programs and may be used to cover start-up costs and/or related staff member additions. Typically, we fund program and staff grants on a declining basis over three years (100/67/33%). 

Mission Statement

Park Foundation is a family foundation dedicated to advancing a more just, equitable, and sustainable society and environment, both nationally and in our local Ithaca community. We are principled, strategic and fearless in our grantmaking, collaborative with our partners, and nimble and innovative in our approach. We are committed to challenging the powers that threaten an independent media, a robust democracy, and the future of our planet.

Our Funding Priorities

The Park Foundation funds a variety of non-profit partners, from local Tompkins County grassroots programs to initiatives with national impact.

• Environment
• Civic Participation
• Media
• Democracy
• Community Needs
• Sustainable Ithaca
• Animal Welfare
• School Food & Nutrition

Civic Participation

The Civic Participation Program supports the implementation of democracy through exercise of the franchise and other direct forms of civic involvement.

The focus is not just on elections, but on how the vote can affect issues people care deeply about. Addressing racial, environmental, and economic injustice requires responsive elected leadership, which in turn depends on robust and widespread involvement by the electorate.

Priorities include support for:

• state-based organizations that are educating, motivating, and mobilizing voters
• national and state groups protecting voters' rights and election integrity
• groups thwarting attempts to suppress participation in the democratic process

This program supports year-round work to mobilize active engagement, not limited to election-season get-out-the-vote campaigns. This program does not fund academic research, tech development, book projects, individual fellowships, or programs and conferences unrelated to on-the-ground organizing.

Inspiring Awe & Wonder

The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is to support interdisciplinary research and catalyze conversations that inspire awe and wonder.  We are working to create a world where people are curious about the wonders of the universe, free to pursue lives of meaning and purpose, and motivated by great and selfless love.

Our Values

At the John Templeton Foundation, we are:

Humble in our approach. We are committed to the process of discovery and are willing to take risks in pursuit of knowledge. We seek diverse perspectives, and we engage with new ideas.

Intellectually rigorous. We seek to push the boundaries of scientific and spiritual understanding. To do so requires us to be both rigorous and thorough.

Motivated to improve the lives of others. We believe people worldwide will lead purposeful lives by continuously working toward spiritual growth and a better understanding of the virtues by which they want to live.

Committed to human dignity and individual freedom. We see freedom and competition as enabling conditions that spur innovation, creativity, discovery, and the pursuit of knowledge. Free societies allow individuals and communities to live full and meaningful lives.

Our Grants

The Foundation offers grants in support of research and public engagement in our major Funding Areas. We invest in bold ideas from contrarian thinkers — ideas that cross disciplinary boundaries and challenge conventional assumptions. And we fund innovative programs that engage the public with these ideas, in an effort to open minds, deepen understanding, and inspire curiosity.

Funding Areas

The John Templeton Foundation supports interdisciplinary research and catalyzes conversations that inspire awe and wonder. Our funding areas define our philanthropic priorities and advance our aspiration to create a world where people are curious about the wonders of the universe, free to pursue lives of meaning and purpose, and motivated by great and selfless love. We welcome grant applications to support field-leading research and high impact public engagement programs in these areas.

Character Virtue Development

The Character Virtue Development funding area supports research and catalyzes conversations that seek to advance the science and practice of character, with a focus on moral, performance, civic, and intellectual virtues such as humility, gratitude, curiosity, diligence, and honesty.

Individual Freedom & Free Markets

The Individual Freedom & Free Markets funding area supports education, research, and outreach projects to promote individual freedom, free markets, free competition, and entrepreneurship.

Life Sciences

The Life Sciences funding area supports projects that seek novel and fundamental insights into the meaning and significance of life processes, by which we can better understand humanity’s place within nature.

Mathematical & Physical Sciences

In our Mathematical and Physical Sciences funding area, we support research seeking to shed light on the fundamental concepts of physical reality. We also explore the interplay between these sciences and broader human experience.

Public Engagement

The Public Engagement funding area supports content projects that include video, audio, public events, and print media. In addition, we seek proposals that support the next generation of thought leaders, generate durable courses and programming at leading universities.

Religion, Science, & Society

The Religion, Science, & Society funding area will seek to advance our collective understanding of the ways in which religious and spiritual beliefs and practices affect human flourishing and to apply those insights to society in meaningful and practical ways.

Background

Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative responds to the growing number of cities around the world embracing art as an effective and relatively low-cost strategy to activate their streets.

While cities incorporate art into public spaces in a variety of ways, the focus of this initiative is what we’re calling asphalt art: visual interventions on roadways (intersections and crosswalks), pedestrian spaces (plazas and sidewalks), and vertical infrastructure (utility boxes, traffic barriers, and underpasses).

Goals

The Asphalt Art Initiative grant program is designed to fund visual art on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure in cities with the following primary goals:

• Improving street and pedestrian safety
• Revitalizing and activating underutilized public space
• Promoting collaboration and civic engagement in local communities

Eligible Projects

Reflecting the larger grant size in this latest round, proposed projects should be ambitious arts driven street designs with the goal of catalytic improvements to a key location in the city. Improving road safety, especially for pedestrians and cyclists, must be a component of all proposals. Applicants may demonstrate the intended impact through a variety of approaches:

• Critical Intersections:
  • Enhancing safety, mobility, and access in crossings with concentrated pedestrian, bicycle, and/or vehicular traffic
• Major Corridors:
  • Transforming one or more important streets to enhance the walking or cycling network, including significant reallocation of space for non-motorized transportation
• Signature Destinations:
  • Improving access to culturally, historically, or otherwise significant locations at the neighborhood or civic scale
• Large New Public Spaces:
  • Creating or activating plazas or other pedestrian space with amenities such as seating, greenery or space for cultural programming
• Catalysts for Future Projects:
  • Launching or expanding ongoing programs or policies (g., Vision Zero safety program, plaza program, etc.) in the city or the region

Selection Criteria

Competitive proposals must clearly demonstrate:

• Impact
  • The chosen site is significant to the city (e.g., central location, concentrated pedestrian and vehicular traffic, cultural or regional significant).
  • The proposed project addresses a relevant and meaningful challenge faced by the identified site, the surrounding neighborhood, or the city (e.g., traffic safety, underutilized or insufficient public space, etc.), with a particular emphasis on road safety for pedestrians and/or cyclists.
  • The proposed project clearly benefits the local community and engages residents stakeholders in its planning, development, execution, and post-installation activation.
  • The proposed intervention would produce sufficient, appropriate metrics to determine success.
• Viability
  • The characteristics of the proposed site (e.g. physical layout, traffic or pedestrian volume, neighborhood context) are such that the proposed intervention has a high likelihood of success.
  • The project team and partners have the necessary authority and expertise to oversee a project of this nature.
  • The project has demonstrated support from city and community stakeholders, through existing partnerships or a thoughtful outreach/engagement plan.
  • The proposed budget and timeline are realistic and demonstrate notable in-kind city support.
• Quality & Visual Interest
  • The process for artist selection and design development is well-defined and appropriate for the proposed project, and will be overseen by someone with appropriate expertise.
  • If the artist has already been selected, the chosen artist has demonstrated creative skill and the potential to develop a visually compelling design.
  • The surface being painted is in good repair or there is a reasonable plan to repave or otherwise treat it to be receptive to the chosen materials.
  • The proposed maintenance plan is realistic and lays out clear responsibilities for keeping the mural maintained for at least two years.

Funding

The program will award 10 cities grants of up to $100,000 each, as well as on-call technical assistance from the tactical urbanism firm Street Plans and impact evaluation support from Sam Schwartz Consulting.

Youth as Solutions

Youth as Solutions (YaS) is creating a generation of citizens who are passionate about making a positive impact in their schools and communities, addressing community health, educational equity, and environmental justice issues. Leadership teams of young people in grades 6-12, along with an adult mentor, apply to be part of one of the Youth as Solutions cohorts, where they will participate in a self-paced, active learning experience, identifying and taking action on an issue in their community. Students gain leadership skills while adult mentors receive quality service-learning instruction and resources. Youth-adult teams connect with peers in cohorts working on similar subtopics such as teen driving safety, health promotion in Latino communities, and so much more!

Focus Areas

• Education equity - is the belief that everyone deserves a quality education, regardless of their race, gender, identity, socioeconomic status, or any other trait.
  • Teams in the Education in Action cohort engage K-12 youth and educators (in school and afterschool programs) to increase educational equity in their school or community. Through the Investigation phase of service-learning, students discover needs and define the actions that will make significant change. From education, awareness, policy review and change, environmental and cultural supports and more, they have a voice in their educational experience and generating change in their schools and communities.
• Community health - empowers youth to save lives through youth-led campaigns that make measurable differences in their schools, communities, and beyond.
  • The Project Ignition Cohort is founded on a service-learning strategy that embeds the topic of teen-driver safety more deeply within a school/afterschool program and makes connections to academic goals. Car crashes remain a leading cause of death for adolescents. Project Ignition students address this fact by working in teams, investigating the issues facing their community, plan & prepare to take action, and engage community partners. They bring people together — and they’re saving lives!
• Environmental justice - challenges young people to address climate needs on a local level, impacting our planet now and for future generations.
  • Fulfilling our mission to create sustainability, youth teams in the Environmental Justice cohort work on improving critical climate needs. Whether planting a community garden, mapping safe bike routes, or securing solar panels to light a community sign, there are many local entry points for impassioned young people to create lasting change through service-learning. Connect to learning goals such as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) or personal development goals such as leadership or civic engagement, these experiences provide a powerful learning opportunity.

• Civics And Democracy - Civics and democracy empowers young people to forge pathways to active citizenship, fostering leadership and driving positive change in their communities. Some Leadership Teams are engaged in serivce-learning experiences that promote unity and peacemaking to commemorate the events of September 11, 2001. Other Leadership Teams are expanding voting rights to those in Minnesota affected by recent legislative changes, serving as election judges in polling places, and acting as interpreters on election day. No matter the initiative, each endeavor reflects a commitment to civic engagement and the fundamental principles of democracy.

Our Organization

Our mission is to foster the science and art of natural resource conservation.

The Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) is the premier international organization for professionals who practice and advance the science and art of natural resource conservation. We believe sustainable land and water management is essential to the continued security of the earth and its people. Our goal is to cultivate an organization of informed, dynamic individuals whose contributions create a bright future for agriculture, the environment, and society.

Who We Are

Our community of more than 2,000 conservation leaders represents nearly every academic discipline and many different public, private, and nonprofit institutions around the world. Our skilled members include researchers, administrators, planners, policymakers, technical advisors, teachers, students, farmers, and ranchers, all who share the common goal of building a more sustainable future.

SWCS members lead at the chapter level to tackle critical conservation issues of regional and local significance. Chapter events and initiatives engage members in field tours and other learning opportunities, provide a network of experts in the area, and educate local leaders regarding environmental issues in their communities. Members of student chapters on university campuses participate in activities that foster their interests in natural resource management and prepare them for successful professional careers.

Conservation Innovation Award

The Conservation Innovation Award recognizes an outstanding activity, product, or service by a group, business firm, corporation, or organization that promotes the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources.

Criteria:

• The effort or activity is in line with the SWCS mission
• The effort or activity contributed to bringing about better conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources and/or better understanding of natural resource conservation issues
• The effort or activity is a result of an organized program and may include the activity of an agency or government
• The effort or activity had an effect over a large area, at least a large part of a state or province, or parts of several states or provinces
• The principal effect of the effort or activity was directed to other than professional conservationists

Building Capacity for Health Advocacy Grant

This grant program is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, or organizations with a suitable fiscal sponsor, anywhere in the United States. Grants will be awarded for up to five years in the amount of $150,000 annually. Applicant organizations are encouraged to budget a portion of the total award as sub-grants to nonprofit partners or coalition members that engage with the applicant in capacity-building efforts.

This grant program aims to:

• Enhance the capacity and infrastructure of nonprofit organizations across the U.S. These local, state, and national groups will advocate for social justice through improved health and healthcare.
• Create lasting networks to support advocacy, organizing, and civic engagement on health-related issues.

The Rx Foundation understands that many factors affect health and healthcare. This program seeks to foster the capacity to build lasting advocacy, organizing, and civic engagement efforts. These efforts will adapt as community needs, the policy environment, and priorities change. Key factors include equal access to coverage and care, health equity, social and economic needs like food and housing, the links between environmental issues and health disparities, racial justice, and income inequality.

Priorities

Capacity-building priorities under this program include, but are not limited to:

• Advocacy & Policy:
  • Developing and implementing advocacy efforts to change policies, systems, and practices to advance health justice.
  • This may include building coalitions, supporting community-driven policy agendas, conducting policy research, and promoting systemic change through a variety of strategies.
• Base–building:
  • Organizing communities to create a strong active base of leaders and a broader collective of members to advocate for change and sustain long-term efforts.
  • This may include developing leadership within the community, fostering relationships, and ensuring community engagement and leadership in advocacy, policy, and civic engagement efforts.
• Civic Engagement:
  • Building, improving or expanding grassroots organizing, integrated voter engagement, and other constituent- and community-engagement strategies to increase civic participation.
• Communications & Narrative Change:
  • Training, strategy, and resource development in communications and narrative change, including storytelling, messaging, digital organizing, traditional media, and social media.
• Data & Technology Resources:
  • Improving access to and utilization of databases, data analysis, digital organizing, and other technology tools or strategies.
• Leadership Development:
  • Investing in a diverse variety of current and emergent leaders to build skills that will empower them to lead and shape community-driven efforts today and in the future.
  • This could include mentorship or peer-to-peer learning, trainings on management, strategic planning, and decision-making.
• Network- & coalition-building:
  • Building or improving and expanding on existing partnerships to:
    • articulate shared goals,
    • develop and execute consistent communications strategies,
    • set attainable milestones, and (4) track progress.
• Training:
  • Host or participate in training to understand policy-making systems (e.g. legislative process, local government) and to build advocacy and community organizing skills (e.g. power-mapping, canvassing, phone banking), including advocacy and organizing training for direct-service organizations.

Background

Since 2019, the Rx Foundation has made more than $7M in grants under this program, supporting more than two dozen organizations working on advocacy, organizing, or civic engagement, with a funding model that emphasizes capacity-building and long-term progress.

Our Mission 

The Green Family Foundation believes societies flourish when enriched with access to the arts, culture, education, and healthcare. We accomplish this by supporting grassroots initiatives and sustainable programs that foster thriving communities through prevention, education, and meaningful care.

Funding Priorities

At the Green Family Foundation, we believe in the power of community-driven solutions to create lasting change.

Our mission is to foster thriving societies enriched by access to the arts, culture, education, and healthcare. To achieve this, we partner with organizations that share our vision of building sustainable and inclusive communities.

We are proud to fund initiatives that prioritize equity, innovation, and collaboration in four key areas: Global Health and Development, Community Empowerment, The Arts, and Education and Leadership Development. These funding priorities reflect our commitment to addressing systemic barriers, amplifying historically excluded voices, and creating opportunities for individuals and communities to flourish.

We encourage grantseekers to review our four funding priorities thoroughly and ensure their proposed projects align with our mission. We are particularly interested in programs that demonstrate measurable impact, sustainability, and community-centered approaches.:

Global Health & Development:

The Green Family Foundation funds initiatives that address poverty by bridging gaps in education, healthcare, job access, and community engagement. We support holistic, sustainable programs that empower diverse communities to achieve long-term self-sufficiency. Priority is given to projects that provide equitable access to essential healthcare, deliver education and training, conduct community-led research, and implement sustainable development practices.

Community Empowerment:

From teaching digital skills to promoting civic participation, the Green Family Foundation invests in initiatives that strengthen community capacity, build social cohesion, and empower individuals to shape their futures.We support programs that equip individuals and communities with the tools, skills, and knowledge to drive meaningful change. Our focus areas include:

• Access to technology and digital literacy training
• Community-based advocacy and civic engagement
• Programs that amplify historically excluded voices and foster social equity

The Arts:

The Green Family Foundation champions programs that use the arts to inspire. We fund initiatives that encourage individuals to creatively express their ideas, explore their identities, and engage with their communities in positive and impactful ways.These programs should prioritize accessibility, skill-building, and personal development, offering individuals an opportunity to gain confidence, develop their talents, and envision successful futures through creative exploration.

Education and Leadership Development: 

By broadening horizons and nurturing leadership potential, the Green Family Foundation invests in the next generation of changemakers. We support educational programs that challenge young people to think critically, explore diverse perspectives, and expand their understanding of social issues, health equity, governance, and effective communication. Priority is given to initiatives that:

• Encourage young people to develop leadership skills
• Foster cross-cultural understanding and collaboration
• Empower young people to become informed and engaged citizens

Grant Size

Typical grants range from $1,500 - $30,000.

Adtalem Global Education Foundation

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the Adtalem Global Education Foundation is organized to support charitable, educational and research purposes. The Foundation’s sole member is Adtalem Global Education. The Foundation’s activities reflect commitment to the following strategic areas: investing to expand access to education, jobs and careers; supporting the development of the communities where we live and work; and combating inequality and encouraging civic engagement. To learn more about the Adtalem Global Education Foundation or to apply for funding, please review the guidelines below. 

Areas of Focus

The Adtalem Global Education Foundation provides support to partners and programs through grants, educational programs, research, and volunteerism in the following focus areas, with preference to programs supporting the healthcare industry (which encompasses physical, mental, and behavioral well-being in both humans and animals):

• Strengthening the pipeline of underrepresented minorities to careers in the healthcare industry and related fields.
• Increasing access to quality educational opportunities for underserved populations, with focus on access to higher education.
• Addressing healthcare disparities, including gaps in access and quality.
• Promoting economic growth through skills-based workforce development and career readiness programming in the healthcare industry and related fields, or that is widely applicable in nature. 

Mission Statement

NPN contributes to a more just and equitable world by building artists’ power; advancing racial and cultural justice in the arts; fostering relationship-building and reciprocity between individuals, institutions and communities; and working towards systems change in arts and philanthropy.

We envision a world in which:

• artists have greater power and resources for meaningful, sustainable careers;
• strong networks maximize their collective wisdom, resources and leadership;
• cultural infrastructure reflects deeper partnerships and more equitable practices;
• and communities have greater opportunity and capacity for civic engagement, representation and joy.

Creation & Development Fund

The Creation & Development Fund supports the creation, development and mobility of new artistic work that advances racial and cultural justice and results in live experiential exchange between artists and community.

The fund provides a framework for relationships to develop, over time, among diverse artists, arts organizations, and communities. Through the investment of commissioning funds from arts organizations and NPN direct subsidies, each project is eligible for multi-level support.

Phase I - Creation Fund

Vision & Purpose

The Creation Fund supports artists creating a new work in its earliest stages, fostering relationships between artists, presenters, and communities. It provides a minimum of $15,000 in unrestricted funding to support the process and labor that goes into creating a new artistic work. Projects are eligible to receive multi-level support through co- commissioners and direct NPN subsidies.

The Creation Fund:

• Fosters Equity:
  • Promotes racial and cultural justice within the arts.
• Supports Artist Development:
  • Provides comprehensive support for the entire creative process.
• Expands Access:
  • Increases access to commissioning opportunities, ensures equitable funding distribution, and addresses geographic disparities.
• Cultivates Meaningful Partnerships:
  • Encourages long-term relationships and fosters new, authentic collaborations between artists, communities, and commissioners.
• Strengthens Organizations:
  • Builds the capacity of organizations to develop artistic work.
• Maximizes Impact:
  • Leverages additional funding, presentation opportunities, and national recognition to amplify the impact of supported projects

Phase II - Development Fund

Additional Development Funds are earmarked for every Creation Fund Project. NPN invites artists who have received Creation Fund support to apply for development support through the Development Fund. 

Phase III—Public Engagement

Once a work is developed, co-commissioners support artists through a public engagement of the new work, focused on an in-person, virtual, or hybrid exchange between artists and communities. NPN offers access to, but does not guarantee, Artist Engagement Funds for NPN Partners to support artist fees for Phase III. NPN remains flexible with the definition of public engagement.

At OpenAI, ensuring broad deployment of benefits and applying an iterative approach to innovation is core to who we are. We believe AI should help solve humanity’s hardest problems, and that we should listen to and learn from organizations already leading that work on the frontlines.

What we’re funding

We welcome applications from organizations at every stage of AI adoption—from exploration to pilots and active deployment. We recognize that some of the most impactful opportunities may be new initiatives, approaches not yet been widely proven, or come from unexpected places.

The People-First AI Fund will support organizations directly working in three areas:

• AI literacy & public understanding: We seek to support organizations that help communities build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate the age of artificial intelligence. This includes education programs, media initiatives, and opportunities for people to engage with and better understand the technology. We are particularly interested in efforts that equip people with practical skills. This may involve training trusted local leaders—such as educators, faith leaders, youth mentors, or artists—to make discussions about AI more accessible and relevant.
• Community innovation: We seek to support organizations that work in partnership with communities to guide how AI might be shaped and used in their lives. Our priority is to back efforts where communities lead participatory design and decision-making to ensure AI strengthens civic life and helps people stay healthy, connected, and thriving. This includes initiatives that use AI to expand access to and improve delivery of essential services, as well as community co-designed approaches in areas such as health, mental well-being, and building community trust. Priority consideration will be given to organizations working in place-based settings such as schools, libraries, clinics, or community centers; applicants that actively involve residents—including youth—in the design of initiatives; and efforts serving populations traditionally left out of digital innovation, such as older adults, rural communities, or linguistically isolated groups.
• Economic opportunity: We seek to support organizations expanding access to meaningful work in ways that are fair, inclusive, and community-driven by leveraging the promise of AI. This could include programs that prepare people—especially young people—for the jobs of the future; tools that support caregivers and local businesses; and initiatives that help workers build economic security. We are also interested in models of shared value—such as cooperatives or community-based platforms—that respect local culture and center worker needs. Across all efforts, we will prioritize approaches that enhance, rather than replace, human work and ensure the benefits of AI are broadly distributed instead of concentrated among the few.