Faith-based Grants

Hearst Foundations' Mission

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

Hearst Foundations' Goals

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

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

Funding Priorities

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

Culture

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

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

Education

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

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

Health

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

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

Social Service

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

Types of Support: Program, capital and general support

NOTE: The Boards meet 10 times a year and applications are reviewed in the order they are received on a rolling basis with no deadlines. The Board will review up to thirty-five (35) applications per meeting. ​

Mission

The mission of the Henry E. Niles Foundation is to help in the nurturing and uplifting of people in need. The Foundation strives to support humanitarian efforts, including faith-based endeavors, that:

• strengthen education including special education, literacy and others; 
• fight economic hardships through self-help opportunities;
• enhance public health and sanitation on a global basis.

Primary Program Interests

The Board is currently highlighting the following areas:  

Education – Included in this interest area are primary, secondary and higher education for those motivated individuals who are unable to obtain the benefits of quality education without assistance.

Economic Self-Sufficiency – This program area includes but is not limited to: job training, the encouragement and support of entrepreneurialism, mentoring, and micro-credit initiatives.

Health & Independence – Special interests here include medical and public health assistance for the elderly, the poor, the disadvantaged and the disabled.

Guiding Principles & Considerations

• Favors programs addressing long-term solutions to the causes of problems, as distinguished from programs that simply treat the symptoms.
• Added emphasis on programs and organizations that address the intersection of its various program interests.
• Encourages pilot initiatives that test new program models.
• Particular interest in organizations that promote collaborative efforts among groups and organizations.
• Qualities sought by the Foundation in its grantee organizations are: effective and dynamic personnel; passionate leadership; a bias against bureaucracy; prudent management & governance practices; and commitment to results and overall assessment of program impact.

Grants range from $2,500 up to $50,000. In unique circumstances, the Foundation does consider a more significant grant for a program having a major impact in one or more of its areas of interest.

Youth Service America’s 2022-2023 Partner Grants are a strategy for increasing youth participation rates to 50% by America’s Semiquincentennial (America250) in July 2026. Applicants from the same geographical area are encouraged to apply for applicable grant opportunities to maximize funding impact in your area. 

The 2022-2023 Lead Agency program supports local governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, and K-16 schools and institutions that lead partner coalitions or organize projects to engage youth volunteers on National Days of Service: 

• 9/11 Day of Service & Remembrance (September 11, 2022)
• MLK Day of Service (January 16, 2023)
• Global Youth Service Day (Late April or Early May 2023). 

Grants up to $6,000 will be awarded based on the number of youth volunteers engaged. Applicants may work locally, regionally, statewide, or in multiple states and must be based in the United States. 

Supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and AmeriCorps, the Lead Agency program offers grant funding, capacity-building training, and ongoing support to effectively engage young people in meaningful service and service-learning activities. 

Volunteering for the first time in childhood is an expressway to a lifetime of civic participation. National days of service – such as 9/11 Day of Service, MLK Day of Service, and Global Youth Service Day – are the perfect on-ramps. By engaging youth as volunteers on national days of service, Lead Agencies fulfill a vital role to increase youth participation in their community. 

Two types of Lead Agency grants will be awarded: 

• Partner Coalitions are convened by the applicant. The applicant will co-lead the coalition, sharing knowledge and tools learned with coalition partners and reducing barriers to youth leadership and participation.
  • $3,000: 15 external Coalition Partners collectively activating 1,000 youth during the program year. 
  • $6,000: 30 external Coalition Partners collectively activating 2,000 youth during the program year. 
• Project Organizers use the knowledge and tools shared by YSA to support youth in their network to organize youth-led service projects. For example, you are a state association or network (BGCA, YMCA, FCCLA, FFA, Camp Fire, etc.) and seek funding to support 15 chapters or affiliates across your state with youth-led service projects.
  • $3,000: 15 internal Project Organizers collectively activating 1,000 youth during the program year.
  • $6,000: 30 internal Project Organizers collectively activating 2,000 youth during the program year.

Partner Examples:  

• K-12 schools, colleges, and universities 
• Youth development, afterschool, and extracurricular programs 
• Community and faith-based organizations 
• Government agencies 
• National service programs 
• Volunteer centers, etc. 

Regardless of the grant type selected, 80% of youth engaged must be middle and high school age, and 50% must be from low-income families. All Lead Agencies must engage youth in a service activity or host a coalition capacity-building activity on 9/11 Day of Service.

To support Lead Agencies in building their own capacity or the capacity of their coalition members, we will provide training and networking opportunities throughout the year.  

• Grantees are required to participate in a virtual Youth Service Institute (YSI) tentatively scheduled for July 18. There may be an opportunity for grantees to attend an in-person training. In that case, YSA will cover the travel cost.

In turn, Lead Agencies will engage youth, ages 5-25, to lead service or service-learning projects on national days of service, through which they:

• Build youth-adult partnerships that create connections with caring adults who encourage them to use their Sparks (passions, interests, and skills) to help others,
• Provide opportunities to learn and practice 21st Century Skills (Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking),
• Strengthen their community by working towards achieving the Global Goals (17 UN Sustainable Development Goals), and
• Lead ASAP (through Awareness, Service, Advocacy, and Philanthropy projects).

Grantees are expected to submit periodic project activity reports to outline proposed activities for National Days of Service and describe the impact of service projects. 

The Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program’s Street Outreach Program (SOP) provides street-based services to runaway, homeless, and street youth who have been subjected to or are at risk of being subjected to sexual abuse, prostitution, sexual exploitation, and severe forms of human trafficking in persons. These services, targeted in areas where street youth congregate, are designed to assist such youth in making healthy choices and providing them access to shelter as well as basic needs, including food, hygiene packages and information on a range of available services.

UNESCO/Emir Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

Worldwide there are more than one billion persons with disabilities. Their existence is impeded by inadequate legal frameworks to protect their rights and a lack of financial and human resources to carry out their activities related to basic needs. Moreover, they also have a lack of opportunities to access information and knowledge, as well as the benefits of scientific and technological development.

Objectives of the Prize

The UNESCO/Emir Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (hereafter the Prize) is to recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations in promoting the inclusion; and enhancing the lives of persons with disabilities through the application of digital solutions, resources and technologies.

In line with UNESCO’s strategic objectives and especially the Major Programme Communication and Information, this includes translating human rights and fundamental freedoms into action, with a particular emphasis on removing barriers to enable greater access to information and knowledge, as well as learning and participation in society through the effective application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

The Prize

The Prize has also direct thematic linkages to other UNESCO’s Major Programmes.

The Prize will be offered biennially in 2020/2021. The Prize will be awarded in each biennial edition and will be divided equally to:

• An Individual Person.
• An Organization.

These awards are for individuals and organizations and are not for projects or programmes. Successful individuals and organizations will usually have undertaken a series of relevant projects and programmes, developed appropriate tools or resources, and enhanced co-operation and partnerships that will contribute to their achievements, but it is the overall personal or organizational contribution that will be assessed.

The total amount available for the Prize biennially is USD $ 40,000, which will be distributed equally between the individual and the organizational winner.

UNESCO will publicize the Prize winners, and will seek to work with them to enhance and promote their continued activities in the field of the digital empowerment of persons with disabilities.

Thematic Axes

• The Prize builds on three thematic axes of importance in UNESCO’s work with persons with disabilities, including an immediate response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Formulating policy, advocacy, co-operation and partnerships.
• Creating and developing digital solutions, enabling environments and processes, including tools and resources.
• Building and strengthening the capacities of people to create, adapt and use digital solutions in a cost efficient and sustainable manner.

Conceptual Context of the Prize

Definitions of digital empowerment, disabilities, digital solutions, resources and technologies, and organizations are complex, and applicants are encouraged to justify their own understandings of these concepts in their application forms should they so wish.

For the purposes of the Prize, the following conceptual context should be considered when preparing an application:

Digital Empowerment. The Prize defines digital empowerment as the processes whereby people are able to have more power and control over their lives through the use of digital solutions, resources and technologies, particularly in terms of greater inclusion, participation and contribution to societal development as well as enhanced life experiences. UNESCO places particular emphasis on the ways through which information and knowledge can contribute to the empowerment of persons with disabilities notably by:

• Formulating policy, advocacy, co-operation and partnerships.
• Creating and developing digital solutions, enabling environments and processes, including tools and resources.
• Building and strengthening the capacities of people to create, adapt and use digital solutions in a cost efficient and sustainable manner.

Persons with Disabilities. The Prize uses a definition of persons with disabilities in alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as “Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”. Applicants are encouraged to clarify their own understandings and contexts of disability in their applications should they consider that this would be helpful.

Digital solutions, resources and technologies. The Prize recognizes the converged nature of many ICTs and adopts a broad definition of the term digital solutions as a combination of:

• Digital technologies: any digital informational or communication device or application, including but not restricted to mobile phones, computers, laptops, televisions, radios, satellite systems, networks, hardware, software and applications.
• Digital resources: content and information that are accessible through digital technologies.
• Enabling environments and processes: standards, tools, physical, technical and online infrastructures, resources and locations.

Applicants are encouraged to justify their choice of digital resources, resources and/or technologies should these not self-evidently lie within this definition. It can be noted that UNESCO encourages the development and use of digital solutions based on open standards, accessible and openly licensed content and resources, and Free and Open Source Software (FOSS).

Organizations. The Prize adopts a broad definition of organizations for the purpose of eligibility, including government departments, non-governmental organizations (including charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, research and educational organizations, trade unions, professional associations and foundations) and companies (both for-profit and social enterprises). Applicants must specify their formal registration details, and applications from informal groupings of people will not be considered. An individual may, though, be nominated as a representative of a group of people.

Nominations that do not justify their choice of definitions in their applications, should they not clearly satisfy these definitions, will be excluded from consideration. Nominating Entities should take this into consideration in making their nominations.

NOTE: Applications may be submitted at any time during this funding cycle, open from Feb 1 to the deadline above. Please note that applications will only remain active in our system for 90 days, and at the end of this period they will be automatically rejected.

Guidelines

Local Community grants range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $5,000. Eligible nonprofit organizations must operate on the local level (or be an affiliate/chapter of a larger organization that operates locally) and directly benefit the service area of the facility from which they are requesting funding.Organizations may only submit a total number of 25 applications and/or receive up to 25 grants within the 2019 grant cycle.