Centene Charitable Foundation

Successful corporate citizenship happens when companies invest in the local organizations that know their communities best. The Centene Foundation works with our local partners on initiatives that focus on inclusion, the whole person and community development.

Vision

Centene’s purpose is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. The Centene Foundation is an essential part of how we pursue this purpose. We achieve measurable impact for the communities we serve through partnerships and philanthropy efforts that invest in initiatives with holistic approaches to dismantling barriers to health.

Areas of Focus

Reflecting Centene’s commitment to the needs of those who rely on government-sponsored health care and to addressing social determinants of health and health equity, preference will be given to initiatives in three distinct areas of focus.

• Healthcare Access
• Social Services
• Education

Charitable Contributions

Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts specifically focus on programs supporting children, education, and health and human services in the communities where we do business. Throughout the year we receive a large number of requests from nonprofit organizations striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes. While we would like to respond favorably to all requests, understandably, the needs are far greater than our allocated resources and we are unable to accommodate them all.

Warehouse Donations:

Warehouse donations are handled at the warehouse level - please consult your local warehouse for up-to-date information regarding their donations contacts and review process.

Grant Applications

If the request is under consideration, you may be contacted by staff for any additional information needed. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, and decisions are made based on several factors, including: type of program; identified community need not otherwise available; indication that evidenced based data will establish measurable results of intended outcomes; community collaboration; broad base of financial support; project budget and operating expenses.

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: Proposals may be submitted in response to specific initiatives, following the published deadlines in the RFP. Proposals submitted outside these specific initiative windows will be reviewed by Science Advisors at least quarterly (Feb, May, August, November) and by the Board at its next regular meeting. Please allow at least 3 months for review process. 

Project Apis m.'s mission Is to fund and direct research to enhance the health and vitality of honey bee colonies while improving crop production.

FAQ's & Research Proposal Guidelines for Applicants

Since its inception in 2006, Project Apis m. has infused over $10 million into bee research and programs in the USA and Canada, including more than 160 projects involving research institutions throughout North America. We have brought new technologies to honey bee health research, discovered new pathogens, developed Best Management Practices programs, and are supporting long-term stock improvement. We are recipients of grants from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and USDA-APHIS. Project Apis m. is the largest non-governmental, non-profit bee research funding organization in North America.

Thank you for your interest in submitting a research proposal to Project Apis m. We are funded largely by beekeepers and farmers, and dedicated to enhancing the health of honey bees, thereby improving crop production. Proposals are expected to clearly state how they fulfill our mission. Proposals and the review process are kept confidential. We offer the following frequently asked questions to help you submit a research proposal to Project Apis m. for project funding. 

Proposals are reviewed by the executive director, scientific advisory board, ad-hoc reviewers, and a board of directors. Projects must clearly meet the criteria outlined in the Request for Proposals or address PAm’s mission. Please note proposals must be scientifically sound (i.e., short format USDA or NSF grants without all the extra forms). Funding decisions are primarily based on an overall evaluation, which includes the following review criteria:

• Focus on solving problems facing the beekeeping industry in either the short or long term.
• Relevance to bee health, nutrition, productivity, crop pollination                                        
• Likelihood of obtaining practical/usable results for the beekeeping industry
• Project strengths and weaknesses    
• Inclusion of unique strategies, sustainable solutions, or establishment of knowledge that will lead to sustainable solutions in the long-term                                       
• Use of adequate experimental approaches, inclusion of logically linked experiments and project feasibility
• Identification of risks and adequate solutions (e.g., potential pitfalls and solutions)
• Likelihood of success (PIs credibility, record of success, experience with techniques, etc.)
• Adequate indication that PI(s) will communicate their findings to commercial beekeepers.
• Economical and adequate budget for proposed research

What type of research projects does Project Apis m. fund?

• pests and disease prevention and control,
• honey bee nutrition,
• impacts of pesticides on bees, and
• long-term honey bee stock improvement.

We are looking for projects that fill the gaps in honey bee research, and benefit honey bees and agriculture in the USA and Canada. The reviewers will ask questions that ensure the commercial beekeeping community will benefit from the research and its application. For example, PAm seeks research projects that will:

• Enhance the economic viability of pollination businesses.
• Provide practical solutions for managed colonies.
• Yield results that can be efficiently transferred into field practice.
• Provide an excellent rate of return for beekeepers and farmers.

How much does PAm fund?

PAm funding is dependent on the project and the goals. We have funded from $5,000 – $200,000. Typically, proposals are in the range from $20,000 to $40,000. As you might imagine, the higher the funding request, the more scrutiny administered in the proposal review. We offer several initiative RFPs, in addition to accepting proposals outside those periods, and do our best to coordinate funding with other industry sources to partner and avoid duplication.  

RFP: Project Apis m. and the National Honey Board ​are requesting research proposals to support ​and enhance honey bee health. 

Background

U.S. Honey yield per colony is decreasing while colony losses are increasing, as many crops dependent on pollination services continue to expand. Winter honey bee colony losses in the United States were reported at 37.7% during 2019. Colony losses are often attributed to pathogens, parasites, pesticides, hive management (queen mating, genetics, maintenance), climate, and available nutrition. United States honey yield per colony averaged 54.4 pounds in 2018, down 2% from 55.5 pounds in 2017. (www.nass.usda.gov) Sustainable beekeeping is dependent on maximizing outputs (colony health, colony numbers, pollination contracts, honey production, profitability) while minimizing the inputs (time, money, personnel). A sustainable beekeeping industry contributes to a more sustainable agricultural landscape through a stable supply of bees for crop pollination. Therefore, PAm is requesting research proposals that focus on enhancing the health, survival and productivity of honey bee colonies, which provide practical and tangible solutions to the beekeeping industry.

The funding sponsor for these proposals is the National Honey Board (NHB), with Project Apis m. (PAm) administering the proposal, accountability and funding process. The NHB funds, collected by a federal research and promotion program ($0.015/lb), for Production Research, were approximately $347,000 in 2019. PAm administers several other initiatives with funding from many sources, including corporate sponsors, private donations and grants. Past proposals received and funded by PAm and NHB reflect a similar focus on supporting the industry.

The National Honey Board is an industry-funded agriculture promotion group that works to educate consumers about the benefits and uses for honey and honey products through research, marketing and promotional programs. Project Apis m. is the largest nongovernmental, non-profit honey bee research organization in the USA. Established by beekeepers and almond growers in 2006, PAm has infused over $8 million into bee research to provide growers with healthier bees resulting in better pollination and increased crop yields.

Priority Areas for Funding

With this call for research proposals, PAm is requesting proposals for research addressing honey bee health, nutrition and productivity. Priority will be given to proposals which aim to produce solutions to industry problems. Current specific areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Addressing practices for sustainable profitability of beekeeping and the provision of pollination services to agriculture
• Innovations to control and manage AFB, EFB, nosema, varroa and viruses
• Studying and developing innovative management techniques including: indoor overwintering; supplemental forage impacts on pollinators, resource management, and landscape carrying capacity; cropping system management.
• addressing gaps in honey bee complete nutrition
• pollination and colony density economics, including stocking rates, land use and landscape level comparisons, transportation and inspection impacts
• cover crop efficacy and management studies including seed composition, implementation, establishment, termination, soil benefits, pest/pathogen/beneficial insect use, frost, irrigation, etc.

Other projects will be considered, and research outside the U.S. is possible (all application materials must be in English). The goal of this research is to help producers maintain colony health and honey production. Most proposals will likely be of one-year duration. If multi-year projects are considered, it is with the understanding that funding for subsequent years would be contingent on performance and National Honey Board budget availability beyond 2020. The amount of funds available for a particular proposal will depend on the number and merit of successful proposals. 

Walmart’s more than 2 million associates are residents, neighbors, friends and family in thousands of communities around the globe. Walmart works to strengthen these communities through both retail business and community giving, and we support and invest in communities through local giving. The following programs have open application processes with specific deadlines for eligibility and consideration.

Local Community Grants

Each year, our U.S. stores and clubs award local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5,000. These local grants are designed to address the unique needs of the communities where we operate. They include a variety of organizations, such as animal shelters, elder services and community clean-up projects.

Areas of Funding

• There are eight (8) areas of funding for which an organization can apply. Please review the areas listed below to ensure your organization’s goals fall within one of these areas.
• Community and Economic Development: Improving local communities for the benefit of low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Diversity and Inclusion: Fostering the building of relationships and understanding among diverse groups in the local service area
• Education: Providing afterschool enrichment, tutoring or vocational training for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Environmental Sustainability: Preventing waste, increasing recycling, or supporting other programs that work to improve the environment in the local service area
• Health and Human Service: Providing medical screening, treatment, social services, or shelters for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Hunger Relief and Healthy Eating: Providing Federal or charitable meals/snacks for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
• Public Safety: Supporting public safety programs through training programs or equipment in the local service area
• Quality of Life: Improving access to recreation, arts or cultural experiences for low-income individuals and families in the local service area

NOTE: Traditional Bee Grant and Renewal Bee Grant have different deadlines. See the website for details.

Traditional Bee Grant

The Traditional Bee Grant allows for K-12 schools or non-profit organizations that serve any grades K-12 to start a new or enhance an existing bee program hosting live bees on their campus.

About the Program

A choice of a monetary or equipment grant intended to support schools in bringing live bees to their campus or grow their already existing educational hive program.

Grant Options

Monetary Grant: $1,500 monetary grant

Equipment Grant: Indoor Observation Hive

Equipment Grant: Traditional Langstroth Hive

RENEWAL BEE GRANT

The Renewal Bee Grant allows for K-12 schools or non-profit organizations that have previously received a Bee Grant to receive support to grow their programs.

About the Program

A $500 monetary grant intended to boost or support existing educational bee programs. Applicant must have received a Traditional Bee Grant from Whole Kids Foundation in 2019 or earlier to be eligible. Live bees are not required to apply for this grant.

Also included with grant award:

One-on-one Program Consultation with The Bee Cause Project for program development, technical support, and beekeeper guidance (if applicable).

Educator Resource Pack to provide the strategies and tools needed to grow a strong Bee Program. This includes core compliant lessons, activities, distance learning experiences, Bee Program budgeting and planning tools, community engagement opportunities, and more.

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

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

NOTE:

Application forms must be requested each year online prior to submitting an application. When you submit an LOI, a member of the foundation staff will be contacting you within the next five business days regarding the status of your request.

Full applications are due at the "full proposal" deadline above. 

The Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to organizations committed to improving our world. Solutions to the problems of today's world still lie in the values of innovation, practicality, hard work, and compassion.

The Foundation considers applications for grants in the following areas:

• Education
• Social Service
• Health care
• Civic and cultural
• Environmental

The categories above are not intended to limit the interest of the Foundation from considering other worthwhile projects. In general, the Foundation guidelines are broad to give us flexibility in providing grants.

The majority of our grants are made in the U.S. However, like Dr. Scholl, we recognize the need for a global outlook. Non-U.S. grants are given to organizations where directors have knowledge of the grantee.