Health and Medical Grants

NOTE: The AJA Foundation two-stage application process begins with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). The Foundation accepts LOIs on a rolling basis (daily, no deadlines), and applicants can expect a response within approximately six weeks. If invited to submit a full proposal, applicants will receive instructions to access the online application and will have 60 days to complete their request. Once submitted, a full proposal may take up to six months to review before a funding decision is returned. Applications are generally considered in date order of receipt.

Mission

AJA Foundation seeks to help those who have done everything society asks of them, yet for whom access to fundamental resources and advancement remains elusive at best and structurally impossible at worst.

Understanding that the “playing field” of opportunity tilts substantially and unfairly towards those coming from advantage and that nobody succeeds on their own, AJA Foundation is dedicated to leveling the playing field by investing globally in organizations providing equal access to resources addressing fundamental human needs and human rights.

And, because we believe that in all cases it is the people within an organization who drive success, we invest in those people capable of, and irrationally committed to delivering exceptional outcomes.

AJA Foundation Grants

Human Rights

AJA Foundation supports a wide variety of organizations globally that defend human rights, aid refugees and provide social services. Whether helping an individual or a particular community, we are particularly interested in combatting injustice and inequality by supporting solutions that address the root causes and/or address structural change.

Water

Because ready access to clean water is a critical component of overall health and directly impacts many other aspects of society including education, employment, the economy and gender equality, AJA Foundation has a particular commitment to providing renewable clean water in rural African villages.

Health

Our grantmaking in the health category supports organizations delivering high quality essential health services to those people unable to access it or afford it. The majority of our focus is in developing countries. Because ready access to clean water is a critical component of overall health and impacts many other aspects of society including education, AJA Foundation has a particular commitment to providing renewable clean water in areas without it.

Education

Our education grantmaking focuses on helping students who have generally excelled in school but lack the finances, curriculum or support to reach their full potential. We support a variety of programs in the United States and abroad that make tutoring, mentoring, advanced coursework and scholarships available to deserving students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

Brennan Family Foundation

Edward J. Brennan (1930-1999), Founder of Brennan College Services Inc., established the Brennan Family Foundation in 1990 to assist charitable, religious and educational institutions achieve their goals.

His family continues his inspired vision of charitable responsibility.

Mission Statement

"Support, inspire and assist in the development of the minds of our youth"

The Brennan Family Foundation was established to provide financial assistance to charitable organizations and institutions that offer developmental, educational and medical support to our worlds most valuable resource- Our Children.

These groups are strategically reviewed and selected by the Trustees of the foundation on an annual basis. Since its inception, contributions have been primarily to Health Care and Educational Institutions, Religious Organizations, The United States Armed Forces, Development Programs as well as The Performing Arts.

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

About the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation

The Foundation has been at the forefront nationally in supporting victims' rights, reflecting Dr. Nicholas' longstanding commitment to victims of violent crime. He has been a leader of the victims' rights movement since 1983, when his sister, Marsy, was murdered. He helped his parents found Justice for Homicide Victims, a leading non-profit organization that supports families of murder victims. Dr. Nicholas led the effort in 2008 to pass Marsy's Law, a state constitutional amendment that created a comprehensive Victims' Bill of Rights for California. Following this campaign, he formed Marsy's Law for All, an organization dedicated to enforcing the constitutional amendment, empowering victims' rights organizations, and creating a national movement to pass a victims' Bill of Rights as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Through Marsy's Law for All, the Foundation provides legal, technical, media and other resources to support victims' rights organizations and initiatives.

Read more about us.

Grant Information

The Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation was created in 2006 with the vision of enabling and assisting communities and individuals to reach their highest potential. The Foundation is dedicated to improving lives through investment in Education, Youth Sports, Technology, Science, Medical Research, Victim's Rights, and National Defense.

Since its inception, the Foundation has provided more than $2.7 million to numerous public charities and non-profit organizations engaged in helping people build better lives for themselves and their neighbors.

The theme that unites the Foundation's various efforts into a single mission is investing in people and their futures:

• Grants are provided to help young people build strong educational and athletic foundations that will lead to healthy, productive and successful lives as adults.
• Advancement in science, technology and medicine is supported because these fields are the key to future health and prosperity for people and communities.
• Aid and support is provided to help violent crime victims and their families, and to assist the heroes who defend our nation and their families, because without safety and security there is no future.

Mission

The mission of the Semnani Family Foundation is to find creative and effective ways of serving the needs of marginal and vulnerable communities around the world, particularly those whose survival and security is at grave risk or immediate danger due to forces and factors beyond their control. Whether it is helping communities recover from disease, famine, earthquake or war, or promoting research, educational and civic initiatives, we focus our giving where we can make the most difference.

About

The Semnani Family Foundation focuses primarily on promoting the health, education and disaster relief for marginal communities in the United States and around the world.

The philosophy of the Foundation is guided by a desire to empower the most vulnerable members of society, where ever they may be. The Semnani Family Foundation seeks to leverage its resources in a cost effective and efficient manner that delivers the maximum benefit to help the most marginal of communities—those who would otherwise be left out, forgotten or neglected, or those who would risk serious and irreversible damage and injury from exposure to natural or man-made disasters such as famine, floods, earthquakes and war.

The Semnani Family Foundation partners closely with organizations and individuals with a demonstrated record of delivering significant, sustainable and lasting change in the field. Over the years, the Foundation has worked with the major international and national as well as local charities to advance its mission. The Foundation’s partners over the past twenty years have included the American Red Cross, UNICEF, LDS Humanitarian, Globus Relief, Global Health Alliance, Special Olympics, the American Cancer Society, the Huntsman Cancer Institute, Habitat for Humanity, High Road for Human Rights, Faith Voices for the Common Ground, the League of Women’s Voters and others.

Program Areas

Social Issues

The Semnani Family Foundation gives grants for projects that address social issues such as homelessness, literacy, hunger, violence and rape. Over the past twenty years, we have supported Oxfam America, Wasatch Homeless Healthcare, the Road Home, Planned Parenthood, Rape Recovery Center, Prevent Child Abuse, and Gun Violence Prevention Center.

Health

Health is the one of the core mission areas of the Semnani Family Foundation. We have supported a broad range of health initiatives from funding research to providing care, from helping institutions build their capacity to train and teach students, pharmacists and nurses to joining partnerships for vaccination campaigns designed to eradicate measles and other crippling diseases. Since 1993, the Foundation has collaborated on a broad range of health issues ranging from AIDS, Alzheimers, Arthritis, Cancer, Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis, Epilepsy, Leprosy, Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis as well as Mental Health.

Since inception, our partners have included the National Kidney Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, American Leprosy Association, American Diabetes Association, Epilepsy Foundation, Utah AIDS Foundation, Utah Valley Mental Health, the University of Utah, Utah Rural Association of Nurses and others. We have teamed with the Moran Eye Center, Surgical Eye Expedition and others to extend the gift of sight to marginal communities. We have also partnered with Special Olympics, Kostopolous Dream Foundation, Wheelchair Foundation and a number of other organizations to provide assistance for people with disabilities.

Children

Children’s health and welfare is of vital importance to the Semnani Family Foundation. Whether they suffer from disease, hunger, abuse or poverty, the Semnani Family Foundation has made the health and education of vulnerable children a priority. Over the last twenty years, we have partnered with groups such as Primary Children’s Medical Foundation, Save the Children Foundation, Orphan Kids Inc, Odyssey House, National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, Make a Wish Foundation, Simon Says Foundation, Shriners Hospital for Children, Pediatrics Radiology, Voices for Utah Children and Utah Boys Ranch.

Women

The empowerment of women, particularly in developing countries is one of the Foundation’s leading priorities. Since 1993, we have worked with Mothers without Borders, Women for Women International, Worldwide Organization for Women, Salt Lake League of Women’s Voters and other organizations dedicated to improving the life of women.

Disaster Relief

The Semnani Foundation has partnered with the American Red Cross, LDS Humanitarian Services, Globus Relief, World Food Program, Islamic Relief, Oxfam America and others over the past twenty years, providing disaster relief to victims of earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, famine and other natural disasters. Since its inception in 1993, the Foundation has supported disaster relief efforts in Iran and Haiti following earthquakes, in Indonesia after the tsunami, in Pakistan after the floods, in Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen and Eritrea following famines, and in the Sudan and Syria following civil wars. We have also supported the New York Firemen 911 Relief Fund.

Iranian American Issues

The Semnani Family Foundation has played an active part in promoting Iranian culture in the United States. The Foundation has supported the Encylopedia Iranica Foundation, Parsa Community Foundation, Persian Heritage Foundation, Hafez Foundation for Literature, Roodaki Foundation, the Iranian-American Society and countless other educational and cultural initiatives. Due to sanctions, the Foundation is unable to support philanthropic projects in Iran at this time.

Religious Tolerance and Interfaith dialogue

Given the importance of religion to the life of many immigrant communities and refugees, the Foundation has worked closely with religious communities and leaders to promote interfaith dialogue, understanding and integration. We have helped immigrant and refugee communities build houses of worship, extend and expand social services, and fight prejudice. The Foundation has worked closely with LDS Humanitarian, Holy Cross Ministries, Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Faith Voices for the Common Good and others to promote religious tolerance and bridge cultural divides.

Utah

View the grant page for the Utah priority area here.

NOTE: Due to the increasing number of grant proposals that we receive annually, the board has determined that there is a need to limit the number that we will consider for funding. Please keep in mind that even if an application has been provided to the foundation prior to the deadline, if we have already received the maximum number it will not be considered for funding.

Our Philosophy

The Bess Spiva Timmons Foundation, a family foundation, was established by Mrs. Timmons in 1967, to enable her children and grandchildren to carry on an already existing program of assistance in the areas of education, health, medical research, the arts, and programs with emphasis to benefit minority groups, social services, and ecology. Consideration is also given to experimental ventures in these designated areas. 

Grants generally range from one to five thousand dollars.

Note: This page details the Laffin Trust's Health & Human Services funding guidelines. See details on Education & Animal Related funding guidelines here. 

Mission 

To provide grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations supporting education, animal welfare, medical research, and human services.

Foundation Information

The John and Maria Laffin Trust was created under the Will of Valentina Laffin in honor of her parents. The Trust provides support for education at the college and university level, animal welfare, medical research, and human services. Ms. Laffin died on March 19, 1985. She was a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, California.

Guidelines

The John and Maria Laffin Trust awards grants to organizations supporting education, animal welfare, medical research, and human services, as follows:

• Medical Research Funds shall be granted to medical research organizations that do not exclude from consideration any alternative or seemingly radical and/or controversial treatment that the American Medical Association may currently oppose.
• Human Services Funds shall be granted to humanitarian organizations to alleviate human misery, suffering, and starvation in any part of the world.

NOTE: We have two deadlines for submitting proposals: The first business day in February for our Spring Meeting and the first business day of August for Fall. Submissions should be postmarked on or before either of these two deadlines. We normally only consider grants at our Spring and Fall Meetings, but we accept applications at any time and act upon them as expeditiously as possible.

Scaife Family Foundation Grant

For over 30 years, the most vulnerable members of the community have been supported by the Scaife Family Foundation through charitable funding. Since its inception in 1985, the Foundation has provided more than $150 million in donations for non-profit programs and general operating support.

We aim to help make the world a better place by continuing the legacy of generosity made possible by the Scaife Family. Our primary objective is to match the Foundation with non-profit organizations having similar interest areas and goals.

Mission Statement

The Scaife Family Foundation grant awards will support and develop programs that demonstrate the beneficial interaction between humans and animals, early intervention and prevention in the area of drug and alcohol addiction, and address issues surrounding the health and welfare of women and children.

Funding Priorities

Women and Children

We partner with high-impact organizations that break down barriers and help women and children lead bigger, brighter lives free of violence, addiction or abuse. Among other goals, we promote healthy relationships and social change to support the physical and emotional needs of women and children in crisis.

Addiction

Almost 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, yet only 10 percent receive treatment. The most common reasons people don't seek treatment are denial that they have a problem, shame in acknowledging their condition or fear of what treatment and recovery may involve.

We support programs and organizations that eliminate these obstacles and provide addiction prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. This includes both residential and outpatient facilities that provide additional services like job placement and career counseling.

We also partner with nonprofits who are advancing the field of addiction through research, education and training to help counselors respond more effectively to substance use and related issues. Our funding has also trained thousands of physicians and medical school residents in recognizing and treating addiction, particularly alcoholism.

Animal Welfare

We support organizations that promote animal welfare and provide training for service dogs. We also partner with nonprofits who use the power of the animal-human connection in therapeutic settings to improve lives. This includes equine therapy programs, for example, to help heal adults and children with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities.

NOTE: For the 2023 cycle, In light of the situation with COVID and how it may have affected clubs’ ability to support their chosen charities, at this time clubs must have only supported their nominated charity for six months (instead of the usual one year) before applying for a DG on their behalf. This allows clubs to nominate charities that were perhaps forced to suspend operations for a time due to COVID or charities that may have been borne out of COVID. Support is defined as donation of goods, services or money made by more than two individuals of a FAWCO Member Club or FAUSA.

The FAWCO Foundation Development Grant

The FAWCO Foundation Development Grants financially assist projects which are passionately supported by FAWCO Member Clubs and FAUSA. The purpose of the program is to fund projects that can make an immediate impact and lead to success for the people they support. The assistance offered should be direct, with a goal of sustainability.

Through The Foundation, FAWCO Member Clubs and FAUSA have been aiding worthy and reputable charitable projects around the globe for over 45 years. Some clubs are working “hands-on” with their projects while others make financial contributions or donations of goods. FAWCO Member Clubs and FAUSA are passionate about supporting projects that improve the human condition throughout the world. The DGs provide the financial assistance that can help the recipients achieve their goals. 

The Development Grant categories are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the areas of Education, Environment, Health and Human Rights. 

The Foundation encourages FAWCO clubs to nominate grassroots organizations that receive little or no great sponsorship or support. Each FAWCO club may nominate two different projects each year.

Grant Categories

The grant categories are aligned with the UN Millennium Goals.

The FAWCO Foundation 2020 Development Grants will be offered in these categories:

Education

For projects promoting literacy, supporting academic studies, building or providing classrooms, libraries or general learning facilities for disadvantaged children or providing training designed to lead to economic and other types of empowerment for women and girls.

Due to the generosity in sponsorship, there are three awards available which will be given to the three projects receiving the most votes.

• AW Surrey Hope Through Education $5,000
• Educating Women & Girls Worldwide, sponsored in part by Renuka Matthews $5,000
• For programs specifically aimed at women and/or girls.
• Pam Dahlgren Educating Africa’s Children $5,000
• For programs specifically in the geographical area of Africa and will be awarded to the Africa-focused nominated project which receives the most votes.

Human Rights

For projects in a FAWCO Member Club’s host country or the world:

• providing vocational training, teaching practical skills, promoting social entrepreneurial initiatives for at-risk/marginalized population groups, 
• or addressing the critical problems of violence, food and shelter, healthcare, education, poverty, advocacy, human trafficking, prostitution, refugees, including all those impacted by economic, political or other forced migration,
• or promoting cultural understanding.

Due to the generosity in sponsorship, there are three awards available which will be given to the three projects receiving the most votes.

• Breaking the Cycle, sponsored in part by AW Eastern Province $5,000
• FAUSA Effecting Change for Women and Children at Risk $5,000 
• Safe Haven, sponsored in part by the family and friends of Louise Greeley-Copley $5,000
• For programs specifically supporting the Human Right to Safety and Shelter including:
• Refugee Programs  
• Protection for Women and Children Fleeing Violence
• Victims of Human Trafficking
• Shelters for Natural or Man-made Disasters

Environment

For projects promoting the responsible use of the environment to provide for the basic needs of a family or a community.

• Nurturing Our Planet - $5000

Global Issues - NEW for 2020! 

Close To Home $5,000                  

This Grant can be placed within any of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to which we align our Development Grants in the areas of Education, Environment, Health and Human Rights. In order to recognize FAWCO club’s local charities that are often overlooked on the world’s stage, the TFF is offering this Development Grant that is available for projects that take place in the nominating Club’s home country.

Health

For projects providing medical treatment, diagnostic services, preventive care or medical counseling. This can include, but is not limited to, cancer, HIV/AIDS, communicable, non-communicable and environmental diseases, substance abuse, life-improving surgeries, mental issues, the critically ill, the disabled, the aged, medical transport, special needs and maternal health for mothers and children.

Critical Health Concerns - $5000