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: Applications can be submitted at any time, but must be at least 6 weeks before the first event.

Humanities Kansas is leading a movement of ideas. We believe that stories carry our culture and ideas change the world. Humanities for All grants support projects that draw on history, literature, and culture to engage the public with stories that spark conversation.

Goals of the Action grants:

• Share stories that explore the human experience
• Engage the general public in discussions centered on a humanities theme, in-person or through other formats
• Generate insights that cultivate a thriving democracy

What types of projects do we support?

Humanities programs can take many forms. Formats include but are not limited to new interpretive exhibits, community conversations, panel discussions, presentations, book discussions, short documentary films, or podcasts.

Projects can be planned for in-person events, virtual platforms (like social media or Zoom), or some other creative format. Engagement of the general public, which primarily refers to an adult, out-of school audience, is key. Any application for an in-person event must also include a brief description of an alternate format if in-person events cannot occur.

To be competitive for funding, the project should aim to do the following:

• Draw on our diverse history, literature, and cultures to explore a defined topic, keeping the humanities central to the project
• Engage the general public, which primarily refers to an adult, out-of-school audience.
• Provide opportunities for engagement with in-person events and discussions, or with participatory online platforms or other formats
• Involve multiple ways to engage beyond one public event. (For example, a request for a keynote speaker is usually not considered a competitive proposal unless there are additional engagement opportunities such as an exhibit, book discussions, film screening, etc.).

HK is interested in innovative, creative program formats, diverse perspectives, and new methods for reaching an audience. HK grants are intended to get a project “off the ground.” HK cannot be expected to fund a similar project, or a signature event, year after year.

Award Amounts

Grants are competitive with a maximum award amount of $3,500.

Additional funds can be requested to assist with increasing access to the project, including support for a sign language interpreter, Spanish language interpreter, audio tours for digital and in-person exhibits, rental of handicap accessible ramps, etc.

In addition to grant funds, applicants are asked to contribute goods and services equal to or greater in value than the amount requested. This is called cost share and can include:

• Staff and volunteer time devoted to the project
• Donated use of office space, venue facility, equipment, and supplies
• Social media, public service announcements, and other free publicity
• Refreshments at events

Cash match is not required. HK only accepts costs accrued after the official start date of the grant period.

Since its inception, the Foundation, which is still led by Lester T. Sunderland's descendants, has focused on supporting construction projects, awarding grants to nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other markets traditionally served by the Ash Grove Cement Company. 

 The Foundation prefers to make grants for construction and special interest projects rather than for annual operating expenses. 

Grants for planning, design, construction, renovation, repairs and restoration of facilities are considered. Areas of interest include higher education, youth serving agencies, health facilities, community buildings, museums, civic projects and energy efficient affordable housing projects sponsored by qualified tax-exempt organizations. 

Funding Areas

In recent grant cycles, the Board of Trustees has awarded the majority of grants in four broadly defined areas:

Health Care and Hospitals

A growing area of need in many of the communities the Foundation serves. In 2017, more than $2.9 million was awarded to hospitals and health-care groups to build and improve their facilities. 

Human Services

The Foundation awarded over $7 million to human service nonprofits in 2017, and the majority of grants in this area were awarded to groups that provide essential services to youth and families. Grantees included a range of youth-focused groups, including the Kansas 4-H Foundation, Kids TLC, Ronald McDonald House & Boys & Girls Clubs. 

Higher Education

In 2017, the Foundation awarded more than $10 million to over 45 educational organizations. Grantees included community colleges, private colleges, and public universities. 

Arts and Culture

The Helen S Boylan Foundation

The mission of the Helen S. Boylan Foundation is to enhance the quality of life in our communities of Carthage, Missouri, the Greater Kansas City Area, and Lindale, Texas. We actively distribute quarterly grants to local non-profit organizations serving arts & education, women & children, health & wellness and the beautification of our communities.

Grant Guidelines

The Helen S. Boylan Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1982 to continue the family tradition of commitment to enhancing the quality of life of the community through grants to qualified charitable organizations. In carrying out its mission, the Foundation considers a wide range of proposals within the following areas: arts, education, health, human services, environment, and public interest.

Our Community Grants support a wide range of local projects in the areas of arts and culture, children and youth, community development, education, health, housing and human services.

Community Grant Guidelines

The goal of the DCCF Community Grants program is to improve the lives of Douglas County, Kansas residents. We support a wide variety of activities in the following areas:

• Arts and Culture 
• Children and Youth
• Community Development
• Education
• Environment
• Health
• Housing
• Human Services

Favored activities are those that:

• Provide a substantial benefit 
• Produce meaningful, measurable results
• Include a plan to measure results
• Build self-sufficiency and help attract additional funds and resources for the participants or organization
• Assist with or promote collaboration among nonprofits to minimize duplication

In addition, the foundation is more likely to fund requests that:

• Are clearly and concisely described 
• Are based on complete and clear income and expense projections
• Do not require recurring DCCF funding for the same project or purpose
• Reasonably ensure continued support after foundation funding is no longer available
• Are proposed by organizations that demonstrate sound financial practices and strong staff and volunteer support

NOTE: Applications may be submitted until 11:59 p.m.on the due date. However, we strongly recommend that you submit your application by 4:00 p.m.

NOTE: Organizations are strongly encouraged, but not required, to submit a draft application for staff review. Deadlines for draft submission are listed as pre-proposal dates above. Completed proposals are due on the full proposal deadline date.

Culture Preservation Grants

Cultural Preservation Grants support projects that preserve and create access to historical or cultural resources that document stories of life in Kansas.

Goals:

• Preserve stories that document the human experience
• Increase public access to our shared cultural heritage
• Enhance organizational capacity through the use of a Project Consultant

Types of Projects 

Oral histories, digitization efforts, transcription, collections care, language preservation, hands-on training, and other creative preservation projects are eligible. Using the knowledge of a Project Consultant and implementing best practices are the keys to a successful application. This program is a partnership between Humanities Kansas and the Kansas Historical Society.

To be competitive for funding, proposals should clearly define the scope of work, explain the process, and articulate why the material is important. The best proposals focus on a single story or collection of material.

Of special interest are projects that pivot existing collections, archives, and exhibits to online or other  Formats not reliant on the traditional drop-in visit. The primary purpose of Culture Preservation grants is to enhance public access and preserve local cultural resources.

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.

Humanities Kansas has explored bold stories and big ideas in every corner of Kansas—ideas about what it means to be human, to be part of a democracy, and to strengthen our communities.

As we celebrate our first 50 years, HK remains committed to Kansas stories by offering the Spark! Short Documentary Films Initiative, special grants for short films that will carry Kansas culture forward into the next 50 years. We are looking for documentary films that reflect the diversity of experience found in today’s Kansas. We encourage fresh takes, dynamic interpretations, and a focus on overlooked experiences.

Have a story but need help making a film? Talk to us! HK staff can connect you with a Kansas filmmaker.

Selected organizations will receive:

• Up to $10,000 to support the film project and public program
• Statewide publicity and promotion of the project
• Networking and training with a cohort of selected organizations

HK will select up to 4 project hosts based on the strength of the application, accompanying plans, geographic distribution, community partnerships, and enthusiasm for the project.

Humanities Kansas has explored bold stories and big ideas in every corner of Kansas—ideas about what it means to be human, to be part of a democracy, and to strengthen our communities. As we celebrate our first 50 years, HK invites Kansas communities to save their own 1970s stories as part of the Sunflower 70s grant initiative.

The 1970s were a time of change in Kansas. People across the state wrote to the newly formed Kansas Committee for the Humanities to say they wanted to talk about their concerns. Older residents worried about losing the rural way of life, an aging population, and a changing society. Younger residents were interested in equal rights, conservation, and an end to the Vietnam War.

What events shaped the 1970s in your community? Topics can include, but are not limited to:

• Changes in agricultural practices, policies, and ownership
• Environmental protections, nuclear power, and water conservation
• Changes in immigration patterns, foodways, and languages
• Social changes to family structures, education, and mobility

Sunflower 70s grants provide up to $3,500 to preserve and share the stories of this pivotal decade.

HK will select up to 12 project hosts based on the strength of the application, accompanying plans, geographic distribution, community partnerships, and enthusiasm for the project.