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

Donation Requests

Radio Flyer receives a high volume of requests for donations, special pricing, and sponsorship from around the world - from a wide variety of worthy organizations and causes.  

Our mission is to bring smiles and create warm memories by creating products that foster outdoor active play. As part of this mission we focus our social responsibility efforts on organizations that are dedicated to these same goals.

 Currently our main commitments are:

• Charitable giving to national organizations to better centralize our philanthropic efforts – such as The Starlight Children’s Foundation whose mission is to improve the life and health of kids and families around the world. And, the Toy Industry Foundation whose mission is to bring joy, comfort, and learning to children in need through play. 
• Annually sponsoring & building playgrounds in our community for underprivileged kids, through our partnership with KaBOOM! - a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America's children. See the page for KaBOOM! grants here.
• We allocate the remainder of our giving to local non-profit entities in the Chicagoland area dedicated specifically to the education, health and well-being of children – age ranges from infants to 8 years old. See the page for Chicagoland grants here.

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: 

• See separate grant page for High Impact Priority Impact Quality of Life grants. High Impact Priority Quality of Life grants are offered once per year, in the 1st grant cycle. 
• See separate grant page for Expanded Impact Tier Quality of Life grants which are currently being offered once per year, in the 1st grant cycle.

Program overview

As a pillar of the Paralysis Resource Center, the Quality of Life Grants Program, pioneered by the late Dana Reeve, impacts and empowers people living with paralysis, their families and caregivers by providing grants to nonprofit organizations whose projects and initiatives foster inclusion, involvement and community engagement, while promoting health and wellness for those affected by paralysis in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Grants have been awarded in all fifty states, a number of U.S. territories and though we no longer fund projects outside of the United States of America, grants have previously been awarded in 33 countries outside the U.S.

Quality of Life Grant Details

Grants are awarded to organizations that address the needs of people living with paralysis caused by spinal cord and other injuries, diseases or birth conditions, including (but not limited to) stroke, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Direct Effect (Tier 1)

Direct Effect (Tier 1) is open-focused and awards grants of up to $25,000 to support a wide range of projects and activities. Grants fund programs and projects that will clearly impact individuals living with paralysis and their families.

Direct Effect Quality of Life grants fund specific budget items up to a total of $25,000 to support the wide range of projects and activities that will clearly impact individuals living with paralysis and their families. Funded projects must be completed within 12 months after the award is received.

Examples of funded projects may include (but are not limited to):

• sports wheelchairs for a wheelchair basketball team;
• adapted glider in a community playground;
• kayak for a rowing program;
• accessible gym equipment;
• hydraulic lift at a pool;
• electronic door openers at a community center;
• workshop education series on sex and sexuality with a spinal cord injury;
• wheelchair accessible picnic table at a county fairground;
• program for preventing abuse in adaptive sports;
• camp programs;
• subsidized lessons for therapeutic riding;
• transportation costs for an inclusive afterschool program; and
• support groups.

See Types of Direct Effect (Tier 1) Projects Funded

Direct Effect grants will have short- to mid-range impact. Long-range impact and sustainability are not expected for projects at this level. Grantees will be required to submit a 6-month interim report and a final report and evaluation survey at the end of the project.

Kubota Tractor Corporation is pleased to announce a 3rd year of its community grant program: Kubota Hometown Proud. In the spirit of Together We Do More, Kubota’s Hometown Proud community revitalization grant program will once again invest in FIVE $100,000 community grants, helping local organizations make an impact in their own communities.

And the support doesn’t stop there: Each of the five grant winners will have a chance at an additional $100,000 Kubota Community Choice Award selected by public vote this summer.

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: Funding for Creative Play grants is limited to specific times of the calendar year and to specific geographic or organizational parameters. Viable applications will be kept on file indefinitely and applicants are only contacted when funding becomes available in their area. To learn more about available funding before starting an application, please contact us.

KaBOOM! and our funding partners are excited to offer Imagination Playground™ and Rigamajig grants to qualifying U.S.-based organizations.

Funding for Creative Play grants is limited to specific times of the calendar year and to specific geographic or organizational parameters. Viable applications will be kept on file indefinitely and applicants are only contacted when funding becomes available in their area.

About Imagination Playground

Imagination Playground is an innovative design in play equipment that encourages creativity, communication, and collaboration in play. With a collection of custom-designed, oversized blue foam parts, Imagination Playground™ provides a changing array of elements that allow children to turn their playground into a space constantly built and re-built by their imagination.

Learn more about Imagination Playground

About Rigamajig

Rigamajig is a collection of wooden planks, wheels, pulleys, nuts, bolts and rope allow that children to follow their curiosity while playing. There are no wrong answers, and while the pieces can come together as a crane used to convey buckets or materials, they can also become a giraffe, monster, robot, airplane or just a "thingy."

Learn more about Rigamajig

Grant recipients will receive a Rigamajig OR an Imagination Playground. Let us know if you have a preference for one of the products in your application! 

The Imagination Playground grant includes four carts of Imagination Playground equipment.

The Rigamajig grant includes two carts of Rigamajig equipment.

Our Mission

To get more people riding bikes more often. To make bike riding better for everyone.

Background

Since 1999, PeopleForBikes has created a prominent place for bikes in transportation, mobility and recreation decisions at all levels of government. We ensure bikes are prioritized and positioned as a real solution to improve Americans’ health, connect communities, boost local and state economies, strengthen our nation and protect our planet.

We accomplish this by being proactive and planning for the future, adopting a broad and inclusive vision for government affairs and making it convenient for leaders at all levels to take advantage of opportunities and legislation that prioritize bikes.

Together, we work with federal, state and local officials to make biking better for everyone.

Our Mission Pillars

• Empower Cities to Take Action
  • PeopleforBikes inspires and empowers cities to take actions that get more people on bikes to promote healthier populations and a more livable planet.
• Create Connections
  • We leverage technology, infrastructure, and content to 
make biking safer, easier to access, and more fun by 
encouraging diversity. 
• Support the Bike Industry
  • We advance pro-bike business policies to support a thriving bike industry and the jobs it produces.   

Community Grants

What We Fund

Our top priority is funding infrastructure projects that improve a community’s City Ratings score by building connections in a low-stress bikeway network or improving access to recreational amenities. Grants should support the material costs of infrastructure construction or non-material costs directly related and necessary to getting infrastructure built. Our priority is supporting efforts where grants make a difference, especially in support of communities impacted by historic disinvestment.

• Costs related to the development of permanent bike infrastructure, including trails, shared use paths, bike parks, pump tracks, bicycle playgrounds, neighborhood greenways/bike boulevards, and protected bike lanes
• Costs related to “quick-build” or “demonstration projects,” provided that any temporary infrastructure is part of a strategy to subsequently develop permanent infrastructure
• Land or easement acquisition costs for bike infrastructure
• Events or programs that support cultural acceptance and support of specific planned or recently constructed bike infrastructure projects, like “bike buses” or “community bike rides.” Such events or programs must show a connection between the event and organizing for permanent infrastructural improvements and must show a likelihood of permanence beyond the term of the grant.

Humble Beginnings

Since our humble beginning in 1968 as a general store in Boone, Iowa, Casey’s has steadily grown from the heart of one community to the next. Today, we serve communities across 16 states in more than 2,300 store locations. Yet our focus will never waiver from being the friendly face who brews your first cup of coffee to greeting you with a smile on your last stop after work. While we continuously aim to create innovative services and offerings, we’ll always stay true to making life better for our communities and guests every day.

Our Community

At Casey’s, our purpose is “to make life better for communities and guests every day” — and we make sure it shows. We are passionate about giving back to our communities because we are our communities. We’re your neighbors, your friends, and your family. We take pride in supporting efforts that strengthen our communities because our families also live and work here. We know you by name, and we show up for you when we know we can help. We are here for our communities, which means we’re Here For Good.

Cash for Classrooms Grants

Casey’s Cash for Classrooms Grant Program awards grants to benefit K-12 public and nonprofit, and private schools.

The funding priorities included:

• Physical Improvements:
  • Projects that help update and improve the school through repairs, enhancements or new additions. This can include internal (building, classrooms) or external (playground, fields).
• Material Needs:
  • Needs for supplies, technology, materials or other items that would enrich the learning environment.
• Teacher Support:
  • Programs that seek to grow the skills of teachers, offer professional development or address training resources.
• Community Engagement:
  • Efforts to engage students with the community. Examples include external experiences like student volunteerism programs, camps or field trips.

Grants will range from $3,000 to a maximum of $50,000 with funds used within 12 months of award.

An organization may only submit one application during the current cycle. A school can receive more than one donation if submitted by different organizations.