Seed Grants for Nonprofits

Who We’re Looking For

We support nonprofit organizations that run some of the top public charter schools in their communities and are redefining what is possible in America’s public schools. Our portfolio members typically share the following traits:

Academic Excellence

They have had strong academic performance for multiple years, as demonstrated by measures such as student academic growth, achievement on state tests relative to peers, sub-group performance and, when available, long-term student outcome data.

Commitment to Financial Stability

They are committed to operating their schools on public funding and will not require significant philanthropy when they finish growing their networks of schools.

Ambition to Grow 

They typically have waiting lists and want to expand their impact by opening more schools. The “Seed” organizations we support seek to open 1-2 more schools within the next two years, while our “Scale” strategy supports leaders who plan to launch 3+ more schools over a five-year period.

Strong Leadership Committed to Underserved Students

School leadership teams have the capacity to build the skills and expertise needed to accomplish their ambitious goals. They share a commitment to serving students who have limited access to high-quality public schools in their communities.

Scale Funding

We are looking for leaders who want to expand their high-performing public charter schools by growing to serve roughly 1,000+ additional students in the next 3-5 years.

What We Offer

Funding

We provide grants and low-interest loans of $750,000+ to help promising public charter schools pursue their multi-year plan to open new schools and increase their impact. Once awarded, these grants and loans are disbursed over a three to five-year period.

Strategic Partnership

We work alongside charter leaders to help them navigate the challenges of growth and deliver for students and families. Our investment and structured finance team members not only bring financial and strategic expertise to their work, but have typically worked in schools and can relate to the experiences of our portfolio leaders.

Community

We build a collaborative community among the nation’s foremost charter leaders and coordinate meaningful opportunities for them to learn from one another. These gatherings include our annual Portfolio Retreat for CEOs, as well as 15-20 smaller convenings every year for senior leaders.

Support, Insights, & Solutions

Through our impact team, we spotlight and share practices that make schools and organizations better. We are willing to invest in scalable solutions and innovations to accelerate performance, and can provide short-term consulting support. Our four practice areas are academics & character, talent; finance & operations, and college access/alumni success.

NOTE: The Intel Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests. However, organizations based in the United States may share information about programs that align with the Foundation's strategic focus areas.

Our Priorities

Promoting Stem Education

We believe in the power of knowledge and technology to transform lives and enable people to solve problems with purpose.

Opportunity for All

A strong foundation in math, technology, science, and computer engineering can empower young people with skills and confidence to launch a life of learning, career success, and contributions to society. We are targeting our work on STEM education to advance gender and racial equity, with a commitment to expand technology access to fuel human potential in every community.

Intel® She Will Connect

The Intel® She Will Connect initiative connects middle school girls to hands-on technology experiences that inspire them to become innovators and encourage their interests in technology, engineering, and computer science. Through new partnerships and collaborations, we are expanding the program across the U.S. and into other countries.

WiSci STEAM Camps

Women in Science (WiSci) Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) camps—developed through a partnership between Intel, the U.S. Department of State, and the United Nations Girl Up campaign—aim to bridge inequity gaps in technology. The Intel Foundation supports the camps, where Intel volunteers use Intel Future Skills curriculum and enable girls around the world to experience robotics, drones, coding, AI, leadership training, mentorship, and friendship.

Responding to Humanitarian Crises and Natural Disasters

We form strong partnerships and take collective action to support social justice, respond to humanitarian crises, and provide disaster relief.

Making It Count

We match employees’ donations to support communities when crises occur, and provide options for employees to make their donations count where and when they are needed most. Our goal is to achieve specific outcomes and long-term impact. 

Battling COVID-19

The Intel Foundation donated $4 million toward COVID-19 relief programs focused on education, health, community development, and economic support. In addition, the Foundation matched $2 million donated by Intel employees, who also generously contributed their time and energy to serve communities throughout the pandemic.

Taking A Stand For Racial Justice

To help address social injustice and promote anti-racism, the Intel Foundation initiated “Standing on the Sidelines Is Not an Option,” a $500,000 employee donation match campaign supporting the National Urban League, the Center for Policing Equity, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and Amnesty International.

Rebuilding After Disasters

Through spotlight donation campaigns, the Foundation provides relief and matches employee contributions to help rebuild communities hit by floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or other natural disasters. In 2020, for example, employees and the Foundation provided an outpouring of support for communities hit by wildfires across the Western U.S.

Amplifying Employee Generosity

The Intel Foundation amplifies the impact of employees’ contributions to communities around the world.

Uplifting Communities

Our employees generously donate their skills, technology expertise, funds, and millions of hours of service to tackle environmental challenges, improve education, and help uplift people. Through grants and matching programs, the Intel Foundation ignites and fosters employees’ passion for philanthropy and desire to help solve global challenges.

Donation Matching

The Foundation matches charitable donations of US Intel employees and retirees to eligible nonprofit organizations or schools, up to $10,000 annually per employee. This program helps communities rise while increasing employees’ ability to support the causes they care about most.  

Volunteer Matching

We extend the impact of volunteerism by donating $10 per volunteer hour to qualified nonprofits and schools where Intel employees and retirees donate at least 20 hours of service in a year. This program helps to recognize employees and give them an opportunity to earn money for organizations that are meaningful to them.

Seed Grants

The Intel Foundation awards seed grants of up to $5,000 to support employee-initiated community service projects. Projects are selected based on their originality, potential impact, and expected outcomes.

Volunteer Heroes

Each year, 10 Intel super volunteers each receive a $2,500 grant for the charitable organization or school of their choice. One overall winner, chosen from among these 10 finalists, receives an additional $7,500 grant for his or her designated organization.

FRD Foundation

The FRD Foundation was created on April 4, 1963 by Frances R. Dewing. She  received her BA from Wellesley College in 1900 and Ph.D. from Radcliffe College in 1906. The monies of the FRD Foundation are to be used to provide "seed money" for intellectual stimulation of young children.

Frances Hall Rousmaniere Dewing was interested in innovative ideas and philosophy. She felt that young children are very open to trying new ways of thinking. The focus is on children up to grade 6.

The FRD Foundation is a small, non-profit, charitable organization that supports innovative ways of teaching young children. Approximately 20 to 30 grants are made per year.

Funding Priorities

The Frances R. Dewing Foundation supports innovation in early childhood education. Emphasis is placed on new, untried or unusual projects and programs that if successful could have a snowball or ripple effect benefiting the larger educational or local community.  Generally such projects and programs need seed money to develop and try new educational methods and tools. The foundation provides seed money in the form of small grants, generally ranging from $1000 to $25,000. The foundation prefers to provide a significant portion of any project it funds. 

Consideration is only given to projects concerned with early childhood education, specifically for children up to sixth grade. Emphasis is placed on new, untried or unusual educational organizations or institutions which endeavor to introduce new educational methods, again, aimed at the education of young children. (NOTE: Day Care projects must be specific and innovative.)

The grant is made for a specific identifiable need. The Trustees consider applications for educational projects or programs aimed directly at children up to sixth grade - NOT parent educations, staff recruitment, endowments, etc. The Trustees of the Frances R. Dewing Foundation decided to narrow the scope of the Foundation guidelines, interpreting early childhood education in real terms, thus excluding educational programs aimed at teens or adults. This was necessitated by the overwhelming number of applications and our limited funds. 

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation is an independent self-funding 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supporting activities that help meet the educational and health needs of today's society and future generations. For decades, the Foundation has been a proud supporter of programs in our state that help advance science, health and education.

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors that includes community leaders and GSK corporate executives. The day to day operations are overseen by the staff.

The Foundation was the vision of Glaxo chairman and chief executive, the late Joseph J. Ruvane, Jr. Mr. Ruvane brought the company from Florida to the Research Triangle Park and with it his passion for community. His vision was to establish an annually budgeted corporate giving program and a stable, long-term source of support for our state. In 1996, the company ceased funding the foundation. The foundation's growth is based solely on investment and market growth derived from its own independent endowment.

Since our establishment in 1986, we have awarded $68.9 million in grants over 30 years! We pay approximately $3 million in grants each year to North Carolina nonprofit organizations.

Traditional Grants

The Foundation provides grants of $25,000 and above to organizations working to help meet the educational and health needs of today’s society and future generations.

The Foundation’s primary focus is to provide seed funds for new and worthwhile educational programs. This policy does not preclude the consideration and possible funding of ongoing projects. This policy does not preclude the consideration and possible funding of ongoing projects. Proposals may be submitted for one year of funding or multi-year funding with a maximum duration of five years.

Ordinarily, the board does not provide funds to programs that benefit a limited geographical region. The board may make an exception to this policy when a program has the potential to transcend its community’s geographic boundaries or is established as a pilot program to be replicated on a larger scale.

Who We’re Looking For

We support nonprofit organizations that run some of the top public charter schools in their communities and are redefining what is possible in America’s public schools. Our portfolio members typically share the following traits:

Academic Excellence

They have had strong academic performance for multiple years, as demonstrated by measures such as student academic growth, achievement on state tests relative to peers, sub-group performance and, when available, long-term student outcome data.

Commitment to Financial Stability

They are committed to operating their schools on public funding and will not require significant philanthropy when they finish growing their networks of schools.

Ambition to Grow

They typically have waiting lists and want to expand their impact by opening more schools. The “Seed” organizations we support seek to open 1-2 more schools within the next two years, while our “Scale” strategy supports leaders who plan to launch 3+ more schools over a five-year period.

Strong Leadership Committed to Underserved Students

School leadership teams have the capacity to build the skills and expertise needed to accomplish their ambitious goals. They share a commitment to serving students who have limited access to high-quality public schools in their communities.

Seed Funding

We are looking for leaders who want to expand their high-performing public charter schools by serving 250 to 1,000 additional students in the next two years.

What We Offer

Funding

We award general operating grants of between $250,000 and $600,000 to help promising leaders open their next one to three schools. Once awarded, these grants are disbursed over a two- to three-year period.

Early-Stage Support

We support charter leaders in overcoming the common challenges facing schools and networks that are beginning to grow. The targeted support we provide includes business planning, facilities insights, and access to the best resources from the CSGF portfolio.

Cohort-Based Learning

Selected Seed leaders will join a cohort of their peers who lead public charter school networks in the early stages of growth. As a community, they participate in annual events including the Portfolio Retreat and smaller convenings.

Leaders of Color

We seek to significantly expand the impact of public charter schools led by entrepreneurs who have backgrounds similar to those of the students and families they serve. Within each cohort, there are unique learning, support and community-building opportunities, specifically for leaders of color.

About Seeding Solutions

Launched in 2017, Seeding Solutions is our annual competitive grant program that supports bold research in any of our six Challenge Areas or builds bridges between our Challenge Areas. FFAR awards up to 10 grants ranging between $300,000 to $1 million. Grantees must provide matching funds from non-federal partners.

We support innovative projects that address challenges in food supply and agroecosystem management through novel partnerships. Such collaborations provide opportunities to engage stakeholders as integral members of the research team and increase the likelihood of a project’s application beyond its scope.

What to know when applying for Seeding Solutions

Seeding Solutions proposals should:

• Demonstrate the potential for impact within our Challenge Area priorities.
• Address pervasive challenges in food supply and agroecosystem management.
• Benefit the public by advancing science-based decision support, enhancing transparency through open platforms or supporting economic development opportunities that strengthen the food and agriculture workforce.
• Maximize potential for real-world application by developing bold partnerships with stakeholders, including private and nonprofit organizations, non-federal government agencies, research institutions and farmers.

What are the requirements to apply?

FFAR seeks projects that foster innovation with the potential for transformative impact within FFAR’s Challenge Areas. Applications that address the following will receive preference:

• Contribute to the goal of sustainable food and agriculture, defined as practices that “satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends; make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operation; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.” (Food and Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, Public Law 101-624, Title XVI, Subtitle A, Section 1603).
• Accelerate innovation within FFAR’s Challenge Areas. For this request for applications (RFA), FFAR defines innovation as follows:
• Radical Innovation: Development of new technologies, software, algorithms, methodology, or products with the potential to transform agricultural systems.
• Applied Innovation: Application and validation of new or emerging technologies, processes or management strategies to address significant challenges in food and agriculture systems.
• Re-imagined Innovation: Adaptation of existing technologies, processes or management strategies for entirely new agricultural applications.
• Address an aspect of the following Challenge Area priorities. Additional information is available through the Challenge Area links provided. We encourage applicants to reach out to the Scientific Program Director of the appropriate Challenge Area of interest to hone ideas before submitting a pre-application (see Application Assistance below).
• Soil Health: Advanced understanding of what soil health is, how it is measured and how to manage and optimize the sustainable delivery of the ecosystem services which soils provide
• Sustainable Water Management: Interdisciplinary, model-based research related to near-surface hydrology and designed to advance precision agriculture and water management
• Next Generation Crops: Advanced breeding methods and development of biotic and abiotic stress tolerance for crops grown in organic and conventional cropping systems to increase farmer profitability and environmental resilience
• Advanced Animal Systems: Improved animal health, welfare and productivity, antibiotic stewardship and the environment through innovative partnershipp
• Urban Food Systems: Elucidation of connections between urban food systems and the urban environment, in addition to the connections between rural and urban communities to improve food and nutritional security, human health outcomes, economic opportunities and food system resiliency through transdisciplinary partnerships
• Health- Agriculture Nexus: Systems-level approaches (both technological and non-technological) aimed at reducing food and nutritional insecurity and improving human health in the United States and worldwide
• Demonstrate fully integrated partnerships with different sectors (private, non-government organizations (NGO), governments, academia and other stakeholders) such that research outcomes may be scalable and applicable to food and agriculture systems.The development of public-private partnerships is central to FFAR’s vision and core mission: Building unique partnerships to support innovative science addressing today’s food and agriculture challenges. External matching funds (i.e., contributions provided by partners outside of an applicant’s home institution) will strengthen the application’s standing. These partners may include but are not limited to private and public corporations, non-profits, foundations, commodity and trade groups, and state and local governments. Unique partnerships including organizations that may not typically work in agriculture, are strongly encouraged.
• Serve the public good by making data open and accessible to the public, creating unique economic development opportunities, or contributing to food and agriculture workforce development.

FFAR, as a part of its mission, seeks “not only brilliant minds but also fresh perspectives tackling today’s challenges in food and agriculture. We embrace diversity and promote inclusiveness in all we do, from the teams we build to the grantees we support.” FFAR also understands that the outside-the-box thinking needed to drive innovation occurs when researchers with different skillsets and experience collaborate. With that spirit of diversity and inclusiveness in mind, cross-disciplinary research teams, especially those that include disciplines not traditionally associated with food or agriculture science, to develop innovative solutions to address current agricultural challenges are strongly encouraged to apply to the Seeding Solutions program.

Our Mission

to protect and support what is underserved: children, animals, women, and the environment.

Our Vision

JEM is dedicated to improving the welfare of children and women, along with preserving wildlife and the planet. We aim to empower organizations in these areas through charitable giving. The JEM Project seeks to inspire global conservation through impact funding of sustainability efforts, land purchase, ocean health programs, and environmental research. 

Our Core Goal

The JEM Project works with nonprofits, researchers, and innovators to create lasting solutions for children, animals, women’s empowerment, and environmental conservation. JEM aims to inspire communities to protect these underserved entities for our common future. 

The JEM Project is a grant making foundation, supporting registered nonprofit 501c3 organizations within four focus areas of philanthropic funding: 

Advance child welfare

through access to education, healthcare, family support, food programs 

Promote animal welfare

through rescue organizations, rehabilitation programs, educational outreach

Empower women

in their communities through local programs, loan accessibility, entrepreneurship mentoring, impact funding

Instigate environmental sustainability

through directed funds, conservation activities, research, technology

Our Mission

The Hansen Family Foundation provides opportunities to domestic, international, secular, and non-secular organizations that support the American way of life, which is defined by the principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

Specific focus is placed on:

• Humanitarian Support; 
• Disadvantaged Children;
• Education;
• Arts and Culture;
• Environmental Causes;
• Animals.

Guiding Philosophy

The Foundation believes that it can provide the highest value to the grant recipients where gifts provide a start or a “seed” that can provide a benefit over time. Accordingly, the Foundation will generally give preference to those organizations, individuals, and/or initiatives that will stand the test of time, will inspire others to get involved, and will be a manifestation of our mission.

It is the Foundation’s belief that its philanthropic assets will have the greatest impact on smaller and non-political charitable organizations, so it is likely that most grants will be made to these types of organizations. However, this focus is not exclusive and the Foundation will consider organizations of any size that otherwise meet its mission, guiding principles, and grant-making guidelines. It is intended that end-users get 100% of the charitable contribution with no pass-through of any funds to another organization or person not directly responsible for the use of the money as understood by the Hansen Family Foundation. Additionally, recipient organizations must have at least a 75% giving vs. operating cost ratio to be considered. An organization with a lower ratio requires a 100% BOD-affirming vote to be considered.

There is no geographic limitation of the recipient organization or individual (either where it is located or where the Foundation’s involvement may occur). As a practical matter, however, the Foundation may be better able to include gifts of its time and talents where the charitable recipient is located where Board members live or work.

The Foundation seeks charitable recipients that:

• Share its value and beliefs
• Embrace the Foundation’s commitment and potential involvement
• Want to be accountable and demonstrate results (where the Foundation can cause effective change)

In keeping with the Foundation’s commitment to organizations it supports, gifts will normally be multi-year. One time grants will not be excluded, but these types of grants would not generally demonstrate the level of commitment and partnership that the Foundation seeks to provide to its grantees.

The Foundation will select its charitable recipients with great care and will exercise patience to find the right organizations, individuals, and initiatives that meet the selection criteria of the board. This care will be evidenced by the personal involvement of the board in the nomination, due-diligence, and on-site review process when selecting the recipients.

The Foundation will follow sound financial practices that support the long-term missions and annual objectives of the Foundation.

These practices include:

• Have wise investment and spending policies so that the foundation will grow and thereby provide more money for worthy causes
• Be committed to restrained administrative spending to ensure that foundation principal continues to grow
• Grow in resources and gifts (to be able to increase total grant size each year)
• Be able to see that Foundation has achieved leverage with its gifts and that the organizations supported have truly benefited within the scope of their mission statement.

In addition, we expect the Foundation to be actively engaged with, and be committed to, the organizations and individuals it supports. This engagement and commitment may include monetary and/or non-monetary gifts by some or all of the Board members.

Our Pledge

Infinite Hero’s pledge to those who have risked their lives is to reward their sacrifice and bravery with support that articulates our gratitude. We partner with like-minded organizations to provide access to innovative rehabilitation programs that address the unique needs of veterans and their families.

The measure of our impact is positive outcomes, not merely gestures. Like the heroes we serve, we refuse to shy away from a challenge. Where boundaries exist, we will plow through them. Where strategies and solutions have not yet been found, we will create them.

We will marshal the resources of technology, community, medical research and mental health care to foster collaborative innovation and affect positive change for our heroes in need.

Foundation Inspiration

Some heroes do not come home to their families because they have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms. Many more make it back but carry physical and mental injury.

It is the responsibility of us all to provide the therapies and resources they need to carry on with the scars of their sacrifice and experience the quality of life they deserve.

Front Line Issues

Infinite Hero Foundation believes that the service-related mental and physical health challenges our military heroes and their families face are foundational issues. In the case of physical injury, the veteran family must undergo extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and other mental injuries are much more insidious and can go undetected for several months or more before the symptoms drive the individual or family to seek treatment. Innovations are needed to develop more effective treatments and ensure accessibility for every military hero and family regardless of geography or resources.

Grant Program

Since its inception in 2012, Infinite Hero Foundation has awarded more than $3 million dollars in funding and support to seventeen different veteran service organizations offering innovative and effective programs or treatments for service-related mental and physical injuries. 

We see IHF as an investment fund for nonprofit entities pushing the envelope on developing effective treatments for heroes’ service-related mental and physical injuries.

We invest in and partner with like-minded organizations that create cutting edge technologies, methods, practices, or products which advance the front lines of combat against the mental and/or physical challenges faced by military heroes and their families.

The return on investment we seek is not financial, but societal, benefiting Service Members of all branches, Veterans and their families dealing with service-related mental and physical injuries.

We provide the seed money and support for big ideas, for a limited time.

Grant Sizes and Types

Program grants between $25,000 to $100,000 per cycle, per year will be considered based on need and an approved budget. Infinite Hero funds must be applied directly to program costs and cannot be used for fundraising or administrative overhead.