Search Through Springfield Grants for Nonprofits in Missouri

Making community possible

At U.S. Bank, we are dedicated to supporting our communities through responsive and humbled actions focused on addressing racial and economic inequities and creating lasting change in our communities. Through our Community Possible Grant Program, we are partnering with organizations that focus on economic and workforce advancement, safe and affordable housing and communities connected through arts and culture.

The U.S. Bank Foundation is committed to making Community Possible through Work, Home and Play. We advance this work through collaborative grant making to bring equitable and lasting change through our focus on sustainable, high-impact funding with 501c3 nonprofit partners.

How we partner with nonprofits

We focus on collaborative grantmaking and sustainable, high-impact funding with 501(c)(3) nonprofit partners. We partner with organizations that support:

• Economic and workforce advancement
• Safe and affordable housing
• Community arts and culture

Our strategy

Our community affairs and foundation team work closely with U.S. Bank regional leadership, business resource groups and our National Community Advisory Committee to ensure that prevailing needs are addressed in all the communities we serve.

To make the most meaningful impact, we prioritize organizations that:

• Focus on economic development issues related to work, home and play
• Address more than one of the grant pillars (work, home and play)
• Are based in and serve designated U.S. Bank communities
• Advance diversity, equity and inclusion

Missouri Ozarks Community Donations

Strengthening communities in the Missouri Ozarks through support of local nonprofit organizations located in Springfield, Branson and surrounding areas.

Background

Under the visionary leadership of founder Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s is leading North America’s largest conservation movement. Together with our partners in conservation, we’re positively shaping the future of the outdoors through donations, grant-making and advocacy.

Funding

Requested Grant Amount: All amounts

Who We Are

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

What We Fund

/ What We Fund

The Creag Foundation is focused on innovation in the industry. We will consider proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations that are finding new ways to address societal issues facing the nonprofit community. Applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for one year before submitting. If your organization has held 501(c)(3) status for over a year, and your believe that your organization has a new approach to an existing social problem or is addressing a previously unaddressed social issue, you are welcome to contact us and request that we consider your organization for a funding opportunity.

Community Grants

State Farm is committed to helping build safer, stronger and better-educated communities.

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We are committed to auto and home safety programs and activities that help people manage the risks of everyday life.
• We invest in education, economic empowerment and community development projects, programs and services that help people realize their dreams.
• We help maintain the vibrancy of our communities by assisting nonprofits that support community revitalization.

Good Neighbor Citizenship company grants focus on safety, community development and education.

Focus Areas

Safety Grants

We strive to keep our customers and communities safe. That's why our funding is directed toward:

• Auto safety — improving driver, passenger, vehicle or roadway safety
• Home safety — shielding homes from fires, crime or natural disasters
• Disaster preparedness and mitigation
• Disaster recovery

Community Development

We support nonprofits that invest and develop stronger neighborhoods. That's why our funding is directed toward:

• Affordable housing — home construction and repair
• Commercial/small business development
• Job training
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Financial literacy
• Sustainable housing and transportation
• Food insecurity

Education

Our education funding is directed toward initiatives that support the following programs:

• Higher education
• K-12 academic performance
• K-12 STEM
• Pathways for college and career success

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Grants

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation only accepts unsolicited proposals for specific areas within the education, family economic stability and childhood health sectors in select countries where we work, namely the United States, India and South Africa.

As a guideline, the foundation does not fund more than 25% of a project’s budget or more than 10% of an organization’s total annual operating expenses.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has always recognized the power of providing grants to partner organizations that we knew were already working hard to improve the lives of urban children living in poverty. By aligning with organizations that are already making a difference, we continue to make an immediate impact on the lives of thousands of children.

Foundation priorities:

We fund social enterprises that directly serve or impact children or youth from urban low-income communities in the areas of education, health, and family economic stability (including livelihoods and financial inclusion). These social enterprises may be structured as for-profit or nonprofit entities.

Partnerships

We collaborate with a range of organizations focused on creating opportunities for children and families living in urban poverty, with a deep emphasis on measuring impact. Our funding advances projects already making an impact in education, health, and family economic stability. Through these enduring and long-standing partnerships, we create lasting change together.

The Impact Fund awards recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms who seek to confront economic, environmental, racial, and social injustice. Since our founding in 1992, the Impact Fund has made more than 800 recoverable grants totaling more than $10 million for impact litigation. We award grants four times per year, most within the range of US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Social Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants and legal support to assist in human and civil rights cases. We have helped to change dozens of laws and win cases to improve the rights of thousands. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Texas and North Carolina, incarcerated people with mental health disabilities are forced to remain in jail despite being found not guilty and unable to proceed with a criminal trial.
• In Orange County, California there are currently 13 gang injunctions under effect, which disproportionately affect young men of color.
• In Chicago, Illinois, the city’s homeless shelter program is inaccessible to people with disabilities.
• In Springfield, Oregon, the city and its police department used excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters.
• In West Virginia, the state fails to protect children in foster care from abuse and neglect. 
• In Montana, voter suppression laws disadvantage young adults and give priority to gun owners.
• In Gary, Indiana, a gun manufacturer negligently marketed and distributed its guns, leading to an epidemic of gun violence in the city. 
• In Vancouver, British Columbia, the police perpetuate systemic discrimination against Indigenous people through bureaucratic measures.

Environmental Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants to support local litigation for environmental justice. These grants are for cases aiming to help people or communities who are affected by environmental harm or who lack access to basic environmental needs, such as clean water, clean air, adequate waste treatment, and green spaces. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Centreville, Illinois, the city’s failure to maintain its sewer system has caused raw sewage to flood peoples’ homes, endangering the property and health of a predominantly Black community.
• In Fresno County, California, the California Department of Transportation approved a highway expansion project that would increase air pollution and traffic in one of the state’s most environmentally burdened communities.
• In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the proposed expansion of a highway would divide the region's Black, Asian, and Latine neighborhoods and cause pollution and ill health.
• In North Dakota, the five-month closure of a highway in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests disproportionately affected the livelihoods and health of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe members.
• In Ontario, Canada, mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system causes catastrophic environmental and health impacts for the Grassy Narrows First Nation.
• In Sacramento, California, the county government and Sacramento Area Sewer District violated the Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage into nearby rivers.
• In the Eastern Coachella Valley in California, 1,900 residents of the Oasis Mobile Home Park suffer from arsenic-laced drinking water, wastewater contamination, and overcharging for utilities.

Economic Justice

The Impact Fund provides financial and other forms of support to cases fighting for economic justice. From workers' rights to consumer protection for vulnerable populations, impact litigation is a powerful tool to hold corporationss and the government accountable. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Brooklyn, New York, a prominent mortgage lender engaged in predatory practices, leaving homeowners of color at risk of losing their homes. 
• In Washington, live-in caregivers are unconstitutionally excluded from the state’s wage-and-hour protections.
• In Ravalli County, Montana, the county has created a “modern-day debtors’ prison” by incarcerating people unable to afford pre-trial fees. 
• In San Diego, California, vehicle ordinances target unhoused vehicle owners even when no adequate housing alternative exists.
• In New York, a federal immigration detention facility is violating minimum wage and forced labor laws by forcing detainees to work for just a dollar a day. 
• In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city and county destroy the property of unhoused individuals and conduct forced evictions from public spaces. 
• In Miami, Florida, insurance companies discriminate against a nonprofit community development corporation renting to tenants with Section 8 rental subsidies.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) serves central and southern Missouri by facilitating charitable giving, managing funds, providing competitive grants, and awarding scholarships. Its programs support nonprofits through grant cycles for local projects and innovative solutions, while also offering endowment and fund-management services for donors looking to create lasting impact.

Arthur G. Tesar Scholarship

This program awards two $2,000 scholarships, renewable for up to three additional years, to graduating high school seniors planning to attend Missouri State University–Springfield or Ozarks Technical Community College–Springfield. Eligible applicants must have a GPA between 2.5 and 3.0, be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours, and demonstrate financial need through a FAFSA-SAI form. Applications must include a transcript, a personal essay, and a description of the applicant’s community service involvement and school activities.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) serves central and southern Missouri by facilitating charitable giving, managing funds, providing competitive grants, and awarding scholarships. Its programs support nonprofits through grant cycles for local projects and innovative solutions, while also offering endowment and fund-management services for donors looking to create lasting impact.

Dr. Thomas E. and Mary M. Ashley Medical Scholarship

This scholarship awards one $8,000 grant to a postgraduate student entering their third or fourth year of medical school at the University of Missouri School of Medicine–Springfield. Applicants must be in good academic standing (verified by a letter of good standing), demonstrate financial need through a FAFSA-SAI form, and submit a personal essay along with a letter of recommendation.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) serves central and southern Missouri by facilitating charitable giving, managing funds, providing competitive grants, and awarding scholarships. Its programs support nonprofits through grant cycles for local projects and innovative solutions, while also offering endowment and fund-management services for donors looking to create lasting impact.

Harold H. Lurie MD Scholarship

This scholarship awards one $450 grant to a postgraduate student entering their second, third, or fourth year of medical school at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, either at the Columbia or Springfield campus. Applicants must be in good academic standing (verified by an official letter), demonstrate financial need through a FAFSA-SAI form, and submit a personal essay as part of the application.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) serves central and southern Missouri by facilitating charitable giving, managing funds, providing competitive grants, and awarding scholarships. Its programs support nonprofits through grant cycles for local projects and innovative solutions, while also offering endowment and fund-management services for donors looking to create lasting impact.

James Craig Carr Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship awards one $3,000 grant to a graduating high school senior or undergraduate student who has participated in the Lost and Found Program in Springfield, Missouri. Eligible applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.5, demonstrate financial need through a FAFSA-SAI form, and be applying to an accredited two-year, four-year, or vocational school. Applicants must submit a transcript, provide an essay, and include details about their community service involvement and work experience.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) serves central and southern Missouri by facilitating charitable giving, managing funds, providing competitive grants, and awarding scholarships. Its programs support nonprofits through grant cycles for local projects and innovative solutions, while also offering endowment and fund-management services for donors looking to create lasting impact.

James P. Robinson Scholarship

This scholarship awards one $900 grant to an undergraduate student attending Missouri State University–Springfield who is majoring or minoring in Religious Studies. Eligible applicants must have completed or be currently enrolled in REL 131 or REL 332, hold a minimum GPA of 3.0, and submit an official transcript. The application also requires a personal essay and a letter of recommendation from a Religious Studies faculty member.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) provides philanthropic leadership to build stronger communities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

We help donors achieve their philanthropic goals through professional management and investment of charitable funds. We work with nonprofit organizations to help them fulfill their missions through fund administration, grantmaking and learning opportunities. We award scholarships to deserving students to help them achieve their educational goals.

Scholarship Programs

The CFO manages more than 450 private scholarship funds created by individuals, families and companies that want to provide a path to higher education for generations to come. The CFO awards $1.7 million in scholarships each year for college, graduate and technical education.

Marie Ooley Scholarship

• One $3,000.00 scholarship
• Must be applying to a two-year or four-year accredited college, university or vocational school
• Demonstrate financial need; submit FAFSA-SAI
• Describe participation in community service, school activities, work experience
• Essay required
• Letter of recommendation

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) provides philanthropic leadership to build stronger communities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

We help donors achieve their philanthropic goals through professional management and investment of charitable funds. We work with nonprofit organizations to help them fulfill their missions through fund administration, grantmaking and learning opportunities. We award scholarships to deserving students to help them achieve their educational goals.

Scholarship Programs

The CFO manages more than 450 private scholarship funds created by individuals, families and companies that want to provide a path to higher education for generations to come. The CFO awards $1.7 million in scholarships each year for college, graduate and technical education.

Mathew W. Placzek Scholarship

• One $5,000.00 scholarship
• Postgraduate law student going into second or third year in pursuit of Juris Doctorate at a law school
• Submit transcript
• Essay required
• Submit letter of good standing

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) provides philanthropic leadership to build stronger communities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

We help donors achieve their philanthropic goals through professional management and investment of charitable funds. We work with nonprofit organizations to help them fulfill their missions through fund administration, grantmaking and learning opportunities. We award scholarships to deserving students to help them achieve their educational goals.

Scholarship Programs

The CFO manages more than 450 private scholarship funds created by individuals, families and companies that want to provide a path to higher education for generations to come. The CFO awards $1.7 million in scholarships each year for college, graduate and technical education.

National Art Shop/Sanders Scholarship

• Two $425.00 scholarships; one per school
• Undergraduate student attending Missouri State University-Springfield or Ozarks Technical Community College
• Demonstrate financial need; submit FAFSA-SAI
• Describe work experience
• Essay required

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) serves central and southern Missouri by facilitating charitable giving, managing funds, providing competitive grants, and awarding scholarships. Its programs support nonprofits through grant cycles for local projects and innovative solutions, while also offering endowment and fund-management services for donors looking to create lasting impact.

Polk County Engineering/Geological Scholarship

This scholarship awards one $3,000 grant, renewable for up to three additional years for students who maintain a 3.0 GPA and remain enrolled in at least 12 credit hours. Eligible applicants are graduating high school seniors from Bolivar, Buffalo, Fair Play, Halfway, Humansville, Marion C. Early, Pleasant Hope, Polk County Christian, Skyline, Stockton, or Weaubleau High School. Students must plan to major in Engineering or Geological Sciences at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, MO) or pursue an Engineering or Geological curriculum at Missouri S&T’s Missouri State University–Springfield Campus, including Geology or Earth Science education programs at MSU. Applicants must hold a minimum 3.0 GPA, submit a transcript, and provide an essay describing their community service, school activities, and work experience.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) provides philanthropic leadership to build stronger communities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

We help donors achieve their philanthropic goals through professional management and investment of charitable funds. We work with nonprofit organizations to help them fulfill their missions through fund administration, grantmaking and learning opportunities. We award scholarships to deserving students to help them achieve their educational goals.

Scholarship Programs

The CFO manages more than 450 private scholarship funds created by individuals, families and companies that want to provide a path to higher education for generations to come. The CFO awards $1.7 million in scholarships each year for college, graduate and technical education.

PTSC in memory of Gilliam, Hathcock, Holloway, McGoldrick Scholarship

• One $2,500.00 scholarship
• Undergraduate student attending Missouri State University-Springfield entering second or third year
• Must have graduated from a Missouri high school
• Essay required

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) provides philanthropic leadership to build stronger communities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

We help donors achieve their philanthropic goals through professional management and investment of charitable funds. We work with nonprofit organizations to help them fulfill their missions through fund administration, grantmaking and learning opportunities. We award scholarships to deserving students to help them achieve their educational goals.

Scholarship Programs

The CFO manages more than 450 private scholarship funds created by individuals, families and companies that want to provide a path to higher education for generations to come. The CFO awards $1.7 million in scholarships each year for college, graduate and technical education.

Springfield Area Retired Teachers Association Scholarship

• One $2,500.00 scholarship
• Undergraduate student going into third or fourth year at Drury University, Evangel University or Missouri State University
• Demonstrate financial need; submit FAFSA-SAI
• Describe participation in community service
• Essay required

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) provides philanthropic leadership to build stronger communities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

We help donors achieve their philanthropic goals through professional management and investment of charitable funds. We work with nonprofit organizations to help them fulfill their missions through fund administration, grantmaking and learning opportunities. We award scholarships to deserving students to help them achieve their educational goals.

Scholarship Programs

The CFO manages more than 450 private scholarship funds created by individuals, families and companies that want to provide a path to higher education for generations to come. The CFO awards $1.7 million in scholarships each year for college, graduate and technical education.

Springfield Bar Past Presidents Scholarship in Honor of Crista Hogan

• One $500.00 scholarship
• Postgraduate student attending law school in Missouri
• Submit letter of good standing
• Essay required

How and Why Giving Back to Communities is Important to O’Reilly

From O’Reilly Auto Parts’ inception, O’Reilly co-founder C.H. “Chub” O’Reilly instilled the culture of maintaining high standards for every endeavor, including the area of building civic pride. With Chub’s good example to guide them, all four of his children adopted a business and family philosophy of “giving back” to the community as the Company grew and prospered. Supporting a large number of charitable organizations in all communities in which we operate has long been a focal point for O’Reilly Auto Parts. In order to make an even greater impact, the O’Reilly Automotive Foundation was established in 2020.

O’Reilly Automotive Foundation, Inc.

Impact

The O’Reilly Automotive Foundation complements O’Reilly Auto Parts’ role as the Friendliest Parts Store in Town. The Foundation serves as an additional conduit to connect with, support, and strengthen the communities in which O’Reilly Auto Parts’ team members and customers live and work. The Foundation continues the philanthropic legacy of the O’Reilly family as dependable community partners, seeking to support critical services in times of need to build stronger communities.

Mission

The O’Reilly Automotive Foundation strives to have a lasting, positive impact in the communities where O’Reilly Auto Parts’ team members and customers live and work by supporting organizations and programs which address issues critical to improving the quality of life for underserved and underrepresented individuals and families. In particular, the Foundation will concentrate its giving in support of organizations and programs addressing economic stability and mobility, workforce development, health and social services, and disaster relief.

Economic Stability and Mobility

Advocating for and endowing programs which provide assistance with issues including hunger, homelessness, and poverty for the economic betterment of the communities in which we operate.

Workforce Development

Promoting programs which aid in workforce readiness, technical training, and literacy, including children’s literacy, to ensure the continuance of an educated society and a capable, innovative workforce.

Health and Social Services

Championing and prioritizing matters of health, including mental and behavioral health, access to basic needs such as medical and dental care for underprivileged communities, and providing funding for organizations focused on childhood development and children’s advocacy as well as care and support for victims of domestic violence.

Disaster Relief

Providing funding and visibility to organizations specializing in providing relief from natural disasters and state of emergency, including providing temporary shelter, food, water, and hygiene or sanitation products to those affected and aiding in cleanup efforts.

Application Requirements

We will consider three principal types of grants:

Project Support Grants support specific projects or programs aligned with our mission. These requests may include some funds earmarked for the overhead costs associated with running a project.

General Operating Support Grants provide limited general operating support for the core operations or organizations whose missions and activities are aligned with our mission. These grants will often help the grantee build organizational, programmatic, and fundraising capacity. Operating support is not intended to help organizations in fiscal crisis. Applicants must have a current strategic or business plan that clearly outlines the organization’s goals and presents a plan for achieving results. Operating support grants must not exceed 15% of an organization’s total agency budget.

Capital Support Grants provide limited support for capital campaigns to fund the acquisition and construction of facilities, existing property renovation, or the purchase of major equipment. The program has a comprehensive approach to funding capital initiatives, which also includes funding for increased program capacity. A feasibility study may be required for capital initiatives to be considered.

Prioritizing health needs of children in Southwest Missouri

We exist for the sole purpose of seeing healthier, happier children in this beautiful area around Springfield, Missouri. With so many young people in our region in dire need of critical healthcare, we are proud to be a widely recognized charitable foundation that is making a difference in their lives. Our purpose at OHAF is to provide much-needed monetary support to 501(c)(3) organizations that address critical health needs in the following counties in Southwest Missouri.

Our goal is to support nonprofit agencies that work tirelessly to address children’s critical physical, mental, and dental health needs in the Ozarks area. No child should have to suffer from chronic illness, injury, or life-threatening and debilitating health conditions solely due to a lack of funds. That’s where we come in. With optimum health as the goal, we provide the means through grantmaking with the provision of funds that will make healthcare possible.

Ozarks Health Advocacy Foundation is eager to help your organization with grants that will change someone’s life for the better. Together, we can uplift our future generation and give them a chance to blossom! Our youth have so much potential, so why should physical and mental ailments, disabilities, or dental problems hold them back? 

Deadlines

The Summer Cycle

• Concept letters for grants to be awarded in July are due the last working day in March.

The Winter Cycle

• Concept letters for grants to be awarded in February are due the last working day in September.

Arts and Culture Program Support Grant

The Arts and Culture Program Support grantmaking program aims to transform lives and enrich the community through the arts by providing funding support, collaborative partnership opportunities and program assistance for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations that are within the service area of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. This grant program is supported by a portion of the local hotel/motel tax collection allocated to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, as well as the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation and the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO).  

This grant program will provide programming support to organizations working primarily in the arts, including funding for events, performances, classes, readings, outreach activities, exhibitions, public art, collaborative partnership projects, and other programmatic strategies.

The total amount available in this grant round is $120,000.00. Agencies may apply for up to $10,000 in funding. While $30,000 is designated for Springfield agencies, the remaining $90,000 is available to agencies within the SRAC's 27-county service area, including: Barry, Barton, Bates, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Henry, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Pulaski, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Webster, and Wright counties.  

Funding Priorities:

• Advancing arts advocacy, education, collaboration and tourism in Springfield.
• Improving access to all.
• Project-based funding with an emphasis in collaborative projects. 
• Marketing efforts with the goal of increasing audience and/or community engagement and promoting regional tourism.  
• Outreach projects focused on youth (birth to 17 years) and/or senior citizens.

In awarding grants, the CFO, the Musgrave Foundation, and the Springfield Regional Arts Council will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status. As part of the grant process, all grantees will be required to affirm that, in providing services funded in whole or in part by this grant program, the grantee will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status either in its employment practices or in its policies and procedures concerning access to services.

Community Ties Giving Program

As part of the Community Ties Giving Program, Local Grants help us achieve our mission by providing small and medium-sized grants within our priority cause areas to local organizations spread widely across Union Pacific's footprint.

Funding Priorities & Objectives

Throughout its existence, the success of Union Pacific's business has been inextricably linked to the economic and community wellbeing of cities and towns across the nation. We take pride in the role we have played in helping communities thrive and believe the impact we can have on local communities is greatest when it is authentic to our history and reflective of the diverse company we are today.

As such, we have carefully aligned our Local Grants cause areas to our company's unique heritage, strengths, and assets. Specifically, we prioritize funding for direct services and efforts that build the capacity of organizations focused on the following causes within our local operating communities. Within each focus area, we aim to support programs and organizations working to advance the diversity, equity and inclusion of underrepresented populations within the local context and issue areas addressed. Find more information about our commitment to DEI in our FAQs.

Safety

In order for communities to thrive, all residents must feel safe. Just as the safety of our employees and community members is paramount to how we operate, Union Pacific is committed to helping communities prevent and prepare for incidents and emergencies, and helping residents get home safely at the end of each day. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to: 

• Encourage safe behaviors and prevent incidents through education and awareness, particularly projects which focus on rail, driver, bike, and pedestrian safety, and ensure outreach efforts reach underserved populations.
• Eliminate risks and improve safe and equitable access to community spaces through infrastructure improvements, such as signage, proper lighting, and public trail improvements.
• Prepare and equip residents and emergency responders* to effectively respond to incidents and emergencies if or when they occur.
  • *Union Pacific supports publicly funded emergency responders through a variety of corporate programs; only independent nonprofit, 501(c)(3) emergency response organizations, such as volunteer departments, are eligible for funding through this grant program
• Prevent crime and violent incidents and support survivors of domestic violence through efforts that address the root causes of these issues and seek to mitigate their occurrence.
• Build the capacity of safety-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Workforce Development

For more than 160 years, Union Pacific has helped stimulate economic growth in cities and towns throughout the nation by training and providing employment to millions of workers. More than ever, we are committed to helping underrepresented residents in our communities achieve family-supporting careers like those offered by Union Pacific. As such, we prioritize funding for programs that seek to:

• Put youth on the right track by creating awareness of and pathways toward employment opportunities; building foundational skills, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); establishing necessary technical skills and life skills; and providing mentorship and positive role models for the future.
• Raise awareness of, educate and prepare young adults for middle skills jobs like those Union Pacific offers, for instance through community colleges, vocational and career training programs, workforce readiness initiatives, and programs that assist with job placement and/or on-the-job experience.
  • Programs that develop proficiency in areas relevant to Union Pacific operations such as welding, electrical work, machine operations, and civil and electrical engineering are given priority.
• "Up-skill" the existing workforce by providing training and resources that enable them to reach the next level of their career.
  • Programs that develop proficiency in areas of relevance to Union Pacific operations are given priority.
• Resolve barriers to employment such as transportation, childcare, acquiring necessary equipment for work, and second chance employment programs.
• Build the capacity of workforce development-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Community Vitality

Union Pacific Railroad is committed to establishing vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities for employees, customers and residents to work, visit and call home. Just as the railroad opened avenues for economic development and opportunity more than 160 years ago, we maintain this tradition by cultivating unique cultural and recreational experiences and equipping community members with opportunities to live healthy, vital lives. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to:

• Create, sustain or expand artistic and cultural experiences offered to a broad and diverse audience (e.g., museums, theaters, zoos, cultural and local heritage, visual and performing arts, etc.)
• Provide recreational opportunities that foster wellbeing, enrichment and/or an appreciation for our natural environment (e.g., parks, libraries, senior centers, recreation centers, learning centers, etc.).
• Revive neighborhoods and main street areas, especially in historically underinvested neighborhoods, to improve livability, promote commerce and attract more residents, businesses and visitors to town.
• Ensure residents’ basic needs are met and barriers are overcome (e.g., safe shelter and homelessness prevention, hunger relief, mental health and community health needs, etc.).
• Offer youth development and educational opportunities to ensure young people can thrive into healthy and productive community members (e.g., mentoring, leadership development, tutoring, services for youth in foster care, etc.).
• Build the capacity of community vitality-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Environmental Sustainability

The future of our business, communities and planet depends on bold, collective action to reduce and slow the impacts of climate change while building a more sustainable economy for the next generation. Union Pacific is taking deliberate steps to reduce our environmental impact and helping our partners improve their own. Extending this commitment to our community investments, we seek to support leading environmental nonprofits and community-based organizations to advance the health of our environment. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to:

• Preserve and restore nature, including programs focused on natural habitats, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
• Protect and enhance water, soil and air quality through innovative and proactive solutions such as water conservation, carbon sequestration and emission reduction programs.
• Reduce waste through initiatives focused on promoting recycling and circularity throughout the community, including recycling and composting programs and other efforts that reduce waste.
• Develop environmental stewards through youth programs focused on fostering environmental appreciation, responsibility, and leadership.
• Advance a sustainable economy by helping communities accelerate their transition to environmental jobs and renewable energy, as well as helping nonprofits and small businesses build their own capacity to operate more sustainably.
• Promote environmental justice through initiatives that ensure access to clean air, water, and land and protect underserved populations from disproportionate and adverse environmental effects.
• Build the capacity of sustainability-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience.

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.

Mission

The Christine and Katharina Pauly Charitable Trust was established in 1985 to support and promote quality educational, health and human services programming for underserved populations in Springfield, Missouri and the surrounding SW Missouri region. Special consideration is given to charitable organizations that serve the needs of children and organizations that serve the needs of older adults.

The Christine and Katharina Pauly Charitable Trust was created under the wills of Ms. Hazel Katharina Pauly and Ms. Frieda Christine Oleta Pauly.

Program Type

• Education: We believe that quality education is fundamental to success and is essential to the continued wellbeing of our community. Consequently, we are interested in systemic school improvement, particularly in the areas of management and teacher quality; academic programs that address the needs of disadvantaged children and efforts to better connect schools with their communities. 
  • Specifically, we fund programming that:
    • Promotes effective teaching
    • Improves the academic achievement of, or expands educational opportunities for, disadvantaged students
    • Improves governance and management
    • Strengthens nonprofit organizations, school leadership, and teaching
    • Bolsters strategic initiatives of area colleges and universities.
• Health: We pay special attention to the needs of society's most vulnerable people, including low-income children and their families, frail older adults, adults with disabilities, the homeless, and those with debilitating diseases and illnesses.
  • We fund programming that:
    • Improves the delivery of health care to the indigent, uninsured, and other vulnerable populations
    • Addresses health and health care problems that intersect with social factors.
• Human Services:
  • We fund programming that:
    • Strengthens agencies that deliver critical human services and maintains the community’s safety net
    • Helps agencies respond to federal, state, and local public policy changes.

The majority of grants from the Pauly Trust are 1 year in duration.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) provides philanthropic leadership to build stronger communities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our region through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

We help donors achieve their philanthropic goals through professional management and investment of charitable funds. We work with nonprofit organizations to help them fulfill their missions through fund administration, grantmaking and learning opportunities. We award scholarships to deserving students to help them achieve their educational goals.

Springfield Black Tie 

Springfield Black Tie, Inc. is Southwest Missouri’s premier fundraising event benefitting local and state-wide charities serving the LGBTQ+ community in Springfield and southwest Missouri, and has grown over the past 20 years, providing over $1.5 million to non-profit organizations in the southwest Missouri region. To ensure equity for a diverse group of viable organizations, we will receive applications to be considered beneficiaries of the 2025 Springfield Black Tie event on Saturday, November 15th.

Important notes to be considered before applying:

• Springfield Black Tie intends to fund programs or projects that would not otherwise be achievable without its financial support.
• Proposals may include sponsorships; however, requests solely regarding sponsorship of an event should be directed to the Springfield Black Tie and not submitted through this application process.
• Grant administration services are being supported by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks invites agencies seeking to make positive impact on key issues in Springfield-Greene County to apply to the Jewell Schweitzer Quality of Life Grant Program. Proposals must address red flag issues noted in the 20th Anniversary Community Focus Report, which was released last year. You can find this report (and reports from past years) on the Community Focus Report website. 

A total of $120,000 is available in the Jewell Schweitzer Quality of Life Grant Program, with awards capped at $30,000. 

This program does not involve a matching component from the CFO; however other matching, leverage, and in-kind opportunities are encouraged and may be outlined in this grant application in the budget portion. Risk of failure will not be a deterrent for the grant selection committee as innovative ideas are strongly encouraged. Lastly, while partnerships with other agencies are not required, they are encouraged. You will have an opportunity to note collaborative efforts in the application. 

In awarding grants, the CFO and its affiliates will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status. As part of the grant process, all grantees will be required to affirm that, in providing services funded in whole or in part by a CFO grant, the grantee will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status either in its employment practices or in its policies and procedures concerning access to services.

Springfield Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) aims to impact Springfield, Missouri programs and organizations that serve youth and promote their involvement in community service. A total of $10,000 is available.

We will use the following requirements in our review of applications:

• Project proposal requests should not exceed $5,000.00. 
• Project outcomes should benefit youth organizations or programs.
• Grants should be developed as much as is reasonably possible by the youth organization, class, or group making the request.