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

Mission

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

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

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

AJA Foundation Grants

Human Rights

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

Water

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

Health

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

Education

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

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.

• Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s – As the premier outdoor and conservation company Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s supports initiatives inspiring everyone to enjoy, love and conserve the great outdoors.
• The Outdoor Fund – The 501c3 Outdoor Fund raises funds to support conservation efforts by activating more than 200 million passionate sportsmen and women rounding up their purchases in Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores.
• Conservation Foundation – A national not-for-profit, the Conservation Foundation convenes and mobilizes leading conservationists, organizations and industry partners to shape the future of conservation.

Cabela's Donation/Sponsorship Request Guidelines

Cabela's is proud to partner with local and national organizations in support of our mission to inspire everyone to enjoy, love and conserve the great outdoors.

Our community giving priorities align with our mission and focus on projects that make a difference in conserving the outdoors and inspiring the next generation of conservation stewards. Our giving supports:

• Conserving fish and wildlife: Initiatives that ensure the health of our precious fish and wildlife resources including habitat improvement and restoration, water quality and species health.
• Introducing new audiences to the outdoors: Programs that foster passion in the next generation including youth and family outdoor adventures, outdoor skills training and multicultural outreach.
• Protecting our hunting and fishing heritage: Projects that protect our hunting and fishing heritage including second amendment rights, outdoor recreational access and conservation advocacy.
• Military and veterans: Initiatives that care for our military and veterans in honor of their service to our country and our freedom, particularly programs that help military and veterans enjoy the outdoors.

Bass Pro Shops' Focus Areas

Thank you for your interest in Bass Pro Shops' giving programs. Bass Pro Shops is proud to partner with local and national organizations in support of our mission to inspire people to enjoy, love and conserve the great outdoors. In the past five years alone, Bass Pro Shops has donated more than $100 million to conservation, community and outdoor education programs.

Bass Pro Shops is committed to our role as a conservation leader. We believe in protecting our natural resources, our rights, and in inspiring people to conserve the Great Outdoors. We support conservation and community efforts in three main areas:

Connecting New Audiences to the Outdoors –American children spend three times as many hours in front of screens as they do outside. As the world becomes increasingly disconnected from the great outdoors, we’re working to introduce a new generation to the wonders of the natural world.

• Breaking Down Barriers
• Outdoor Days
• Gone Fishing: Getting Them Hooked

Working in steadfast partnership alongside more than 250 leading conservation organizations, we’re restoring millions of acres of habitat with programs that have significantly increased wildlife populations for hundreds of native species across the continent.

• Protecting Vital Waterfowl Breeding Grounds
• Creating a Future of the Florida Everglades
• Conserving Millions of Acres of Turkey Habitat
• Growing Bass Populations
• Teaming Up for Elk

Advocating for Access and Sportsman's Rights – We’re giving a voice to sportsmen and women and working to expand outdoor recreational access, protect our outdoor heritage, and advance polices that will create a bright future for wildlife and everyone who enjoys it.2nd Amendment Rights

• Recovering America's Wildlife
• Expanding Recreational Saltwater Fishing
• Building Coalitions to Save Bristol Baby 

Military and Veterans Initiatives – Bass Pro Shops has a strong affinity for the armed forces and their families, a value that starts with our visionary founder Johnny Morris. His lifelong respect and gratitude to servicemen and women was strongly shaped by his father, John A. Morris, a decorated World War II veteran who proudly served his country in the Battle of the Bulge. There is no adequate way to properly thank our military and veterans, but we strive to honor their sacrifices and celebrate their heroism every day.

• Actively Recruiting Veterans to Join our Team
• Providing Homes for Our Heroes
• Connecting Veterans to the Healing Power of Nature
• Honoring Their Sacrifices
• Establishing an Enduring Tribute
• Creating a Trail of Honor
• Showcasing Courage

Strengthening Communities in the Missouri Ozarks – As one of the largest employers in the Missouri Ozarks, Bass Pro Shops invests in initiatives that ensure the Missouri Ozarks remains a thriving community. This includes projects and events that support:

• Health and Wellness
• Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Initiatives
• Arts and Quality of Life

Mission

The DanPaul Foundation will use its resources to help train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, stimulate children's personal social responsibilities, and offer them opportunities for enrichment and growth.

The Foundation will also encourage children to be concerned and informed about the environment and the underprivileged, particularly with regard to clean air and water, and adequate housing and nutrition for all.

Beliefs

The DanPaul Foundation believes that children should have ample opportunities for enrichment in their lives, and thus strives to provide many different ways to enrich and expand children's minds through direct programs and monetary support to organizations doing similar work.

We have provided or currently provide grants related to the following program areas:

• Workshops, Conferences, + Seminars: We strive to offer educational workshops, conferences, and seminars for parents and teachers on topics related to early childhood development.
• Student Scholarships: We aim to help students attending post-secondary education institutions by providing need-based and academic scholarships.
• Scientific Endeavors: We desire to advance scientific endeavors which seek to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world.
• Clean Air + Water: We hope to pass on knowledge and practical life skills to youth regarding their personal responsibility to the environment, teaching them about issues surrounding clean air and water.
• Child Advocacy: We believe in protecting children from abuse and neglect and particularly love to support programs that provide education and assistance to children as well as organizations advocating or caring for vulnerable children.
• Homelessness: We want to encourage young people to take a personal interest in seeing that adequate housing and proper nutrition, especially for the underprivileged and homeless, are available.
• Poverty + Neglect: We seek to help those in poverty as well as educate youth about their responsibility to consider the underprivileged and take care of those most in need of life's basic essentials like adequate housing and proper nutrition.
• Refugee Enrichment: We wish to help refugee youth by supporting programs that provide them enrichment and help them transition to life in a new country.

The DanPaul Foundation provides grants to 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations as defined by the IRS. The Foundation is interested in providing funding to programs that directly serve the health, education, development, and welfare of the world's youth.

Grants range from a few hundred dollars up to $15,000 per calendar year.

Global Impact Cash Grants

Cisco welcomes applications for Global Impact Cash Grants from community partners around the world who share our vision and offer an innovative approach to a critical social challenge.

We identify, incubate, and develop innovative solutions with the most impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We’re looking for programs that fit within our investment areas, serve the underserved, and leverage technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services. We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. An initial information form is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application.

Social Investment Areas

At Cisco, we make social investments in three areas where we believe our technology and our people can make the biggest impact—education, economic empowerment, and crisis response, the last of which incorporates shelter, water, food, and disaster relief. Together, these investment areas help people overcome barriers of poverty and inequality, and make a lasting difference by fostering strong global communities.

Education Investments

Our strategy is to inclusively invest in technology-based solutions that increase equitable access to education while improving student performance, engagement, and career exploration. We support K-12 solutions that emphasize science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as literacy. We also consider programs that teach environmental sustainability, eliminate barriers to accessing climate change education, and invite student engagement globally to positively affect the environment.

What we look for:

• Innovative early grade solutions using the internet and technology to bridge the barriers preventing access to education for underserved students globally.
• Solutions that positively affect student attendance, attitudes, and behavior while inspiring action by students to improve learning outcomes, whether they participate in person, online, or in blended learning environments. 
• Solutions with high potential to replicate and scale globally, thereby increasing the availability of evidence-based solutions that support student-centricity, teacher capacity in the classroom, and increased parental participation to help students learn and develop.

Note: Cisco does not provide direct funding to schools.

Economic Empowerment

Our strategy is to invest in early stage, tech-enabled solutions that provide equitable access to the knowledge, skills, and resources that people need to support themselves and their families toward resilience, independence, and economic security.

Our goal is to support solutions that benefit individuals and families, and that contribute to local community growth and economic development in a sustainable economy.

We target our support in three interconnected areas:

• Skills development to help job seekers secure dignified employment and long-term career pathways in technology or other sectors, including environmental sustainability/green jobs.
• Inclusive entrepreneurship with small businesses as engines of local growth as well as high growth potential start-ups as large-scale job creators nationally and internationally, in technology or other sectors, including environment sustainability/green businesses.
• Banking the unbanked through relevant and affordable financial products and capacity building services.

Cisco Crisis Response

We seek to help overcome the cycle of poverty and dependence and achieve a more sustainable future through strategic investments. We back organizations that successfully address critical needs of underserved communities, because those who have their basic needs met are better equipped to learn and thrive.

What we look for:

• Innovative solutions that increase the capacity of grantees to deliver their products and services more effectively and efficiently
• Design and implementation of web-based tools that increase the availability of, or improve access to, products and services that are necessary for people to survive and thrive
• Programs that increase access to clean water, food, shelter, or disaster relief and promote a more sustainable future for all
  • By policy, relief campaigns respond to significant natural disaster and humanitarian crises as opposed to those caused by human conflict. Also by policy, our investments in this area do not include healthcare solutions.

National Environment

Program goals: to mitigate climate change; make communities more resilient to climate change; protect public health from the hazards of toxic chemicals and pollutants; and preserve biological diversity.

Grants are made to promote more environmentally sustainable, resilient, and just communities that:

• Mitigate climate change by:
• promoting energy efficiency and alternative sources of energy for buildings;
• shifting to electric or low-emission vehicles and greater use of mass transit;
• promoting a smarter, more resilient grid and distributed (on site) generation;
• reducing emissions from existing fossil fuel-powered facilities and extraction activities; and
• establishing regional programs, performance standards, and regulations that help reduce emissions.
• Make communities, especially the most disadvantaged, more resilient to a changing climate by:
• creating infrastructure that reduces storm-water run-off and absorbs storm surges;
• protecting shoreline communities by conserving or enhancing natural barriers;
• encouraging more sustainable building design and land use through policy reforms; and
• better planning and preparation for weather-related emergencies, especially for low-income and other vulnerable residents.
• Protect public health from the hazards of toxic pollutants by:
• supporting targeted scientific research that can be used to develop policy;
• promoting safer chemical and heavy metal policies and practices, especially for infants, children and other vulnerable people;
• eliminating toxic chemicals from products through market campaigns focused on retailers and manufacturers;
• enhancing protections for low-income communities near polluting facilities; and
• minimizing the hazards of new and expanded fossil fuel extraction on nearby communities.
• Preserve biological diversity through habitat conservation by:
• establishing, enhancing, and monitoring wildlife migration corridors; and
• supporting functional connectivity between fragmented habitat that enables species to move and live safely.

We encourage initiatives that cut across these program areas, especially those focused on smart growth, sustainable agriculture and regional food systems, and sustainable production.

International Environment

Each year, we make only two or three international grants to U.S. organizations that are building the capacity of government, academic institutions, private sector entities, and nonprofits to:

• Protect biodiversity;
• Improve environmental health; and
• Reduce greenhouse gases around the world.

Purpose of Grants

Jewish Helping Hands launched its Tikkun Olam Grant program in 2012 to advance our goal of inspiring and supporting tzedakah, justice and righteousness, throughout the world. Our goal is to help vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad through a variety of programs focused on economic development and social empowerment, with a particular focus on those demographics that have been overlooked and/or marginalized.

In cooperation with local communities, JHH supports programs that are sustainable and scalable through financial and hands-on support. Our objective is to promote organizations and projects that will make a tangible and lasting difference in the lives of the populations they serve. With each of our grants, JHH also intends to share its experience and expertise, so as to help further our joint mission.

Criteria for Grants

JHH values programs and projects that aim to bring about positive change for groups of all backgrounds and religious affiliations.

JHH will consider making grants to individuals or organizations that show clear promise to achieve one or both of the following:

• Respond to unmet needs of those who are poor and/or marginalized
• Promote self-help and empowerment within communities

In the 2022/2023 Grant Cycle, we are focusing primarily on projects that provide the basic necessities for a decent life:

• Women’s Empowerment
• Education
• Food
• Shelter
• Clothing
• Water
• Health
• Internet Connectivity
• Gender Equity

We are also focusing especially on projects in these areas:

• East Africa
• Central America
• North America
• Any Impoverished Jewish Communities
• Israel

JHH especially seeks to partner with grassroots organizations who utilize resources local to their communities especially when those projects support the safety and health of the community members.

About

Welcome to the Clif Family Foundation, an organization we started in 2006 to support small-to-midsize grassroots groups led by people whose vision and commitment we deeply admire. We have been proud to support hundreds of organizations that are working tirelessly to strengthen our food system, advance equitable community health outcomes, and protect the places we play by being stewards of our environment and natural resources. Our desire has been to leave the world a better place for our children. Now that we’re grandparents, the urgency to build a healthier, just, and sustainable world is even more personal. We look forward to expanding the reach and impact of the foundation in the years to come. This includes working with more organizations to make their innovative ideas a reality and supporting a new generation of leaders. We believe we can all do more good in the world. Together. Our grants are awarded annually for general operational support as well as for specific projects.

Foundation Priorities

• Strengthen Our Food System
• Grow organic farming and other climate-friendly agriculture
• Safeguard agricultural seeds and biodiversity 
• Democratize access to fresh and nutrient-dense foods
• Connect families with local food outlets and farmers
• Create viable opportunities for the next generation of farmers
• Enhance Equitable Community Health Outcomes
• Promote clean water access
• Curtail exposure to toxic materials
• Increase access to nature and outdoor activities
• Expand pedestrian and bicycling opportunities
• Improve farmworkers’ standard of living, wages, and working conditions
• Safeguard Our Environment and Natural Resources
• Accelerate action on climate change
• Advance renewable energy and support green jobs
• Break the resource waste cycle
• Preserve watersheds, open spaces, and wild places
• Conserve water supplies for fair, long-term access

Priority is given to applicants that:

• Address two or more of our funding priorities at the same time:
• Strengthen our food system
• Enhance equitable community health outcomes
• Safeguard our environment and natural resources
• Demonstrate strong community ties.
• Operate within viable and clearly defined plans for positive change.

Note: The latest deadline is listed above; the application  period to submit an NOI opens in January and closes March 1, 2023. but could close earlier if the expected volume of submissions has been met.

Mission

We partner with communities, providing resources for projects defined by local leaders to improve the lives and well-being of the people in the community.

Vision

We see a world where every person has the basics for well-being: clean water, good food, housing, health care, safety, education, social activity, and jobs. We know that the current state of the world represents many unmet needs. Despite the size of the need which seems unlimited, we choose to act. We believe that small change leads to bigger change and is a preferred option to a default acceptance of the status quo.

Why This Program

We hold that we are connected with one another in the world community. Like thousands of individual cells connected within a single body shaping its health, the actions of individuals within the world community effect the wellbeing of all. Discomfort in a part of our collective body impacts the whole and serves as a source for other downstream social ills. This program is designed for individuals who share a view of a larger self, have decided that they have enough means to live comfortable lives, and want to share their resources with others in a creative and smart way.

Our Values

The following core values inform our mission and guide our actions as investors:

• Respect: We believe the community should decide what the community needs   
• Optimism: We believe that good outcomes can be the rule, not the exception, based on disciplined and continuous effort
• Innovation: We challenge ourselves and our collaborators to think creatively     
• Leverage: We expect that a smart investment process will grow resources, not waste them  
• Accountability: We deliver what we promise and avoid promising more than we can deliver. 
• Efficient: We are careful managers of resources
• Life Affirming: We enjoy being alive and want the same opportunity for all  
• Enlightened Compassion: We care for the well-being of others without neglecting care of self   

How We Work

NextWorldNow learns about community based projects that need more resources to meet their goals. We connect with the leaders, learn about their work, and decide which projects to invest in. Investments may include time spent supporting a project, in-kind resources, and financial grants. We invite community proposals. We rate the likely success and the impact of the project – such as how many people will benefit. We look for people and groups who have new ideas for old problems. We prefer to invest in a variety of geographic locations and issues in order to learn more about the world and its people. We may take on projects that are beyond our funding means by seeking like organizations to partner in the investment. 

What are our target investments?

Consistent with our mission, we are interested in supporting many types of community programs: 

• Civic Participation
• Education
• Effective Development 
• Environmental Mediation – Water, Sanitation, Deforestation
• Health Care Access and Treatment
• Human Rights
• Peace and Human Security
• Shelter
• Smallholder Productivity and Food Security
• Sustainable Markets/Livelihood

About the Foundation

Jesse W. Couch lived a life of zeal, honor, and dedication to the betterment of his community. The Couch family now humbly stewards the foundation he created to carry on his legacy of service for future generations. We believe that impact is best accomplished through partnerships with local organizations that know the people and communities they serve. We invest in and support efforts to protect the environment, further conservation and preservation initiatives, and save historical architecture that preserves community heritage. We also support initiatives that promote wellness and mental health and organizations seeking to provide and further education for all communities.

What's the Purpose Here?We're always in search of ways to partner with great people doing great things. In order for us to better evaluate how we can work together, we need more information from you.

Preservation

Historic Preservation

We believe in preserving our history so that we can understand and educate the importance of community. Historic places affect our identity and have a direct impact on our well-being. 

Wildlife Conservation

We believe it's our duty to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. We envision a world where everyone works in harmony to protect what is important so that all life on this planet can thrive. 

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy provides essential resources to communities without the planet-warming effects of fossil fuels. Solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass and geothermal power are all great examples of renewable energy sources. We're looking for teams that are expanding the reach of these critical resources so that we can stave off rising global temperatures.

Food Management

Food management activities, including producing food, transporting it, and storing wasted food in landfills, produce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. What is your team doing to help solve these problems?

Transportation

Burning fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation account for about 29 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest contributor to U.S. greenhouse emissions. How are you changing the transportation industry?

Waste Management

Today, products are disposed of at very high rates, and each is quickly replaced by new ones. This cycle leads to the use of more fossil fuels that are needed to power the processes required to obtain raw materials to manufacture more of these items. All of this leads to growing waste sites that contaminate our water, pollute our environment, and kill wildlife. Can you think of a better way? 

Education

Early Childhood Education

We are looking for schools that are providing young children with a creative and balanced approach to education. Things we love in early childhood curriculums:

• Life Skills
• Collaboration With Their Peers and Teachers
• Having Fun
• Montessori Teachings
• Project Based Teachings
• Diversity
• More Time Outside
• Less Screen Time

21st-Century Education

We are looking for schools that teach students the essential 21st-century skills needed for the future:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving
• Collaboration across networks and leading by influence
• Agility and adaptability
• Effective oral and written communication
• Initiative and entrepreneurship
• Ability to access and analyze information
• Curiosity and imagination

Teachers

Teachers are essential to providing children with the best possible education. We must invest in their future and are always looking for teams that help them succeed in educating future generations.

Wellness

Mental Wellness

We are looking for teams that are helping those who struggle with mental health issues such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bi-Polar
• Schizophrenia
• PTSD

Digital Wellbeing

We are actively looking for teams that are educating and creating awareness to promote a more balanced technological lifestyle around the world. 

Get Outside

Being outside can improve memory, fight depression, lower blood pressure, and more! We support organizations that facilitate and encourage more outdoor activities that help create healthier communities.