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.

Home

Children and families are better positioned to thrive and succeed in a home that is safe and permanent. Access to sustainable low-income housing is increasingly challenging for low- to moderate-income families. In response, our giving supports efforts that connect individuals and families with sustainable housing opportunities.

Access to safe, affordable energy-efficient housing

We provide financial support to assist people in developing stability in their lives through access to safe, sustainable and accessible homes. Examples of grant support include:

• Organizations that preserve, rehabilitate, renovate or construct affordable housing developments for low- and moderate-income families, individuals, seniors, veterans, and special-needs populations
• Organizations that provide transitional housing as a direct stepping stone to permanent housing
• Organizations that focus on veterans housing and homeownership
• Construction of green homes for low- and moderate-income communities
• Clean energy retrofit programs for low- and moderate-income housing developments
• Organizations that provide access to renewable energy
• Improving waste management systems to include recycling and composting programs

Homeownership education

Owning and maintaining a home requires significant financial knowledge, tools and resources. We support programs that assist low- and moderate-income homebuyers and existing homeowners. Examples of grant support include:

• Homebuyer education
• Pre- and post-purchase counseling and coaching
• Homeownership-retention programs designed to provide foreclosure counseling

Work

We know that a strong small business environment and an educated workforce ensure the prosperity of our communities and reduce the expanding wealth gap for communities of color. We provide grant support to programs and organizations that help small businesses thrive, allow people to succeed in the workforce, provide pathways to higher education and gain greater financial literacy.

Investing in the workforce

We fund organizations that provide training for small business development, as well as programs that support individuals across all skill and experience levels, to ensure they have the capability to gain employment that supports individuals and their families. Examples of grant support include:

• Small business technical assistance programs
• Job skills, career readiness training programs with comprehensive placement services for low- and moderate-income individuals entering or reentering the labor force

Providing pathways for educational success

• To address the growing requirements for post-secondary education in securing competitive jobs in the workplace, we support:
• Organizations and programs that help low- and moderate-income and at-risk middle and high school students prepare for post-secondary education at a community college, university, trade or technical school and career readiness
• Programs and initiatives at post-secondary institutions that support access to career and educational opportunities for low- and moderate-income and diverse students

Teaching financial well-being for work and life

Financial well-being is not only critical for financial stability, it’s crucial in helping individuals be successful in the workplace. Examples of grant support include programs that positively impact:

• K-12 and college student financial literacy
• Adult and workforce financial literacy
• Senior financial fraud prevention
• Military service member and veteran financial literacy

Supporting the green economy through workforce development

The green economy is fast becoming an area of opportunity for workforce development programs. Funding support includes:

• Reskilling or retraining for jobs in renewable or clean energy
• Building and maintaining infrastructure to support renewable energy, including EV charging stations and bike/transportation programs

Play

Play brings joy, and it’s just as necessary for adults as it is for kids. But in low-income areas there are often limited spaces for play and fewer people attending arts and cultural events. That’s why we invest in community programming that supports ways for children and adults to play and create.

Access to artistic and cultural programming and arts education

Our investments ensure economic vitality and accessibility to the arts in local communities, as well as support for arts education. Examples of grant support include:

• Programs that provide access to cultural activities, visual and performing arts, zoos and aquariums and botanic gardens for individuals and families living in underserved communities
• Funding for local arts organizations that enhance the economic vitality of the community
• Programs that provide funding for arts-focused nonprofit organizations that bring visual and performing arts programming to low- and moderate-income K-12 schools and youth centers

Supporting learning through play

Many young people across the country do not have the resources or access to enjoy the benefits of active play. Supporting active play-based programs and projects for K-12 students located in or serving low- and moderate-income communities fosters innovation, creativity, and collaboration and impacts the overall vitality of the communities we serve. Funding support includes:

• Support for organizations that build or expand access to active play spaces and places that help K-12 students learn through play and improves the health, safety and unification of neighborhoods in low- and moderate-income communities
• Programs that focus on using active play to help young people develop cognitive, social and emotional learning skills to become vibrant and productive citizens in low- and moderate-income communities

Outdoor places to play

Environmental stewardship enhances and improves the livability of our communities. Supporting efforts to preserve, protect and enhance outdoor spaces is now part of our Play pillar of giving. Funding support includes:

• Cleanup efforts in community spaces, including (but not limited to) beaches, rivers, and streams
• Protecting green spaces within the community, including planting trees, mangroves and seagrass
• Programs that support community, native and/or pollinator gardens, including community composting

NOTE:

• Please submit a Grant Inquiry Application Form. This inquiry identifies the organization applying for a grant and the specific project the grant is being requested for. Upon receiving the Inquiry Application, our Executive Director reviews the information and, if appropriate, invites the organization to complete an official Grant Application.
• Ministries and/or organizations that have previously received a grant from the foundation, should call the foundation office when applying for subsequent grants so that they use the most updated grant request application and process information.

Rupert Dunklau Foundation Grant

Our Purpose

The Foundation was established in 1968 to provide Rupert and Ruth Dunklau a systematic method of gifting to God’s people a portion of the blessings God had given them.

The Foundation exists to glorify God and serve His gracious will, by providing financial resources for the varied ministries related to the Lutheran tradition, especially the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, educational entities of the Lutheran Church and appropriate projects that promote the welfare of mankind

Focus Areas

• Lutheran Education: The Foundation will support processes, efforts, and programs of ministries that engage people in furthering their education and continued learning opportunities, enabling them to become of greater service in meeting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of people.
• Health & Human Care: The Foundation will support processes, efforts and programs of ministries that take collaborative and results- oriented approaches that address the varied needs of people in His Church and the communities they serve, thus promoting the welfare of mankind.
• Faith Strengthening: The Foundation will support processes, efforts and programs of ministries that strengthen, enhance and embolden participants and their families to share their Christian faith in His Gospel Message, lived as well as spoken.

Wyoming Arts Council

The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to provide funding opportunities for the many worthwhile art projects that our nonprofit organizations, government entities, and individual artists are doing throughout the state of Wyoming.

Mission

The Wyoming Arts Council provides leadership and invests resources to sustain, promote and cultivate excellence in the arts.

Vision

WAC envisions a Wyoming where the arts are integrated into the economy, education and everyday life of its citizens.

Philosophy

• The arts are a foundation for community development, education, economic development, health, and cultural vitality.
• The arts help us understand ourselves, our world and our cultural heritage
• The arts preserve and protect our cultural history while opening a door to new cultural frontiers
• The arts influence lifelong learning practices that allow innovative ideas to flourish in all sectors of economic development.
• The arts prepare children and adults to become creative, productive citizens of the state

Arts Access Project Grant

This grant is designed to provide arts project funding for organizations that meet any of the following four criteria:

• projects increasing arts access for, or primarily serving, people with disabilities,
• arts projects led by and/or primarily serving BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color),
• projects involving folk & traditional arts and artists,
• organizations in rural communities with a population of less than 3000. 

Organizations that did not receive a Community Support Grant are eligible to receive up to two Arts Council grants in the other grant programs for different programs/events, depending on criteria for each specific grant.

What does this program do?

This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Small means that the business has fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue.

What kind of funding is available?

There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost sharing requirement. Opportunity grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.

How may funds be used?

Enterprise grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application. Uses may include:

• Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports or producer service improvements.
• Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
• Pollution control and abatement.
• The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
• Distance adult learning for job training and advancement.
• Rural transportation improvement.
• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Opportunity grants can be used for:

• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Pacific Power Foundation

The Pacific Power Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pacific Power. Our mission, through our charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of our communities. In 2021, the Pacific Power Foundation awarded more than $1 million to local nonprofit organizations.

Apply for a Grant

The foundation manages its grants in four cycles. This helps the foundation carefully review similar requests to ensure maximum benefit.

Education/STEM Grants

Electrical safety, energy efficiency education, higher education institutions, K-12, literacy and reading programs, STEM education initiatives, teacher/professional educator development, workforce development/careers and employability, and youth development.

Wyoming Arts Council

The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to provide funding opportunities for the many worthwhile art projects that our nonprofit organizations, government entities, and individual artists are doing throughout the state of Wyoming.

Mission

The Wyoming Arts Council provides leadership and invests resources to sustain, promote and cultivate excellence in the arts.

Vision

WAC envisions a Wyoming where the arts are integrated into the economy, education and everyday life of its citizens.

Philosophy

• The arts are a foundation for community development, education, economic development, health, and cultural vitality.
• The arts help us understand ourselves, our world and our cultural heritage
• The arts preserve and protect our cultural history while opening a door to new cultural frontiers
• The arts influence lifelong learning practices that allow innovative ideas to flourish in all sectors of economic development.
• The arts prepare children and adults to become creative, productive citizens of the state

Community Support Grant

The Community Support Grant offers operating and/or project support, as well as a portion dedicated to arts learning support for organizations that provide services to their community through the arts. All funded projects must be available to the general public.

An organization is eligible to receive up to $10,000 in operating and/or project support and up to $5,000 in arts learning support for a total of up to $15,000 in grant funding. The amount of funding requested cannot exceed 50% of your total project/operating expenses and requires a 1:1 cash match.

Arts Learning Component

Funding that is available through the Community Support grant offers funding for projects that enliven or improve arts learning to increase knowledge, understanding of, and skills in one or more art forms. Arts Learning is offered to non-profit organizations, social service agencies, tribes, community centers, school districts and local art agencies.

Funded activities can include year-long projects, a series of related or unrelated projects, a season of arts learning programs and technical assistance projects, such as curriculum development and planning for arts learning programs.

This funding can support:

• Making interactive art opportunities a basic component of arts learning.
• Developing and strengthening arts learning in community and schools.
• Providing opportunities for professional artists to work in community settings, outreach organizations and schools.
• Providing arts learning opportunities for all ages and in myriad settings.
• Obtaining expertise from elders, artists, instructors and educators to help design new arts programming, strengthen current programs or grow a teacher’s personal growth in knowledge and skills in an art form.

NOTE: Deadlines are: October 14, 2022, for all Programming and Publication applications and April 14, 2023, for all Digital Media and Preservation applications.

ABOUT WYOMING HUMANITIES

Wyoming Humanities is our state’s affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and an independent 501(c)3 non-profit governed by a board of private citizens who believe the humanities can help us better understand the issues of our times. 

Founded in 1970 in response to the National Arts and Humanities Act of 1965 enacted by President Lyndon B. Johnson, we are one of 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils. Wyoming was one of the first states to implement this independent nonprofit model to provide public humanities programs for our citizens.  

Our purpose is to use the humanities to strengthen our democracy, enhance the Wyoming narrative, and promote engaged communities. We bring together public and private funding to accomplish our goals and are a statewide organization that strives to serve all 23 counties and 99 communities of Wyoming every year.

Wyoming Crossroads Grants

Wyoming Crossroads is a state-wide public humanities initiative applying humanities perspectives locally to help Wyoming realize growth out of change. Wyoming Crossroads Grants support programs, publications, preservation and digital media projects that dig deep into the larger themes and goals of the Wyoming Crossroads initiative. General themes that can be explored through Wyoming Crossroads Grants are:

• Wyoming’s identity
• Wyoming’s sense of community
• Wyoming’s connection to the land
• Wyoming’s persistence
• Wyoming’s ability to manage change

The goals of Wyoming Crossroads Grants are:

• Increase Wyoming’s intellectual, community, social and civic wealth as the state restructures its economy.  
• Apply humanities programming in new and innovative ways to reach audiences that do not typically engage in public humanities 
• Develop new partnerships with groups and associations not typically considered “humanities” or cultural organizations 

Project Categories

Wyoming Crossroads Grants will be awarded across four project categories: programming, publications, preservation projects, and digital media projects. Awards are granted based on the availability of funds. 

Programming Grants will be awarded to public humanities programs and projects that include an event that is open to the public. Examples of programs and/or projects that would be supported by a Wyoming Crossroads Programming Grant include, but are not limited to:

• Discussions
• Lectures
• Reading/writing series
• Exhibitions
• Conference/symposiums

Publication Grants will be awarded for the creation and public distribution of humanities focused written publications reflective of the themes and goals of the Wyoming Crossroads initiative. Examples of publications that would be supported by a Wyoming Crossroads Publication Grant include, but are not limited to:

• Print media: books/articles
• Online print media: blogs/articles/websites

Preservation Grants will be awarded for humanities projects that preserve historical narratives that will be displayed, presented, or readily available to the public. Projects should be reflective of the themes and goals of the Wyoming Crossroads initiative. Examples of projects that would be supported by a Wyoming Crossroads Preservation Grant include, but are not limited to:

• Oral histories
• Archival work
• Collections

Digital Media Grants will be awarded for humanities-focused projects that utilize a digital media medium to present public humanities content. Projects should be reflective of the themes and goals of the Wyoming Crossroads initiative. Examples of projects that would be supported by a Wyoming Crossroads Digital Media Grant include, but are not limited to:

• Documentaries
• Short films
• Apps/Games
• Digital Series

OUR STORY

Established in 1999, the Wyoming Women’s Foundation (WYWF) is one of a family of funds held at the Wyoming Community Foundation. WYWF makes grants and spearheads initiatives that benefit women and girls as well as our communities overall. As a statewide leader dedicated to promoting women and girls, we leverage funds through our endowment, and grantmaking is focused on lasting change.

WYWF is advised by a volunteer board that helps to set granting and advocacy direction, and to raise funds to carry out its mission. The mission of the Wyoming Women’s Foundation is to invest in the economic self-sufficiency of women and opportunities for girls in Wyoming.

Funding Priorities

Income and asset development

WYWF will fund programs that help women advance their ability to live at or above the Wyoming Self-Sufficiency Standard for their family composition and county of residence. See wywf.org for the Wyoming Self-Sufficiency Standard and calculator. Examples of income and asset development projects include education and job training for higher wages and asset development programs including those aimed toward first home purchases, business development and retirement savings.

Mentoring and leadership

WYWF will fund programs that advance confidence and make meaningful connections for women and girls. Examples of mentoring and leadership programs include leadership training, women and girls mentoring, career development and STEM programming.

Systems change

WYWF will fund programs that address barriers to economic self-sufficiency and the gender wage gap through advocacy and education. Examples include wage negotiation training and awareness campaigns that highlight the issues and change attitudes about the gender wage gap in Wyoming.

TourWest is a competitive grant program, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, that provides subsidies to arts and community organizations for the presentation of touring performers and literary artists within the 13-state WESTAF region. The WESTAF region includes the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and Pacific jurisdictions (American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam). Applications are reviewed by a panel of industry leaders on artistic and cultural merit, presentation of programs to underserved and/or culturally diverse audiences, quality of the outreach activities, engagement and collaboration (including block booking), and thoroughness of the project’s planning.

For the 2023 cycle, WESTAF will be providing support for the administration of an organization’s regional touring program. WESTAF defines regional touring as programming that presents out-of-state touring artists and/or in-state touring artists traveling at least 50 miles to your venue. WESTAF also encourages the inclusion of community/educational outreach as part of an organization’s presentation of touring artists. This programming can be virtual and/or in-person in accordance with state guidelines.

For the 2023 program cycle, applicants may apply for one TourWest grant up to $5,000 or 50% of the overall programming expenses, whichever is less. Support is available for use by organizations for their regional touring program budgets for any of the following:

• Artist/contractor fees
• Administration costs
• Programming/marketing costs

Program Requirements

TourWest 2023- 2024 support is available to organizations that meet the following programmatic requirements:

• Support applies to activities between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024.
• Applicants may submit one application.
• Applicants are required to apply for grants that support the presentation of out-of-state touring performers, musicians, and literary artists as part of administering the organization’s regional touring programming. As described above, regional touring is defined as at least 50 miles from the performance venue. Applicants are encouraged to feature performers from the western United States; however, the performers do not have to be from WESTAF’s region and can be internationally based.
• TourWest funds can be used to support performances in festivals. The festival organization itself, not individual presenters participating in the festival, may apply.
• TourWest funds are federal funds and require a one-to-one cash match. As the grant award will support a portion of regional touring program expenses, the remaining program expense amount is to be paid by the grantee and is considered the cash match for the grant.
  • Grantees cannot match Arts Endowment funds to other Arts Endowment grants funds or other federal funds, nor get two different federal grants for the same program costs (overlapping costs).
  • Grantees cannot match resources with another Arts Endowment award or other federal program.
  • Certain contributions or gifts provided to your organization are restricted and cannot be used to support the program.
  • Gifts (bequeathed or otherwise) that are not available to your organization during the award period of performance cannot be used to match the Arts Endowment award.
• TourWest funds cannot be used in any portion for institutional overhead or F&A costs or applied to any indirect costs. These funds, which are made possible through the National Endowment for the Arts regional touring program, are to be specifically directed to regional touring programming.