Search Through Youth Services Grants in the U.S.

Brennan Family Foundation

Edward J. Brennan (1930-1999), Founder of Brennan College Services Inc., established the Brennan Family Foundation in 1990 to assist charitable, religious and educational institutions achieve their goals. His family continues his inspired vision of charitable responsibility.

Mission Statement

The Brennan Family Foundation was established to provide financial assistance to charitable organizations and institutions that offer developmental, educational and medical support to our worlds most valuable resourse- Our Children. These groups are strategically reviewed and selected by the Trustees of the foundation on an annual basis. Since its inception, contributions have been primarily to Health Care and Educational Institutions, Religious Organizations, The United States Armed Forces, Development Programs as well as The Performing Arts.

The George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation was born from the shared vision of its founders, George and Sarah Buchanan, who believed in giving back to the community as a testament to their life’s blessings. Focusing on special needs, military, at-risk youth, education, and faith-based initiatives, the foundation aims to create a ripple effect of positive change across communities. The George and Sarah Buchanan Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling our mission of providing help and support to those in need across all five of our focus areas. By providing grants and partnering with 501 c3 charitable organizations, we hope to improve the lives of all recipients.

Our Grants

The Foundation makes Grants to a wide variety of charitable organizations. Programs vary in grant size and funding priorities. Supporting nonprofit and 501c charitable organizations, we award grants to enhance impactful programs and initiatives, foster innovation, and bolster the capabilities of existing systems and organizations. Nonprofits are invited to apply for grants for these programs. The foundation concentrates its giving on several key areas:

• Military

Partnering with charities that provide essential support to military personnel, veterans, and their families during and after service. Charities supporting the Military community focus on aiding active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. These organizations offer a range of support services to address the unique challenges faced by military personnel, including transition programs for those re-entering civilian life, mental health support, and assistance for wounded soldiers. They also provide housing assistance for veterans and gold-star families. Additionally, they provide financial aid, scholarships for education, and family support initiatives to ensure the well-being of military families, honoring their sacrifice and service to the country.

• Special Needs

Charitable organizations within the Special Needs sector are dedicated to serving individuals with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. These nonprofits work tirelessly to provide a spectrum of services that enhance the quality of life, promote independence, and ensure equal opportunities in all aspects of life. From early intervention programs, therapeutic services, and inclusive education to vocational training and supportive housing, these charities aim to meet the comprehensive needs of those with special needs, advocating for their rights and well-being in society.

• At-Risk Youth

Organizations working with At-Risk Youth are committed to guiding young people who face various challenges, such as poverty, homelessness, family instability, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. These charities offer programs that include mentorship, education and literacy support, after-school and enrichment activities, and career readiness training. Their goal is to provide at-risk youth with the tools and resources they need to overcome obstacles, realize their potential, and build a positive future.

• Education

Charitable organizations in the Education sector strive to ensure equitable access to quality education for children and adults alike. These nonprofits work in diverse settings, from urban to rural communities, providing programs such as early childhood education, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) initiatives, scholarship funds, and teacher training. They aim to close the education gap, foster lifelong learning, and prepare individuals for success in an increasingly complex world through vocational training opportunities.

• Faith-Based Organizations

Faith-based charitable organizations operate on the foundation of Christian values and beliefs, serving communities through a wide array of social, educational, and humanitarian efforts. These charities provide services such as food banks, homeless shelters, disaster relief, and international development projects. Beyond physical aid, they also offer spiritual support and community building activities, aiming to uplift individuals and families.

Mission

The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—culture, education, health and social service—and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.

Social Service Grant

The Hearst Foundations fund direct-service organizations that tackle the roots of chronic poverty by applying effective solutions to the most challenging social and economic problems. The Foundations prioritize supporting programs that have proven successful in facilitating economic independence and in strengthening families. Preference is also given to programs with the potential to scale productive practices in order to reach more people in need.

Funding Priorities in Social Service

In the recent past, 15% of total funding has been allocated to Social Service. Organizations with budgets over $5 million have received 60% of funding in Social Service.

The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted for new grantees.

Types of Support

Program, capital and general support

Funding

Minimum grant size is $100,000.

About

“Joan Marilynn Wismer was born on January 18, 1940, in Oakland, California, the only child of Preston and Hilda Davis. When she was young, the family moved to Los Angeles, where her father was general counsel of United Parcel Service during its formative years.

Joan graduated from Hamilton High School in 1957 and attended the University of Southern California, joining the sorority Kappa Alpha Theta.

Joan learned the value of service and charity from her parents, who believed that generosity is its own reward and a generous person is twice blessed. A forty-year resident of North Hollywood, she was an active member of many charitable organizations, including USC Trojan League Associates of the Valleys, Rotary Club of North Hollywood, Daughters of the Nile (Mokattam Temple No. 12), Order of the Eastern Star (Van Nuys Chapter No. 338), and Las Floristas.

In 2001, Joan established the Joan M. Wismer Foundation. She loved finding worthy programs, making grants, and meeting new friends. During Joan’s lifetime, the Joan M. Wismer Foundation supported education, projects assisting children, medical research, international relief, and the training and placement of ordnance-sniffing dogs for service in war-torn countries.

Joan passed away on March 12, 2015, and the Foundation is proud to honor her legacy.”

Mission Statement

The Joan M. Wismer Foundation is dedicated to improving and enriching the lives of youth and adults in the United States and abroad. The foundation supports programs that focus on education and youth development, safety and humanitarian services, medical and scientific research, culture and the arts.

Corporate Citizenship at KKR

We are committed to supporting collaborations and programs that respond to today’s needs and build pathways to future progress.

Through our Corporate Citizenship program we build a better world through philanthropy, employee engagement, and sustainable community programs. Success is measured based on outcomes and the positive impact our funded programs drive in communities.

Through our KKR Cares initiative, we leverage the skills, expertise and energy of the KKR team to support communities around the globe. We do this through an employee matching gift program, nonprofit board service, paid time off to volunteer in communities, and pro bono technical support programs where our teams provide skill and training to nonprofits and social enterprises.

Strategic Pillars

Our strategic philanthropy program provides support for small businesses and social enterprises, opportunity youth and opportunity talent, civil servants, and other communities where we operate through grants to nonprofit organizations focused on our two strategic pillars:

Economic Opportunity

Opening pathways and improving outcomes with a lasting impact reflected by growth and scale

Economic Security

Improved preparedness that increases disruption resiliency

Laird Norton Family Foundation

The Laird Norton Family Foundation (LNFF) is a private family foundation in Seattle, Washington, with a mission to honor and reflect the family’s shared values through giving and engage the family in philanthropy as a platform for strengthening family connections.

Primary Grantmaking Programs  

Our grantmaking reflects the values of the Laird Norton family. We give in program areas that reflect the family's shared interests:

Arts in Education

Our Arts in Education grantmaking program supports equitable educational opportunities for students using arts integrated and culturally informed instruction, including sustained professional development for public school teachers. Funding will be directed toward programs that seek to enhance students’ educational outcomes in public Pre-K through grade 12 classrooms rather than to simply increase participation in, or appreciation for, the arts.

• Our current support focuses on organizations that provide: long-term, push-in, professional development opportunities for public Pre-K through grade 12 teachers and schools; programs that aim to serve students furthest from educational justice; and programs with culturally relevant instruction and are focused on the whole child.

Climate Change

Climate change is a global, complex challenge facing our world. The goal of our Climate Change program is to help the planet heal and mitigate adverse impacts of climate change for all people, communities, and the natural world. Grantmaking is centered around carbon sequestration work and recognizes organizations as the experts and stewards to advance climate and environmental justice. Grantmaking is focused in the West Coast of the US.

•  We are focused on supporting work that increased the abilities of forests, coastal ecosystems, and agricultural lands to sequester carbon. Through projects involving healthy forests, blue carbon, and regenerative agriculture, we seek to learn from and follow the lead of communities impacted first and worst as our planet changes. 

Human Services

• Our Human Services grantmaking program supports organizations working directly with youth and young adults (age 12-25) who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and/or involved with child welfare, juvenile legal or behavioral health systems. Grantmaking is currently only with organizations in King County, WA. 

• Our current support prioritizes organizations that are created and led by the communities they seek to serve, that acknowledge and seek to address racial and social injustice in their work, and that offer programming with the aim of preventing youth and young adult homelessness and creating systems change.

Watershed Stewardship

​Watersheds have social, ecological, and economic significance. The goal of the Watershed Stewardship program is to create enabling conditions for long-term social and ecological health and resilience in places of importance to the Laird Norton Family. Currently, we prioritize work in Minnesota and Wisconsin as well as a few key watersheds in the Western United States, consistent with the Laird Norton family's priorities.

We take a long-term view on healthy watersheds and invest in organizational capacity with an eye to future resilience. We encourage our partners to focus not on single-species recovery or restoration to historical conditions as a primary end-goal, but to also consider the potential value of significantly altered — but functioning — ecosystems as we continue to face the impacts of climate change and other natural and human-caused changes into the future.

​We believe the wellbeing of the people who live in a place must be considered alongside ecological goals; understanding the diverse interests and values of a watershed’s human inhabitants is an important component of long-term 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.

Oriental Trading Company

We have been Making The World More Fun for 90 years. We also work hard to make the world a better place to live, work and play. Together with our national and community partners, the Oriental Trading Corporate Giving program strives to enhance the enrichment of the lives of children through education, youth programming, healthcare and human services.

We support organizations and programs in the following areas:

• Education
• Youth
• Healthcare
• Human Services.

In particular, we support organizations and programs that serve to improve the lives of children and youth, with an emphasis on education and youth programs or which are dedicated to improving or providing healthcare and human services.

Investing in nonprofits that are advancing a new, transformative system of justice with the core values of racial equity, economic well-being, and fundamental fairness for all.

Grants Overview

Public Welfare Foundation awards grants to nonprofits that honor the Foundation’s core values of racial equity, economic well-being, and fundamental fairness for all. The Foundation looks for strategic points where its funds can make a significant difference and improve lives through policy and system reform that results in transformative change.

Our Work

Public Welfare Foundation aims to catalyze a transformative approach to justice that is community-led, restorative, and racially just.

• Adult Criminal Justice
• Youth Justice
• Legacy Initiatives
• Jurisdictions

Working in Communities, With Communities

Public Welfare Foundation believes that the best ideas bubble up from communities so we work to engage deeply in and with the communities we fund.

We work with communities to drive transformation from multiple angles including policy advocacy, organizing, leadership development, and demonstration projects. Public Welfare Foundation is committed to funding innovative solutions and investing in the leadership of those most proximate to the issues facing this nation.

Focusing our efforts on criminal justice and youth justice reforms allows us to achieve greater impact in the overhaul of the systems that were created to marginalize and contain our nation’s most vulnerable populations.

Grants Process

The Public Welfare Foundation has a two-step application process that includes both a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) and a full proposal. We invite full proposals after reviewing letters of inquiry. We only consider full proposals we have invited that fit within the program guidelines and available resources.

Current focus areas include:

• Organizations and projects with a focus on structural and systemic changes in the U.S. criminal justice system.
  • The Foundation does not typically fund direct service work (ex. individual support services, case management).
  • However, the Foundation will consider initiatives that aim to further a demonstration project to make the case for non-carceral alternatives and transformative approaches to justice reform.
• Organizations, projects, or special initiatives with a focus on reducing harm and violence using community-centered interventions.
• Reframing the narrative and fostering greater transparency and urgency around the U.S. criminal justice system through storytelling, journalism and other targeted efforts.

Grant Types: How We Fund the Work

General Support Grants

• General support grants are for day-to-day operating costs or to further the work of your organization. These grants are not earmarked for a particular program or project.

Program or Project Support Grants

• Program or project support grants support a specific program or activity of the organization. These are restricted grants and must be used for that program or project.

Special Opportunities Grants

• The Special Opportunities Program supports projects reflecting the Foundation’s mission and underlying values. These are one-time only grants that are especially timely and compelling. At times, this kind of grant serves as a laboratory for new ideas.

The Russell Foundation

The Russell Foundation supports programs for children and youth that promote their development into confident, competent, and caring adults who will make positive contributions to society.

Our Purpose

To make a positive difference in the lives of children, youth and young adults (thru age 23) so that they can achieve their highest potential.

Our Business

Supporting qualified charitable organizations, projects and research that seek solutions to detrimental issues – individual and systemic – which achieve enduring positive effects on the physical, intellectual and emotional development of children and youth of all ages and socio-economic status.

Our Values

Self-Image, Self-Respect, Personal Responsibility, Confidence, Education, Competence, Healthy Lifestyle, Caring and Respect for Others.

Focus Areas

Award grants focus on six areas supporting children and youth. The distribution of grants awarded each year reflects the Foundation’s current emphasis toward each area. The Foundation’s future emphasis may change, but it will consider grant applications addressing any of these focus areas.

• Education: Advancing the learning skills and academic achievements of children from kindergarten to high school using tutoring, mentoring, and talent-coaching that supplement and complement formal educational systems.
• Development: Building the long-term life skills, awareness, and ambition to have the confidence and motivation necessary to pursue goals for the betterment of themselves and society. 
• Intervention: Providing the short-term framework and resources needed to protect children facing immediate difficulties in their living environments that undermine their long-term development.
• Character: Instilling morals and principles that foster ethical behavior, self-responsibility, respect for others, stewardship of the environment, and caring for those in need.
• Health: Fostering and maintaining the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of children that is essential for positive development.
• Medical: Providing services, resources, and other support for specific treatment / correction of birth defects, disease, and physical injury.

Who Can Get Tickets?

Tickets for Kids Charities partners with organizations (agency partners) that serve low-income, at-risk children and youth to supplement their existing programming with ticketed experiences. These programs can include: residential, mentoring, behavioral health counseling, after-school program, summer day camps, and other types of services. TFK ticketed experiences are provided to approved agency partners at no cost to their organizations or clientele.

Helping Build Better Futures

Our mission is to deliver great value to our customers every day. For over four decades, our deep commitment to the principles of providing value and caring for others has helped define our culture. It extends beyond the walls of our stores, distribution centers, and offices, and into our local communities around the world. The intersection of these principles defines our global community mission:

Deliver great value to our communities by helping vulnerable families and children access the resources and opportunities they need to build a better future.

Our Social Impact Areas

We bring our community relations mission to life around the world by focusing our giving on four social impact areas where we believe we can have the most impact and are critical to helping families and children succeed and thrive.

Basic Needs

We are passionate about supporting nonprofit organizations that help fill critical basic needs such as a warm meal, clean clothing, and a safe place to sleep for vulnerable families.

Education & Training

Our efforts have focused on quality enrichment and extracurricular programs that provide skills, resources, and opportunities to support school and career success for children, teens, and young adults.

Patient Care & Research

We support organizations that deliver services to families and children facing health challenges and life-threatening illnesses.

Empowering Women

We support programs that provide services ranging from help for those fleeing domestic violence, to others that offer education, training, and job placement resources.

Our Mission Statement

The Von Voigtlander Family Foundation, an irrevocable charitable trust under Michigan law was created by Jeff and Kathleen Von Voigtlander.

Our mission is to make the world a better place by being part of the building and strengthening of those in need of assistance.

• The Foundation will strive to support public education through grants to education institutions for scholarships, extracurricular programs, athletics, technology, and motivational speakers for assemblies, as well as other educational needs.
• We will strive to make a difference in the lives of under-privileged, disabled and terminally ill children through grants to hospitals and other public charities for medical research, education, and programs dedicated to helping such children achieve their dreams.
• Since recreation and the preservation of land for the enjoyment of everyone ties to the well-being of both young and old, the Foundation will make grants to those public charities that work to protect our parks and recreational areas.
• We will also make grants in support of programs at public charities that are dedicated to the rescue and protection of animals due to disaster, abandonment, or abuse, as well as the training of dogs for special needs children and the disabled.
• The Foundation will focus on supporting our military and veterans affairs programs.

Areas of Focus:

Youth - Assisting our youth is an important facet of our Foundation’s mission. Providing scholarships to deserving students in need, supporting our public schools, and assisting programs and camps for disadvantaged children are ways that we strive to help our youth. Supporting these programs can benefit those with and without disabilities by giving them a sense of accomplishment and inclusion.

Animals - Pets are important members of many families. Our Foundation seeks to support animals of all kinds, from relocation and homing efforts, to assistance after natural disasters, to training service animals to assist with disabled members of our community.

Conservation -Our Foundation strives to support our community recreations areas, such as bike and hike trails. In addition to the many health benefits that these areas provide, such as reducing obesity and diminishing chronic diseases, recreational areas provide social benefits and support for our youth. Reducing crime and uniting families are some of the social benefits, and decreasing drug and alcohol use are ways that these areas support our youth population.

Military Veterans - Supporting those who have served is extremely important to the members of our Foundation. This includes the families of veterans, who are advocates in assisting veterans in getting the services they need and deserve. Supporting the training of service dogs for our veterans suffering from PTSD or other physical and mental disabilities is something we are all passionate about.

About the Youth Foundation

The Finish Line Youth Foundation (FLYF) supports life's biggest possibilities as the philanthropic arm of Finish Line. FLYF is a national partner of Special Olympics and dedicated corporate citizen to the Far Eastside of Indianapolis. FLYF also provides financial support for diversity and inclusion initiatives, opportunities for those with special needs and resources for disadvantaged youth.

Louder Than Words Grant

Our Louder Than Words grants serve as part of Finish Line's Louder Than Words platform and our goal to support diverse and underserved communities. These grants will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that make a difference in our corporate Indianapolis neighborhood as well as communities across the country.

Projects that Qualify for Funding

Cycle 1 Focus: Far East Side of Indianapolis

Cycle 2 Focus: Health & Wellness

• Programming or activities for participation in programs that place an importance on personal development, an active and healthy lifestyle or mental health
  • Scholarships that provide full or partial funding to participate in programs provided by organization

Cycle 3 Focus: Workforce Development

• Programming or activities for participation in programs that place an importance on higher education, vocational training, and/or career development
  • Scholarships that provide full or partial funding to participate in programs provided by organization

Cycle 4 Focus: Safe Communities

• Programming or activities for participation in programs that emphasize public safety, building trust between communities and police, and/or reforming the criminal justice system
• Improvements and/or renovations to existing buildings, grounds, and property or for new facilities and/or grounds
• Emergency needs that would somehow be keeping the organization from providing current services such as natural disasters or other unforeseen circumstances that require special funding to help

Available Funding

• Organizations can request up to $10,000.

Versacare Foundation

We are an independent foundation which has been serving Seventh-day Adventist ministries and a select few other humanitarian efforts with financial grants since 1990. We are a self-funded lay organization, and our board is comprised of both lay Adventists and present and former Adventist church employees, all committed to furthering the Kingdom of God and to restoring the “image of God” in those in need. 

Versafund Grant Program: Impact Grant

The Versafund Grant Program offers three levels of potential funding.

• Impact Grant: $40,001 to $100,000

The Impact Grant is offered by invitation to applicants implementing proven successful practices as well as organizations demonstrating creativity and innovation in the delivery of services that meet the needs of individuals or groups.

Project Priorities: Versacare Foundation funds projects that address the following needs:

• Church community engagement
• Disadvantaged or underserved communities
• General education and science education
• Health and wellness
• Humanitarian efforts
• Social justice
• Women and children’s efforts
• Youth and young adults

Company Giving

We provide financial support for projects across four pillars to support the causes our employees care most about:

• Health Care
• Veterans' Support
• Education
• Crisis Management

Sky Ranch Foundation

Formed in 1961 and building on more than 60 years of tradition, Sky Ranch Foundation ℠ is a tax-exempt charitable organization committed to giving at-risk youth a second chance by identifying and offering grants to efficient and effective programs focused on improving the quality of help available to these youth.

Funding Interests

Preference will be given to organizations that:

• Serve troubled youth between the ages of 11-18, with a priority for programs that focus on youth between the ages of 11-15
• Focus on preventing youth involvement in the criminal justice system, or provide long-term rehabilitation in a residential or alternative setting.
• Provide comprehensive support services to youth that may include education, job training, enrichment activities, counseling and case management.

Proposals that fall outside of the Foundation’s guidelines will be considered at the discretion of the Directors.

Geographic Focus

The Foundation funds programs and organizations that work with at-risk youth within the United States, its possessions, and territories, or operated within Native American tribal lands. Requests for programs outside those geographies will not be considered.

Type of Support

General operating, capital and capacity-building.

Award

The typical grant size will be between $5,000 and $40,000. Grants outside of this range will be considered at the discretion of the Directors.

Our History

Andy has spent a lifetime developing and building sustainable communities. He has expertise in regulatory guidelines, leveraging money, and visionary leadership. His integrity and work ethic have produced communities that continue to thrive on their own beyond his personal or business involvement, both economically and aesthetically. His patience and appreciation for nature come from years of working with recreational athletic teams and hunting in remote areas.

Jan has spent a lifetime in community service with a focus on responsible, fiducially sound leadership practices. Her consensus-building leadership style has developed through involvement in educational cultural arts initiatives, public park and environmental endeavors, and church leadership. Her creative vision coupled with her ability to appreciate and empower volunteers has helped reshape the groups and organizations she has been a part of.

Together, Andy and Jan have raised three children in the Wake County Public School System, always conscious of building community through consistent involvement in Parent-Teacher Associations, church, youth sports leagues, the local business community, and civic organizations. They are North Carolina natives with a global perspective drawn from extensive travel, both nationally and internationally.

Jandy is based on the biblical foundation where two come together to make one. The name is a visual representation of how they have partnered their life for their children and how they would like to partner with groups in the future. They believe in hard work, personal responsibility, integrity to the project and process, avoiding missed opportunities, and doing their absolute best with the resources they’ve been given.

They’ve now created a family Foundation, blending their talents together, to build a Foundation that inspires emulation based on the best of Jandy – Andy’s vision to leave lasting community assets and Jan’s creativity in bringing volunteers together. They intend to provide resources for like-minded Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) public charities that will share in their mission and help further creative visionary volunteer groups with their capital projects.

Mission and Focus

Jan and Andy Ammons established The Jandy Ammons Foundation in November 2012. The foundation’s mission is to improve local communities through innovative, project-driven endeavors that will enhance wildlife habitats, park settings, educational surroundings, artistic installations, or Christian church mission projects.

Grant Focus

The foundation focuses on specific “shovel ready” standalone projects, including the following:

• Wildlife/conservation/hunting projects
• Educational projects
• Artistic installations
• Christian church mission endeavors
• Park settings/community areas
• Other organizations and projects uniquely within the scope of the Foundation’s mission

About the Imagine Learning Foundation

Imagine a world where the well-being of learners is a priority.

At the Imagine Learning Foundation (ILF), our mission is to foster the well-being of learners and the people who support them at home and in their communities.

Imagine Learning, our primary sponsor, ignites learning breakthroughs with innovative and accessible digital-first K-12 products and services. The Imagine Learning Foundation embraces and extends this mission by focusing on the powerful connection between the well-being of students and the people who support them to bolster academic success.

Schools are better able to develop healthy and supportive learning environments when social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are extended from classrooms into homes and communities. At the Imagine Learning Foundation, we aim to bridge connections between classroom learning and positive learning environments outside the classroom by promoting and expanding access to SEL at home and in the community.

At the Imagine Learning Foundation, we aim to tap into this meaningful connection between SEL in the classroom and SEL outside the classroom by facilitating access to social emotional learning at home and in the community. By bringing SEL into life beyond the classroom, we activate a learner’s full community and support system to ignite more breakthroughs in every learning environment.

As we expand SEL into life beyond the classroom, we ignite more learning breakthroughs by engaging a learners’ broader family and community support system -making every space a positive learning environment.

What We Do & How We Work

Social and emotional learning has the power to create positive environments and more engaged communities. We work to introduce SEL knowledge and skills to families and community leaders to better equip them to deal with the emotional and social challenges facing our youth. Our efforts are geared to drive family and community support for the well-being of learners and the people who support them so that these students thrive both in and out of the classroom.

SEL is the process of learning and applying the knowledge and skills to care for emotions, social relationships, and each individual’s sense of self which has the potential to foster healthy learning environments and address longstanding disparities in student opportunities and outcomes. Learner well-being fuels learning success. SEL skills and knowledge help improve learner well-being. These tools become more powerful when they extend into the home.

In addition, community support —be it from family, allies or educators —has a meaningful positive impact on students’ social and emotional health. Students will be in a better position to succeed personally and academically if their learning environments and experiences at school and beyond include social and emotional learning. We engage students and connect families and communities to SEL outside the classroom to help students apply these foundational life skills and strategies in all aspects of their lives and relationships.

Imagine Signature Grant Program

Part of our funding and resources will be directed toward the Imagine Signature Grant Program, which seeks to amplify national non-profit organizations’ efforts aligned with the ILF’s mission.

The Imagine Signature Grant Program has established two funding priorities to advance our mission:

• supporting social, physical, mental, and emotional well-being programs, activities or services that foster the learning well-being of youth, families and educators within the home and community environments; and
• studying the current impacts that social, physical, mental, and emotional well-being has on accelerating student achievement across diverse communities.

The foundation will release a national competitive grant application for eligible participants and ultimately fund national organizations whose activities align with our mission and can make the greatest impact.

ILF will fund and partner with a variety of national or regional organizations that align to our mission and whose activities can make the greatest impact. To be eligible for a grant as part of the Imagine Signature Grant program, organizations must meet one or more of the funding priorities identified, and meet the current grant guidelines established under the Imagine Signature Grants Program.

Founded in 2022, ILF is entering the third year of its $5 million grant campaign and will award $400,000 or more in Imagine Signature Grants in 2024 to organizations dedicated to ILF’s mission of supporting the well-being of learners outside of the classroom, either at home or in their communities.

2025 Funding Priorities

Support eligible organizations addressing and/or studying critical issues related to chronic absenteeism and student housing insecurity in K-12 learning environments. In 2025, the ISGP grants will continue to prioritize the areas that ISGP funded in 2024, such as basic needs support and wraparound services for students and families experiencing homelessness, and also other needs in line with our mission and addressing chronic absenteeism and housing insecurity's impact on K-12 learning.

Additionally, in response to the recent wildfires and rebuilding efforts in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and San Diego County, ISGP will allocate a portion of its 2025 grants to initiatives that are both aligned with its mission and focus on recovery and support in affected communities. 

True Inspiration Awards

The True Inspiration Awards® program was created in 2015 to honor the legacy of Chick-fil-A® founder S. Truett Cathy. Through these annual grants, it is our pleasure to celebrate and support nonprofit organizations making an impact in their local communities.

S. Truett Cathy Honoree

One organization will be selected as the S. Truett Cathy Honoree. The S. Truett Cathy Honoree embodies the generous, innovative spirit of Chick-fil-A’s late founder — pioneering new ways to solve problems and serve others.

Category winners

In 2025 we will continue to support nonprofits with a total commitment of $6 million in grants ranging from $30,000-$350,000.

Sixteen organizations will be awarded for their work in these areas.

Caring for People (four winners): Programs or projects supporting educational initiatives, including fostering character and leadership development, academic excellence and community involvement in underserved youth.

Caring through Food (four winners): Programs or projects focused on addressing hunger and food insecurity facing children and their families.

Community (four winners): Programs or projects focused on providing housing and other direct services to support young people and their families.

Caring for our Planet (four winners): Programs or projects that show care for our environment and our planet, or that demonstrate environmental stewardship through initiatives directly related to our other True Inspiration Awards categories of food, community and people (i.e., community beautification, education opportunities, community gardens, outdoor classrooms, etc.) 

Colocation America proudly supports the development and integration of STEM learning opportunities for youth in the communities we serve. One of the ways we support these activities is by funding innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) youth programs. Youth organizations and K-12 educators with STEM programming may apply and be awarded upwards of $7,500 for their new or reoccurring program.

Purpose of Grant

The STEM Innovation Grant was created to fund programs that inspire and encourage K-12 students to pursue their interest and curiosity in STEM.

Eligible Programs:

Our STEM Grant Selection Committee is looking to fund programs or projects that offer students:

• An innovative (i.e. unique) approach to learning STEM
• Developmentally-appropriate STEM curriculum and/or resources
• Activities that support a real-life application of STEM knowledge

We support funding innovative pilot programs as well as long-proven STEM programs around the U.S.

Grant Funding:

For the 2022 Grant Cycle, we have changed it up so check it out:

• 5 grants will be chosen and awarded by 5 different Colocation America Staff Members. Each of these Staff Members will have $1,500 to award to their organization of choice.
• In addition, the STEM Grant Committee Member will award 4-10 grants ($2,000 - $7,500 per a project).

Funds awarded through the grant may be used to in the following ways:

• Tools/Equipment
• Stipends for Staff
• Field trips
• Travel expenses (e.g. buses)
• Curriculum Development and/or Curriculum Purchase
• Professional Development

Youth Initiative

Program Goal

The goal of the Youth Initiative is to support direct service programs that promote resilience, stability, and pyscho-social health for youth ages 14-21 who have been traumatized by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

Program Requirements

In order to be considered, programs must meet all of the following requirements. Programs that do not meet requirements will not be considered for a grant.

• Directly serve youth who have been significantly traumatized by Adverse Childhood Experiences. At this time, the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation limits the definition of ACEs to the following:
• Emotional, physical or sexual abuse
• Emotional or physical neglect
• Mother treated violently
• Substance abuse in the household
• Mental illness in the household
• Separation or divorce
• Incarceration of a household member
• Be a new program for the organization, or a new therapeutic component to an existing program, currently in development or within its first year (from the date of application submission) of implementation.
• Offer age-appropriate therapeutic interventions, activities, or services that promote resilience, stability, and psycho-social health in traumatized youth.
• Provide services that go beyond crisis intervention and the establishment of initial safety. Short-term shelter-based or crisis-oriented programs will not be funded.
• Include a plan for evaluating program effectiveness, with metrics that demonstrate the impact of the program in helping participating youth and at least one significant adult, such as a parent, primary caregiver or other adult with whom the youth has a meaningful and ideally long-term relationship.
• Enhance the relationship between the youth and at least one significant adult, such as a parent, primary caregiver or other adult with whom the youth has a meaningful and ideally long-term relationship.
• Use trauma informed practices and policies, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing trauma training for involved staff.

Multi-Year Funding

The Foundation intends to support new programs for up to three years. While the Foundation will not commit funds for the second or third year without an annual review, it is the Foundation's intent to continue funding successful programs. Because programs will not be funded for more than three years, you are encouraged to plan for the long-term sustainability of the program.

Organizations requesting second- or third-year funding for programs approved the previous year must continue to submit an abbreviated Stage 1 Application by March 1. Organizations seeking second- or third-year funding and have submitted a Stage 1 Application, will automatically be requested to submit a Stage 2 Application. Organizations seeking third-year funding must also have submitted a grant report for the first year of funding by the required due date stated in the Grant Agreement to be considered for funding.

Our Mission

To help educate the youth and support medical research advancements for the good of all.

Focus Areas

The Foundation’s focus is mainly on early education and health research. While there are occasional deviations from these areas, they are not common.

What We Look For

The Barney Family Foundation's primary focus is in the educational field, particularly children in grades K-8. The Barney Family Foundation places significant emphasis on giving children the opportunity for a better education. We want to be convinced that a project we fund will lead, over time, to significant improvement in children's life experiences and as such, favor proposals that describe a plausible and practical chain of events leading to tangible results for children. From organizations that work directly with children and families, to teachers and other frontline workers, we look for fairly simple, original ideas embedded with a strong plan for their implementation. We expect strategic impact from organizations engaged in research, policy analysis, advocacy, or other work that does not touch children directly.

As stated, we focus primarily on early education (generally elementary school with the occasional high school) as well as healthcare research (primarily cancer and Alzheimer’s). Established organizations have a better chance, but start-ups are welcome to apply as well. We would like to see a good business plan as well as explanation of who will benefit.

Funding

Since the Foundation does not have a small grants committee, it has adopted a policy of making and recommending grants in amounts greater than one thousand dollars. The Foundation makes annual grants and grant recommendations only; a grant made in one year does not imply that the recipient will have preferential status for funding in future years.

Our grants and grant recommendations generally range from $5,000 - $50,000 for a one-year period. Occasionally, the Foundation's officers may authorize smaller or (larger) grants.

Children’s Mental Health Innovation Awards

Our program aims to seed fund transformative mental healthcare solutions for children across the U.S. It helps address the lack of investment in youth mental health, connect innovative ideas with capital, and build capacity for nonprofits.  

About the Program 

This initiative invites U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charities with an annual total revenue under $5 million to submit innovative ideas for advancing children’s mental health.There are two award categories: the Innovation Awards ($100,000 each) which are open to all, and the Next Gen Innovation Awards ($25,000 - $50,000 each) which are open to nonprofits founded and/or led by leaders under 32 years old, with more than two years in operation.Up to $550,000 in grants are provided and select applicants are invited to join the Leadership Learning Series. View FAQs for more information.

What are the goals of the Innovation Awards?

The Innovation Awards program aims to help fill the funding gap in the under-resourced children’s mental health sector and provide runway for game-changing ideas. Our goal is to connect nonprofits with funders, in order to match much-needed capital with innovative projects in the field of mental healthcare for children and youth. We also offer leadership learning opportunities to build capacity for nonprofits.

The Ittleson Foundation 

Since 1932, The Ittleson Foundation has been serving the needs of the underprivileged and providing resources for organizations. The Foundation recognizes not-for-profit organizations, dedicated to bettering the United States, and as such, we provide funds for new initiatives and model projects that have the potential to greatly enhance public policy and the lives of fellow citizens. The Foundation's areas of particular interest are: mental health, AIDS, and the environment.

Mental Health

Since 1932 Mental Health has been a major focus at the Ittleson Foundation. The Foundation continues its commitment to bringing its “venture capital” approach to philanthropy to this area. In addition to our historic commitment to addressing the needs of underserved populations, we are particularly interested in innovative, pilot, model and demonstration projects that are:

• fighting the stigma associated with mental illness and working to change the public’s negative perception of people who have mental illness
• utilizing new knowledge and current technological advances to improve programs and services for people who have mental illness
• bringing the full benefits of this new knowledge and technology to those who presently do not have access to them
• advancing preventative mental health efforts, especially those targeted to youth and adolescents, with a special focus on strategies that involve parents, teachers, and others in close contact with these populations

AIDS

AIDS remains a significant concern of the Ittleson Foundation. Our commitment to supporting cutting-edge prevention efforts remains strong. As in all our current areas of interest, innovative initiatives that involve more than one program area are encouraged.

We are particularly interested in new model, pilot, and demonstration efforts:

• addressing the needs of underserved at-risk populations and especially those programs recognizing the overlap between such programs
• responding to the challenges facing community-based AIDS service organizations and those organizations addressing systemic change
• providing meaningful school-based sex education
• making treatment information accessible, available and easily understandable to those in need of it
• addressing the psycho-social needs of those infected and affected by AIDS, especially adolescents

Our Story

In 2003, the Ford family established the JJF Foundation in memoriam for James Joseph Ford. Jim, as his loved ones knew him, believed in the intrinsic good of all people, but especially young people. To carry on his legacy, we aim to bring out the best in others, give generously of ourselves, & live gratefully.

Our Mission

To create and support educational, social, & cultural programs that allow every child equal & ample opportunity to reach their potential--and be inspired to live generously. 

JJF Grants for Youth Programs

The Foundation supports and invests in programming and organizations that support underserved youth. Our annual grants are determined by our Board and based on applications for specific use of funds. Programs and projects have ranged from capital to operational expenses and from direct services to support systems.