Funding Sources

The best source for funding information is The Foundation Center. It is possible to search for foundations, and guidelines for writing grants are available. Sample proposals and common grant applications are also provided. The Foundation Center provides a variety of other resources and materials, including the two prospect worksheets linked below:

Prospect Worksheet—Individual Donor (PDF, 14 KB)
Prospect Worksheet—Corporation/Foundation (PDF, 16 KB)

Most businesses donate money to the communities in which they are located. You will usually find giving guidelines under community or corporate citizenship on their respective Web sites. As a starting point for your search, we have provided below a listing of several corporations and foundations that provide funding to youth- and education-related programs.

American Express - Work through a regional office.

Annie E. Casey Foundation - Funding for foster care, mental health for urban children, juvenile detention alternatives, etc.

BellSouth Foundation - Funds programs for developing educators for leadership and encouraging community involvement in education improvement.

Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy - Grants do not exceed $50,000.

The Constitutional Rights Foundation's Robinson Mini-Grant program awards mini-grants for K-12 service-learning projects designed to address serious community issues.

Coca-Cola Foundation - Funds programs that raise standards in classroom teaching and learning.

Coming Up Taller Awards - Annually recognizes and rewards excellence in community arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth.

Corning, Inc. Foundation - Develops and administers projects in support of educational, cultural, and community organizations.

Department of Juvenile Justice

Dollar General Stores - Grants up to $20,000. Funding for literacy and youth development. Click on "Community Initiatives" link.

The eSchool News School Funding Center has up-to-the minute grant programs, funding sources, and technology funding.

Exxon Mobil Corporation

Families and Work Institute

Gannett Foundation - There must be a Gannett newspaper or television station in your community.

Handspring Foundation - Focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations or international equivalents that help at-risk children and youth.

Hasbro Children's Fund - Funds programs that improve the quality of life for children from birth to 12 years old, and playgrounds for children. Proposal length: 3-5 pages maximum.

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation - Funds education, performing arts, population, environment, conflict resolution, family, and community development.

International Paper Foundation - Grants range from $1,000-$10,000.

The A.L. Mailman Family Foundation funds early care, healthy development of children, moral responsibility of children, etc.

Major League Baseball (MLB) - Scroll to the bottom of the page and choose a team from "jump to official club site" list. Then, click on "Community Outreach" link.

Metropolitan (MetLife) - Funds health, education, civic affairs, and cultural programs. Click on "corporate citizenship" link.

National Basketball Association (NBA)

National Football League (NFL)

National Hockey League (NHL)

Open Meadows - Funds programs targeting women and girls.

Oracle Help Us Help Foundation - A nonprofit organization that assists K-12 public schools and youth organizations in economically challenged communities through grants of computer equipment and software.

Publix Supermarket Charities

Quaker Oats Foundation - Funds programs that encourage low-income students to stay in school. Click on "Community" at the top of the page.

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

William E. Simon Foundation - Funds program that assist the needy by providing the means for the needy to support themselves.

Southern Poverty Law Center - Grants of up to $2,000 are available to K-12 teachers from the Teaching Tolerance Project.

Sprint Foundation

SUPERVALU - Funds hunger and nutrition related areas.

Target Stores Foundation - Grants range from $1,000-$5,000. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on "Community Giving" under the "Company" heading .

Tiger Woods Foundation - Funds parenting, youth development, children and family health and welfare.

UPS Foundation - Funds academic research, human welfare, educational programs, etc.

Verizon Foundation - Eligible groups for the grant must focus on technology applications.

The Wallace Foundation

Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)

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