Financial Assistance Grants

NOTE:  This program is NOT a grant, but rather a matching funds program.

About Elevation

Mission

Traditionally, technology and nonprofits have existed in separate worlds. At Elevation, we are bridging this longstanding gap by combining these two ostensibly different industries into one. We believe that technology is a catalyst that can propel nonprofits into making a greater impact. Our team at Elevation is that bridge and our solutions are the driving forces behind nonprofits generating quantifiable change and inspiring others to do the same. This idea is the foundation of how we do business every day.

Read more about mission & values here. 

Our Approach

At Elevation, we are united under one goal – provide quality digital solutions to nonprofit organizations so they can continue generating measurable change in their communities. In order to fulfill this mission, we have fostered a design process that is customized, flexible, and results-driven. Our clients receive fully functioning, efficient websites, and more. Your website is a tool and an integral part of fulfilling your nonprofit’s mission. When developed with the right team and ideas, you’ll be able to reach broader audiences and transmit a greater positive impact.

Read more about Elevation's team & clients here.

1 for 1 Matching Fund

For every dollar your nonprofit invests in Elevation’s in-house services, we will match that dollar with one of our own.

Born out of our mission to elevate nonprofits’ impact, our 1 for 1 Matching Fund helps us to provide otherwise out-of-reach services to eligible nonprofit partners.

How can your organization participate?

If you are a nonprofit with a project and would like to apply for assistance, please complete our brief online application.

Are there Additional Requirements? 

We work with all sectors, from religious to environmental, provided that their missions align with the values listed on Elevation's "About Us" page. For logistical purposes, we do rely on a point of contact based in the US, Canada, or Europe, but past recipient organizations have been located across the Americas and Africa as well.

Which Projects are Eligible? 

• Website Design & Re-design in WordPress
• Copywriting
• CRM Integrations in WordPress
• Branding & Graphic Design
• Marketing & Google Grants
• On-going WordPress Support
• Website Hosting

Is there a maximum benefit? 

We match what you raise, up to a 50K project. (For a 50K project, we’ll fund up to 25K. For a 16K  project, we fund up to 8K, etc.) We consider projects over 50K to be appropriate for well-established organizations and thus are not eligible for this program. We still strive to provide all nonprofits with the best results for every dollar they spend.

Why do we need other funding for the first half of our project?

We understand that nonprofits are under-resourced. We include a stipulation about additional funding to support an organization's commitment to finishing a project, which we have found to work best when additional parties are invested. If you feel the project minimums are unachievable for your organization but you can provide empirical data showing strong community support, please include that information in your application.

What is the timeframe for projects? 

The minimum timeframe for projects is 4 months, though most projects take 5 to 6 months to complete. Projects that take longer than 6 months due to delays from the client incur an extraordinary fee.

What is the time commitment required from our staff? 

On average, website clients can expect their staff to dedicate 10 labor hours each week in order to make adequate progress. The amount of time required from your staff members depends on how much they split up the work and how much support your organization has for creating content, writing copy, and accessing hosting and integration information from the other technologies you use. Significant, actionable progress on a project must be made within two weeks of a request from the Project Manager, or your project will be placed on hold.

NOTE: Nominations for the Civil Society Awards are now closed. However, the Manhattan Institute welcomes award nominations on a rolling basis. To tell us about an outstanding nonprofit leader—and their organization—who is contributing to a vibrant civil society in your community, please email: [email protected]

About

History has shown that free markets are the best way to organize economic activity. But the Manhattan Institute understands that in a healthy society, markets are complemented by charitable and philanthropic enterprises, which both help those in need and prepare people to realize their full potential. Since its founding, the United States has been characterized by a vibrant civil society in which nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations—with the help of volunteers and private philanthropy—work to address social challenges.

To support and reinvigorate this tradition, the Manhattan Institute established the Social Entrepreneurship Initiative in 2001, now known as the Tocqueville Project. Directed by MI Senior Fellow Howard Husock, it combines research, writing, events, and conversations with scholars, practitioners, government officials, and community leaders to make the case for the value and benefits of a strong civil society. The goal of the Civil Society Awards program is to find and recognize the best of America’s new generation of nonprofit leaders.

Tocqueville wrote that “Americans of all ages, all conditions and all dispositions, constantly form associations... religious, moral, serious, futile, enormous or diminutive.” This combination of association and philanthropy has given us everything from the Boy Scouts to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Just as we have private entrepreneurs, we also have social entrepreneurs, who address societal challenges and find private funds to do so. These individuals develop solutions to emerging needs and problems, while helping to keep our social fabric from fraying. It is their work that the Civil Society Awards highlight and encourage.

Manhattan Institute welcomes nominations for our Civil Society Awards on a rolling basis. To tell us about an outstanding individual—as well as their nonprofit organization—who is contributing to a vibrant civil society in your community, please visit our nomination page. 

Good Neighbor Citizenship Company Grants

We make it our business to be like a good neighbor, helping to build safer, stronger and smarter communities across the United States. Through our company grants, we focus on three areas: safety, education, and community development.

The State Farm Companies Foundation and State Farm value inclusiveness and diversity. Therefore, charitable funding is intended to advance access, equity, and inclusiveness while discouraging harmful discrimination based on age, political affiliation, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, or religious beliefs.

Nationally, we support communities through social investments and countrywide relationships. At a local level, our company grants focus on three areas: safety, education, and community development.

Safety Grants

State Farm values the importance of keeping our neighbors safe.

Our national and local funding is directed toward:

• Auto and roadway safety.
• Teen driver education.
• Home safety and fire prevention.
• Disaster preparedness.
• Disaster recovery.

Community Development

Strong neighborhoods are the foundation of a strong society. We're committed to maintaining the vibrancy of our communities by assisting nonprofits that support: affordable housing, first time homeowners, neighborhood revitalization, financial literacy, job training, and small business development. Through community outreach and community development grants and investments, State Farm gives back to the neighborhoods it serves and helps develop stronger neighborhoods by reinvesting in the community.

Our national and local funding is directed toward:

• Affordable housing.
• Job training.
• Neighborhood revitalization.
• Small business development.
• First time homeownership.

Education Grants

Our education funding is directed toward initiatives that support: 

• Academic performance improvement programs that impact K-12 students.
• Education initiatives that more directly support underserved individuals (13 years and older), helping them enroll in post-secondary education and obtain the skills and credentials they need to be successful in today’s workforce.
• Service-learning programs that provide students opportunities to connect and apply learning skills from classroom to address unmet needs that exist in their community.
• Teacher development programs.
• Financial literacy.

The FAWCO Foundation Development Grant

The FAWCO Foundation Development Grants financially assist projects which are passionately supported by FAWCO Member Clubs and FAUSA. The purpose of the program is to fund projects that can make an immediate impact and lead to success for the people they support. The assistance offered should be direct, with a goal of sustainability.

Through The Foundation, FAWCO Member Clubs and FAUSA have been aiding worthy and reputable charitable projects around the globe for over 45 years. Some clubs are working “hands-on” with their projects while others make financial contributions or donations of goods. FAWCO Member Clubs and FAUSA are passionate about supporting projects that improve the human condition throughout the world. The DGs provide the financial assistance that can help the recipients achieve their goals. 

The Development Grant categories are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the areas of Education, Environment, Health and Human Rights. 

The Foundation encourages FAWCO clubs to nominate grassroots organizations that receive little or no great sponsorship or support. Each FAWCO club may nominate two different projects each year.

Grant Categories

The grant categories are aligned with the UN Millennium Goals.

The FAWCO Foundation 2020 Development Grants will be offered in these categories:

Education

For projects promoting literacy, supporting academic studies, building or providing classrooms, libraries or general learning facilities for disadvantaged children or providing training designed to lead to economic and other types of empowerment for women and girls.

Due to the generosity in sponsorship, there are three awards available which will be given to the three projects receiving the most votes.

• AW Surrey Hope Through Education $5,000
• Educating Women & Girls Worldwide, sponsored in part by Renuka Matthews $5,000
• For programs specifically aimed at women and/or girls.
• Pam Dahlgren Educating Africa’s Children $5,000
• For programs specifically in the geographical area of Africa and will be awarded to the Africa-focused nominated project which receives the most votes.

Human Rights

For projects in a FAWCO Member Club’s host country or the world:

• providing vocational training, teaching practical skills, promoting social entrepreneurial initiatives for at-risk/marginalized population groups, 
• or addressing the critical problems of violence, food and shelter, healthcare, education, poverty, advocacy, human trafficking, prostitution, refugees, including all those impacted by economic, political or other forced migration,
• or promoting cultural understanding.

Due to the generosity in sponsorship, there are three awards available which will be given to the three projects receiving the most votes.

• Breaking the Cycle, sponsored in part by AW Eastern Province $5,000
• FAUSA Effecting Change for Women and Children at Risk $5,000 
• Safe Haven, sponsored in part by the family and friends of Louise Greeley-Copley $5,000
• For programs specifically supporting the Human Right to Safety and Shelter including:
• Refugee Programs  
• Protection for Women and Children Fleeing Violence
• Victims of Human Trafficking
• Shelters for Natural or Man-made Disasters

Environment

For projects promoting the responsible use of the environment to provide for the basic needs of a family or a community.

• Nurturing Our Planet - $5000

Global Issues - NEW for 2020! 

Close To Home $5,000                  

This Grant can be placed within any of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to which we align our Development Grants in the areas of Education, Environment, Health and Human Rights. In order to recognize FAWCO club’s local charities that are often overlooked on the world’s stage, the TFF is offering this Development Grant that is available for projects that take place in the nominating Club’s home country.

Health

For projects providing medical treatment, diagnostic services, preventive care or medical counseling. This can include, but is not limited to, cancer, HIV/AIDS, communicable, non-communicable and environmental diseases, substance abuse, life-improving surgeries, mental issues, the critically ill, the disabled, the aged, medical transport, special needs and maternal health for mothers and children.

Critical Health Concerns - $5000

NOTE:

Application forms must be requested each year online prior to submitting an application. When you submit an LOI, a member of the foundation staff will be contacting you within the next five business days regarding the status of your request.

Full applications are due at the "full proposal" deadline above. 

The Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to organizations committed to improving our world. Solutions to the problems of today's world still lie in the values of innovation, practicality, hard work, and compassion.

The Foundation considers applications for grants in the following areas:

• Education
• Social Service
• Health care
• Civic and cultural
• Environmental

The categories above are not intended to limit the interest of the Foundation from considering other worthwhile projects. In general the Foundation guidelines are broad to give it flexibility in providing grants.

Over the past decade, approximately 28% of our grants have been related to education, 28% to social services, 22% to hospitals and healthcare, 17% to civic and cultural with the remaining percentage spread out in the above categories. The majority of our grants are made in the U.S. However, like Dr. Scholl, we recognize the need for a global outlook.

There is no limit on grant amounts; however, on average, our grants range from $5,000 to $25,000.

NOTE: Due to the increasing number of grant proposals that we receive annually, the board has determined that there is a need to limit the number that we will consider for funding. Please keep in mind that even if an application has been provided to the foundation prior to the deadline, if we have already received the maximum number it will not be considered for funding.

Our Philosophy

The Bess Spiva Timmons Foundation, a family foundation, was established by Mrs. Timmons in 1967, to enable her children and grandchildren to carry on an already existing program of assistance in the areas of education, health, medical research, the arts, and programs with emphasis to benefit minority groups, social services, and ecology. Consideration is also given to experimental ventures in these designated areas. 

Grants generally range from one to five thousand dollars.