Grants for Nonprofit Human Services

NOTE: There is no deadline for applications, although proposals to be considered for the following year’s Foundation budget must be received by the deadline above. 

Background

Established in 1955, the A. O. Smith Foundation has been supported by donations from the profits of A. O. Smith Corporation. The Foundation has provided over $40 million in financial support for worthwhile community organizations, institutions and programs. 

In 1985, the Foundation established a Matching Gift Program to encourage employees of the corporation to financially support education. The Foundation believes education to be one of the most important investments individuals can make in the future. Under the terms of the program, the Foundation matches dollar for dollar, up to a maximum of $3,000 per year, all employee contributions to qualified colleges, universities and high schools. 

The Foundation also supports a worldwide Scholarship Program to assist employees’ children who plan to continue education in college or vocational-technical school. Renewable scholarships are offered each year for full-time study at an accredited institution of the student’s choice.

Our Mission

The A. O. Smith Foundation is committed to making our communities a better place to live and work. We achieve this by partnering with and supporting education, arts and culture, health, and human services in the communities in which we operate. At the same time, the Foundation encourages A. O. Smith employees around the world to live the Company’s values through volunteerism and community involvement.

Charitable Contributions

Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts specifically focus on programs supporting children, education, and health and human services in the communities where we do business. Throughout the year we receive a large number of requests from nonprofit organizations striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes. While we would like to respond favorably to all requests, understandably, the needs are far greater than our allocated resources and we are unable to accommodate them all.

Warehouse Donations:

Warehouse donations are handled at the warehouse level - please consult your local warehouse for up-to-date information regarding their donations contacts and review process.

Grant Applications

If the request is under consideration, you may be contacted by staff for any additional information needed. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, and decisions are made based on several factors, including: type of program; identified community need not otherwise available; indication that evidenced based data will establish measurable results of intended outcomes; community collaboration; broad base of financial support; project budget and operating expenses.

Note: Applications to the Creag Foundation are by invitation only. If you believe that your organization fits our funding criteria, you are welcome to submit a letter of inquiry. 

What We Do

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

We provide grants to 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organizations with innovative approaches to addressing current social problems.

Who We Are

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are just starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

Global Impact Cash Grants

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

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

Social Investment Areas

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

Education Investments

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

What we look for:

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

Note: Cisco does not provide direct funding to schools.

Economic Empowerment

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

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

We target our support in three interconnected areas:

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

Cisco Crisis Response

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

What we look for:

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

NOTE: Northrop Grumman does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. If your requests meets the criteria outlined and you wish to discuss the possibility of funding for a grant in one of our communities, please contact a member of our Corporate Citizenship Team. An invitation letter is required in order to submit a request for funding. 

Northrop Grumman seeks to support and strengthen the communities where our employees work and live. In addition to in-kind and volunteer resources, Northrop Grumman grants help make the lives of the people in our communities better, safer, successful and more resilient. Our Charitable Contributions program provides funding to state / government – accredited schools and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations which provide programming or services addressing STEM education, particularly engineering and technology programs, veterans and the military, health and human services, and the environment. In addition, grant requests are reviewed to ensure they are in line with community goals and our strategic priorities which include education, employee engagement and strengthening the community.

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted.