Who We Are

Our Grantmaking

One of the most unique things about the Foundation is the fact that the members of the Board of Trustees themselves seek out and develop funding opportunities rather than relying on grant request submissions.  The Trustees are able to recommend two types of grants each year. The first is a “Trustee Grant” of up to $30,000 for a program typically in the region of the country where they live. The second is a “Special Grant” that may be as large as $100,000. While the smaller Trustee Grants in some ways can be considered venture capital that allow an organization to try something new, the larger Special Grants are typically given to more mature programs with real growth potential. 

The Foundation continues to explore new and innovative ways of achieving our mission. Our "Impact Grant" program is reserved for special circumstances where our Board of Trustees sees the potential for profound change. These grants are advanced by the full board and may exceed $100,000. Grant criteria, outcomes and expectations are more comprehensive with Impact Grants, as these programs launched and supported with Foundation funds are expected to significantly move the needle within the community served.