10 Foundations that Give Grants to Nonprofit Organizations

You can be rest assured that among these 10 foundations that give grants to nonprofit organizations you are bound to find suitable resources.

Even though in today’s world the differences between the rich and the poor are very much pronounced, there is still some good in the world. Due to the global ease when it comes to obtaining information, sometimes we are persuaded to believe there is too much evil in the world and that people don’t care about one another. The news are filled with horrific headlines telling us about disasters, murders, wars, scams, and all other wrongdoings of the human race. However, we feel hopeful our list of foundations will persuade you people still care about each other and that generosity is not a myth. We will be discussing organizations that provide funds for nonprofits, but some of them are foundations that give grants to individuals, too.

Also, now would be a good time to mention that some of the foundations require for a nonprofit to have a 501(c)(3) status in the US. That would mean the organization is tax-free and charitable. If you are just starting one, consult with Foundation Group to check if you have what it takes to be tax-exempt by the IRS.

If you belong to or run a nonprofit organization, you already know how hard it can be to collect enough funds. PrattLibrary gives excellent advice, especially if you are based in the US. Also, Love to Know gives extensive tips on how to apply for a grant. To put it in a nutshell, you can do research at Foundation Centre and find the most suitable there, plus get emails about new sponsors. But why are you reading this article then? Well, because you should pay a fee to access their data. When asking for a grant, it is essential to present your budget, i.e. the money you are asking for, in a detailed and clear way. All foundations have a careful process of choosing the most worthy nonprofits, and you must make sure your expenses are absolutely inevitable and perfectly justified. In addition, you must keep your proposal within the word limit stated, and respect deadlines. For this reason, some nonprofits hire grant writing consultants. Should you have some qualms about writing to corporate foundations as an organization (a charitable foundation which is made to distribute part of the company’s profit to non-profit organizations), feel free to explore our article about 10 Biggest Philanthropists Who Give to Individuals. Perhaps they can be of some help to reach your goals.

Now that we have briefly introduced you to the grant funding process, we are going to explain how we selected the foundations. We searched for the most notable corporate foundations at Love to Know, Inside Philanthropy, NonProfitExpert for international foundations, and Fortune to see which ones are renowned for being the most generous in the world, along with Foundation Directory Online for even more suggestions. This article isn’t based on a specific criterion such as the one mentioned, i.e. the highest amounts given or grant money available for non-profit organizations, or the most popular ones, but the selection process wasn’t completely random either. We tried to present you with foundations giving international grants for nonprofits, which means that they cover all the continents and they can help you wherever you are. Secondly, we enlisted some organizations that cater to the needs of less popular nonprofits, such as rural ones. Admit it, most nonprofitable organizations you have heard of are dedicated to poverty, diseases or human rights. As usual, we strive on originality when offering you our lists. The majority are corporate foundations, with the exception of one private foundation giving grants for nonprofits. They are listed in no particular order, i.e. the last one isn’t less important than the first. It’s up to you to decide which one is the most suitable for your situation.

Feel free to find your favorite among these 10 foundations that give grants to nonprofit organizations and write to them as soon as possible.

10. PepsiCo Foundation

There is no need to present this brand. It is wondrous how much a bottle or a can of Pepsi is available anywhere in the world. Apart from globally affecting people’s thirst satisfaction, PepsiCo has a keen interest in healthy lifestyles, affordable nutrition, access to clean water, sustainable agriculture, job readiness, and empowering women and girls. Even though PepsiCo corporate foundation has given around $900 million in cash and resources since 2005, it must be noted that this sponsor normally approves grants to big organizations. Nevertheless, you can still give it a go. No matter how big or small an organization is, you always write and make proposals to the same address.

9. Aga Khan Foundation

We are continuing our list of  foundations that give grants to nonprofit organizations with the Aga Khan Foundation, one serious foundation. They define themselves a non-denominational charity, which means they do not care about the religion of the people they are helping. The work is primarily concerned with regions in Asia and East Africa. Created in 1967, it has influenced a great deal of individuals and organizations. What is more, its range of projects is huge: from building schools and water towers,to  providing healthcare for millions. We feel positive you can find your sponsor in them.

8.Walmart Foundation

Anyone living in the states has purchased something in their supermarket, but did you know they are on the list of the 20 most generous companies?  Walmart donates $301 million in 2015. Around $100 million went to improve the economic mobility of workers, and almost $11 million went to nonprofit workforce organizations. Sounds interesting?

7. Gilead Sciences

Despite experiencing some hiccups in 2016, the company among the other foundations that give grants to nonprofit organizations is still going strong and reaching its highest position in the Forbes list. Gilead is a pharmaceutical company mostly focused on Hepatitis C market at the moment. If your nonprofit deals with helping the ill, it would be interesting to know that most of their 2015 cash grants went to organizations concerned with HIV/AIDS and liver disease. For example, a nonprofit Liver Foundation in India received a $2 million grant.What is especially impressive is the fact that they were the biggest contributors in 2015 – the donations hit the roof with $446.7 million.

6. Ford Foundation

Ford Foundation emphasizes they primarily strive to invest in individual leadership, strong institutions, and innovative ideas because they believe these are the foundations of everything they do. Inspiring as it may be, we are going to be more down to earth and mention their involvement in funding rural nonprofits. Regarding funds and grants, countryside nonprofits usually face more challenges than the ones in urban areas. Being geographically limited to financial sources is tough, and not being situated in a densely populated area is also the fact that repels potential investors.

5. European Foundation Centre

The European Foundation Centre (EFC) was established in 1989 by seven foundations and has been doing a pretty good job ever since. It is a huge organization with over 160 independent funders and is currently helping about 7,000 organizations in thirty-five European countries. In year 2012/13 their grants reached $2.5 billion in total. Bear that in mind if you are based in Europe. These figures seem pretty promising and that’s why this foundation is on the list of  foundations that give grants to nonprofit organizations.

4. The Commonwealth Foundation

As we have promised, in this article about foundations that give grants to nonprofit organizations, we are going to cover the whole world. If you had an A in History, you do realize there are 52 countries on all continents that belong here. The Commonwealth Foundation endorses non-governmental organizations, professional associations and cultural activities.  At this very moment they are finished with grant giving, but in December 2017 they will be open for receiving new grant proposals, so you better get ready on time.

3. The Asia Foundation

At number three on our list of foundations that give grants to nonprofit organizations we the one whose name clearly states which area they are giving support to. The good news is they only support organizations, not individuals, so all its cash is meant to help you. This also is a nonprofit organization (only a huge one, for that matter), so they should understand the struggle you face when collecting funds. The Asia Foundation has existed over 60 years and it gives special attention to four areas: Governance and Law, Women’s Political Participation, Economic Reform and Development, and Regional Relations. If your program fits into one of those categories, go for it and write a proposal.

2. UN Women

United Nations Development Fund for Women, or as it is nowadays called UN Women, gives grants to organizations and initiatives all over the world which help women establish their rightful position in society. When it comes to grants,they are very generous and have huge funds you could enjoy if you take a look at their grants management system. There are basically two funds you can apply for: fund for gender equality and a fund for ending violence against women. All nonprofits who are seeking grants for similar causes could apply, because this seems to be a goldmine. Such world-renowned organization has plenty of resources, so all you need to do is write a careful and detailed proposal.

1.Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Let us finish our list of 10 foundations that give grants to nonprofit organizations with the most famous one. So far we may have surprised you with our choices, but we saved the most popular and well-known for last. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a private foundation which encourages  education, health, global development and global health with its finances. Don’t bother applying if your organization has anything to do with promoting religion, a political party, or you wish to address health problems in developed countries. They only provide resources to organizations, not individuals. Also, the majority of the money goes to US based nonprofits that are tax-exempt.