Grants Management

The purpose of the Charless Foundation is “to provide support to other charitable organizations providing services and assistance to promote the health, welfare, and wellness of Missouri Senior Citizens, with an emphasis, where possible, in the South St. Louis City neighborhoods.” Given its history as a residential facility, the Charless Foundation Board is interested in supporting under-resourced older adults in residential facilities and in a range of other senior programming.

Applying for a Grant

The Charless Foundation is not accepting proposals at this time.

The Episcopal Presbyterian Health Trust (EPHT) is dedicated to providing access to health care for underserved communities. EPHT’s mission grew out of a commitment to a healthcare ministry and is stewarded by volunteer leadership from both the Episcopal and Presbyterian faiths.

EPHT is committed to centering access to health care by addressing barriers, navigating systems of care, and supporting person-centric medical services. Funding supports primary care, chronic disease, and mental health services across the spectrum of care.

Learn more about EPHT’s funding priorities and process for awarding grants at www.epht.org. Please always consult the EPHT website for information, updates, and current deadlines. You can reach the St. Louis Community Foundation team at grants@stlgives.org with any questions.

Applying for a Grant

EPHT is not accepting applications at this time.

The purpose of the Gateway Regional Environment Fund (“GREF”) is to support projects in the St. Louis metro area that advance community efforts to reduce the region’s carbon footprint.  Greenhouse gases are global and, though their effects may not be felt directly, greenhouse gases do and will continue to negatively impact the St. Louis region. The GREF is a component fund of the St. Louis Community Foundation.

Applying for a Grant

The Gateway Regional Environment Fund is not accepting applications at this time.

Recognizing that education and economic development foster individual and community growth, the Guy B. Jaffe and Judy Schwartz Jaffe Charitable Foundation supports nonprofits that offer scholarships, cultivate the cultural arts, and promote entrepreneurship and job creation.

The Guy B. Jaffe and Judy Schwartz Jaffe Charitable Foundation is a component fund of the St. Louis Community Foundation that provides funding through three different programs:

1. Annual grants in the three priority areas of entrepreneurship, job creation, and cultural arts. These grants are the focus of this request for proposals and are described below.
2. One annual IMPACT grant to a St. Louis-based Jewish organization that provides innovative programming to their community. Information on these grants may be found on the St. Louis Community Foundation’s website.
3. Scholarship funding for students studying entrepreneurship.

Applying for a Grant

The Guy B. Jaffe and Judy Schwartz Jaffe Charitable Foundation is not accepting applications at this time. Please check back for updates.

The Pettus Foundation is the philanthropic legacy of Mr. James T. Pettus of International Shoe Company and his son, James T. Pettus, Jr.  Core to the Pettus Foundation’s giving is Mr. Pettus’s desire “to enable people who might not have opportunities to have opportunities,” thus the Pettus Foundation prioritizes programs which create self-reliance, independence, and citizen productivity.

The St. Louis Community Foundation has the honor and privilege of working with the Trustees of the Pettus Foundation to continue to ensure that the philanthropic wishes of Mr. Pettus live on in the St. Louis Region.

The Foundation’s giving occurs in three ways:

• Through a competitive grant process in St. Louis, where Mr. Pettus, Jr. was born and went to school
• To pre-selected organizations in Hawaii, where Mr. Pettus Jr. lived in his later years
• Each of the seven children of James T. Pettus Jr. (family advisors) has an allocated amount to give to charities of their choice

The Trustees for the Pettus Foundation are:

• Lisa Hamilton, Family Trustee
• Al Castle, Trustee
• The Northern Trust Company, Corporate Trustee

St. Louis Guidelines and Processes

In St. Louis, the Pettus Foundation provides funding to nonprofit organizations working in the following areas:

• Workforce Development
  • Direct job, technical, and career training
  • Soft skills necessary for success

• Youth Development
  • Preparation for the work force including soft skills
  • Preparation for life after high school including higher education, technical school, military, or apprenticeship programs
• Education
  • Early childhood education
  • K – 12 public schools with a focus on the middle school years
  • Note: public charter schools are not a focus of the Foundation

Please note the following:

• Understanding how significant a robust early education platform is for putting children on an excellent educational and social trajectory, the Trustees are interested in programs that impact many preschools through teacher training and innovative curriculum design.
• The Trustees believe that there are many paths to job and career success. Funding interests include human services organizations and K-12 schools that are providing direct job training, STEM-related projects, technical training, or “soft skills” development needed to obtain and hold a job.
• The Trustees require evidence of stable, effective governance, solid financials, and multiple funders for programs and projects the Foundation supports.
• The Pettus Foundation typically funds direct services and small capital improvement. The Foundation does not fund advocacy, research programs, or systems-level initiatives.
• The Pettus Foundation does not consider grant applications requesting funds for computer technology.
• The Pettus Foundation’s typical grant range is from $5,000 to $25,000.  The trustees particularly favor applications that demonstrate multiple funding partners and match or challenge grant opportunities.  The trustees seek to leverage the Foundation’s assets to strengthen Saint Louis non-profits working toward the Foundation’s goals.

Pettus Foundation will accept applications on an invitation-only basis twice a year.  Inquiries into funding may be made through the St. Louis Community Foundation.  If deemed a potential fit for funding, the St. Louis Community Foundation will request a letter of intent which, upon review may lead to a Trustee site visit.  The final step in the application process is to submit a customized version of the Missouri Common Grant Application 2.0.

Hawaii Guidelines and Process

In the past decade, Hawaii grants have tended to favor: early childhood education, literacy, job training, homelessness, hunger, and programs increasing the independence and the self-sufficiency of citizens. Hawaii gives to pre-selected organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for grants.

Click here to review a listing of recent Hawaii grants. Questions related to Hawaii grants can be referred to:

Alfred L. Castle
Pettus Foundation Trustee
733 Bishop Street, Suite 1275
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone 808-522-1101.

Applying for a Grant

Organizations interested in pursuing funding from the Pettus Foundation should contact grants@stlgives.org.

At the Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund (SOS), we pool our resources, invest as a group, and award grants to smaller St. Louis-area nonprofits. By investing collectively, we achieve greater impact.

We are a diverse group of women from nearly every corner of the St. Louis region. Since our founding in 2006, SOS has been a quiet but mighty force for change, delivering over $3.4 million in focused and informed grants to more than 106 small nonprofits throughout the community.

Applying for a Grant

SOS operates on a 2 year grant cycle. The next opportunity to submit an LOI is May 2026. For additional information on the Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, visit their website.

For the past several years, the Berges Family Foundation has maintained a formal partnership with the St. Louis Community Foundation. As of December 31, 2023, this formal partnership will come to a close. For information about the Berges Family Foundation, please go to their website or contact Kelly Pollock, CEO, at kelly@bergesfamilyfoundation.org or 314-735-0085.

We have greatly appreciated and enjoyed our partnership with the Berges Family Foundation and look forward to remaining trusted collaborators in our community building work!

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