Funding for Impact
The St. Louis Community Foundation provides grants management and administrative support for private and family foundations. We assist foundation trustees with their grantmaking decisions in an effort to help them fund creative and sustainable programs.
We provide assistance to nonprofits in navigating the diverse funding structures of our clients and provide the foundations with information about the nonprofit landscape as a whole, as well as their particular area of interest.
Each foundation has its own set of funding criteria and submission deadlines. In order to be considered for a grant, we recommend that nonprofit organizations reach out to the St. Louis Community Foundation staff to learn more about each funder’s priorities.
Apply for a Grant
- Berges Family Foundation
The Berges Family Foundation supports the institutions and organizations that make Saint Louis a great place to live, work, and invest. Our contributions help fund cultural engagement, STEM preparedness, youth empowerment, and support for our heroes and first responders.
The Berges Family Foundation chooses our beneficiaries carefully. We support those who have proven results, demonstrate measurable impact, show organizational excellence, demonstrate sustainability, collaborate with others, and ignite real and lasting change.
Organizations that align with our goals – to give St. Louis a positive foot forward and instill hope in the lives of those who may not have that hope – are those we aim to partner with while encouraging others to share in their missions.
Learn More - Bridgeton Landfill Community Project Fund
The Fund’s Scope and Restrictions
- The terms of the settlement require that the Bridgeton Fund be used for community betterment in the areas of public health, public safety, and the environment for communities impacted by the subsurface smoldering event.
- Priority will be given to programs and projects within a four-mile radius from the Landfill.
- Grants may be made to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations only.
- The St. Louis Community Foundation will award all funds within four years.
The settlement also specified some restrictions on the Fund. Specifically, the funds may NOT be used for the following:
- Payments to individuals
- Acquisition of any property
- Support of any type of legal proceeding
- Reimbursement or payment for any past expenses, damages, or losses incurred by any person
- Any project or initiative created or funded by the State of Missouri except that distributions to fund any environmental cleanup project explicitly authorized by Missouri law are permitted
Funding Initiatives
Funding initiatives fall into four areas:
- Physical Health
- Behavioral and Mental Health
- Public Safety
- Community Greening and Healthy Living
Applying for a Grant
The Bridgeton Landfill Fund is not accepting applications at this time. Please check back for updates.
- The Charless Foundation
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.”
The Charless Foundation is seeking nonprofit partners who work with economically underserved seniors in the St. Louis region, with priority given to those in South St. Louis City and County. Broadly, the goal of these grants is to promote the health, welfare, and wellness of older adults. More specifically, the Charless Foundation is interested in organizations and initiatives that
- Support the needs of older adults in residential facilities,
- Increase the ability for older adults to age in place,
- Provide health and safety resources for older adults, and/or
- Provide social support to older adults.
The Charless Foundation is open to proposals for program, project or initiative funding, general operating support, capacity building, or capital and endowment campaigns.
Grants may range from $5,000 to $30,000 per year for up to three years though eligibility for second and third year funding will be based on an annual evaluation and report. Program expansion proposals must address sustainability after this funding is completed. The directors particularly favor applications that demonstrate multiple funding partners as they seek to leverage the Foundation’s assets to strengthen nonprofits working toward the Foundation’s goals.
The application will be open in Fall 2021.
For questions about the Charless Foundation please contact:
Nikki Martinez, Community Investment Manager, 314.880.4961, nmartinez@stlgives.org
Elizabeth George, Director of Community Investment, 314.880.4956, egeorge@stlgives.org - Episcopal Presbyterian Health Trust
EPHT, formally the Episcopal Presbyterian Charitable Health and Medical Trust, is dedicated to providing access to health care for under-served populations. Our mission grew out of a commitment to a healthcare ministry in our community and is stewarded by volunteer leadership from both the Episcopal and Presbyterian faiths.
The mission of EPHT is to support organizations that provide quality healthcare services to St. Louisans. We seek to create partnerships with effective, community-based organizations that work to improve the lives of others through access healthcare.
Grant Deadlines:
- January 22, 2021 – 1st Quarter
- April 16, 2021 – 2nd Quarter
- July 19, 2021 – 3rd Quarter
- Pettus Foundation
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 PROCESS
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.
Organizations interested in pursuing funding from the Pettus Foundation should contact Elizabeth George, Director of Community Investment at egeorge@stlgives.org or 314.880.4956 or Nikki Martinez, Community Investment Manager 314.880.4961, nmartinez@stlgives.org
Hawaii Guidelines and Process
In the past decade, Hawaii grants have tended to favor
- Early childhood education
- Literacy
- Job training
- Homelessness
- Hunger
- 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. - The Chiron Fund
The Chiron Fund will fund promising projects of nonprofit organizations with a strong track record of facilitating positive change for individuals living in economically challenging circumstances. Chiron is a Greek symbol that represents the “wounded healer.” With this grounding in healing, the Chiron Fund focuses on fostering empathetic understanding of the circumstances of those whose lives are touched by this work.
This first round of funding is designed to significantly impact access to high-quality, affordable, mental health care (ex: counseling, psychiatry, adjunctive therapeutic interventions) for individuals living in economically challenging circumstances in Saint Louis City and Saint Louis County. The Chiron Fund’s goal is to support organizations that reach people who are unlikely to access mental health services directly from typical mental health providers. These organizations will work in collaboration with mental health providers to develop programming – their own or contracted with that traditional provider – that serves the mental health needs of the communities in which they work. Chiron Fund will provide up to five years of funding for community-based organizations to forge partnerships that will grow their capacity to provide high quality mental health services.
Examples of projects include:
- A training program on a mental health intervention for staff of a community-based organization followed by implementation funding
- A pilot program partnering a community-based organization with licensed providers that offer easily accessible mental health services
- A planning grant to determine how a community-based organization can provide mental wellness programming for their community
- Other opportunities for bringing mental health care to traditionally underserved populations
Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate a strong organizational commitment to and effective implementation of principles of non-discrimination, anti-racism and equity, and effective inclusion.
In the future, Chiron Fund will also provide funding for basic needs and education and training opportunities for children, youth, and young adults.
GRANT SIZE
Grants may range from $5,000 to $30,000 per year for up to five years. Eligibility for second through fifth year funding will be based on successful implementation of project goals as documented by an annual evaluation and report, as well as timely completion of an acceptable funding renewal application.
ELIGIBILITY
- Organization is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
- Organization serves residents of St. Louis City and/or St. Louis County
- Organization and project serve individuals in economically challenging circumstances
- Project will provide access to quality mental health care
Other selection factors include sustainability after funding is completed and effective collaborative partnership between a community-based organization and at least one other organization.
EXCLUSIONS
The Chiron Fund does not provide funding to be expended on the following interests/entities:
- Individuals
- Organizations or projects designed to evangelize or proselytize
- Political action groups, lobbying activities, or projects designed to directly influence political outcomes
- Employee salaries
- Vehicles
- Debt reduction
- Endowments
- Publications
- Fundraising events
Proposals that are not aligned with the Chiron Fund’s statement on inclusive practices, outlined above, will not be considered.
PROPOSAL DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 3:00 PM CENTRAL TIME FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2020.
Please access the full application packet here for more information including the grant cycle timeline and reporting requirements.
You will also need to complete an Organization Demographic Information chart which can be found here. Once completed, you will upload it onto your grant application.
- Guy B. Jaffe and Judy Schwartz Jaffe Charitable Foundation
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 (Foundation) is a component fund of the St. Louis Community Foundation, offering financial support to organizations providing services within the impact areas of entrepreneurship and economic development, and the cultural arts. Within entrepreneurship and economic development, the Foundation is particularly interested in programs that create jobs or provide work experience that leads to permanent employment. Cultural arts programming focuses on enhancing the quality of people’s lives through enjoyment, intellectual stimulation, and opportunities for public involvement.
The Foundation also provides a scholarship for high school seniors/recent graduates who plan on continuing their education past high school, whether at two-year institution, 4-year institution, or vocational-technical school. Information on the scholarship may be found through St. Louis Scholarship Central.
The Guy B Jaffe and Judy Schwartz Jaffe Charitable Foundation is seeking partners demonstrating commitment to providing programs and/or services to individuals living in economically challenging circumstances. Projects accepted for funding will be designed to significantly impact one of the following priority areas:
- Impact Area 1: Entrepreneurship
- Impact Area 2: Job Creation
- Impact Area 3: Cultural arts
Organizations interested in pursuing funding from the Guy B. Jaffe and Judy Schwartz Jaffe Charitable Foundation should contact Elizabeth George, Director of Community Investment at egeorge@stlgives.org or 314.880.4956 or Nikki Martinez, Community Investment Manager 314.880.4961, nmartinez@stlgives.org
Interested in Applying for a Grant?
If you think your organization is a great mission-fit for one of our Foundation clients or if you would like to apply for a grant, we can help you get started.
