The William C. Bannerman Foundation cannot accept unsolicited applications at this time.
The Foundation’s principal areas of funding are the following:
Education (40%)
This category includes educational programs from Transitional Kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as adult education and job training. Programs that focus on core academic subjects are given preference. Typical kinds of support include in-school and after-school programs, Charter Schools, and literacy programs.
Environment, Wildlife Protection and General (40%)
Environmental grants are made for programs designed to sustain the environment and preserve important natural resources. These grants may be national or international, but the applicant must be either based in the U.S. or have a fiscal agent here. California and the Western United States locations are preferred.
Women and Children (20%)
Awards go to empowering women and children to live brighter futures. Previous grants have supported women experiencing homelessness, women’s reproductive rights, STEM education for girls, Foster Youth education, and survivors of domestic violence.
Eligibility and Limitations
The Foundation’s geographical funding area is limited to Los Angeles County with the noted exception of environmental grants. Grants outside the County are internally generated. National organizations may apply, but only if their program provides services within the Los Angeles area.
As a general rule, the Foundation will not grant funding to any organization for more than three consecutive years. Any organization that has received three years of continuous funding automatically enters a sunset stage and may not apply for new funding for at least 24 months after the date of the last payment, unless otherwise stated.
We do not make grants to the following:
Individuals or organizations without IRS 501 (c) 3 non-profit status.
Religious organizations for religious purposes.
Colleges or Universities.
Hospitals, Clinics, Mental health facilities.
Funding requests to sponsor events or cover expenses of events such as seminars, meetings, networking sessions, award ceremonies etc.
Grant funds may not be used to carry on propaganda, participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office, or to conduct, directly or indirectly, any voter registration drive within the meaning of Section 4945(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Response and Notification
If the proposal falls within the Foundation’s priorities and available resources, an invitation will be made to submit a full proposal for consideration under more specific guidelines. Such invitations are usually made within 45 days of receipt of letters of inquiry.
The information submitted in the full proposal will be reviewed and, if suitable, presented to the Board at their grantmaking meeting in March for their consideration. All approved grants will be funded prior to April 30th, which is the fiscal year end.
If an organization is invited to submit a complete proposal, it should not be inferred that the grant will be approved, as the Foundation receives many more qualified grant requests than it can fund.
Deadlines
The Foundation’s Trustees consider proposals in March of each year. The Deadline for submitting proposals for consideration at that meeting of the Board is October 31st. Letters of inquiry should be sent between May 30th and October 31st. Grant requests received after October 31st will be deferred to the next fiscal year.
Prospective Partners
We are interested in collaborating with new partners who provide fresh approaches to solving issues within our community. If you would like to share more information about your work, please enter your information through this form, and we will respond if we believe there is strong alignment.