Alphawood Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Alphawood Foundation is a Chicago-based funder supports advocacy, archeology education, arts education, arts and culture and LGBTQ causes in the Chicago area and beyond.
IP TAKE: This funder typically provides unrestricted grants to support general operating costs and tends to give to small- to medium-sized progressive organizations. With the exception of its archeology funding, grantmaking strongly prioritizes the Chicago area. Alphawood does not articulate specific funding strategies on its website, but reviewing its past grantees can give grantseekers a clear idea about whether or not their goals align with those of the foundation. While Alphawood doesn’t accept unsolicited applications, it is an approachable organization and accepts inquiries via an online portal. This is an excellent regional funder to know.
PROFILE: The Alphawood Foundation was established in 1991 by Fred Eychaner, chairman of Newsweb Corporation, which owns a range of alternative and minority-interest newspapers, radio stations and television channels across the United States. This Chicago funder awards grants to organizations “working for an equitable, just, and humane society.” Its grantmaking addresses a wide range of issues, including advocacy, architecture, arts, arts education, HIV/AIDS, and the rights of LGBTQ citizens.
Grants for Democracy and Civic Engagement
Alphawood’s grantmaking for democracy and civic engagement stems mainly from its Advocacy program, which supports organizations whose “primary mission promotes society change, and whose advocacy activities advance responsive and accountable policies and institutions.” This funding area supports groups working for a wide variety of causes, including LGBTQ advocacy, homelessness, environmental conservation, criminal justice reform, child abuse, youth development and worker’s rights. Past grantees include Back on My Feet Chicago, Enrich Chicago and the Near South Planning Board, which is also based in Chicago.
Grants for Higher Education
Alphawood higher education grants focus specifically on archeology programs at colleges and universities that engage in research on “Mayan-based projects in Belize and Guatemala.” Unlike its other areas of giving, the foundation’s archeology program is national in scope. Recent grants have gone to programs at Brandeis Universityh, Pomona College, Texas Tech University, Vanderbilt University and Washington University St. Louis, among others.
Grants for Arts and Culture
Alphawood funds Arts Education arts and culture through its Arts and Architecture and Preservation grantmaking programs. Grants for the arts stay mainly in the Chicago area and fund “organizations that operate with a clear mission and demonstrate both artistic and managerial effectiveness.” Recent grantees span the performing and visual arts and include About Face Theater, Asian Improv Arts Midwest, the Chicago Artists’ Coalition, DanceWorks Chicago, the Jazz Institute of Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art the Strawdog Theatre Company, among others. The foundation’s architecture and preservation funding program also prioritizes the Chicago area and gives to “organizations whose primary mission honors, promotes and sustains the built environment.” Recent grantees include the Chicago Architecture Biennial, Landmarks Illinois, the Glessner House Museum and Preservation Chicago. Outside of Chicago, the foundation has given to New York’s Four Freedoms Park Conservancy and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Grants for Arts Education
Alphawood Arts Education giving supports organizations and projects that provide children with the opportunity to explore and learn about the visual and performing arts. Grantees include the Chicago West Community Music Center, eta Creative Arts Foundation, Forward Momentum Chicago, Literature for All of Us and Storycatchers Theatre.
Grants for LGBTQ Causes and Public Health
Alphawood has demonstrated a strong committment to the LGBTQ communities of Chicago and to HIV prevention through grantmaking stemming from its HIV/AIDS and General Interest grantmaking areas. HIV/AIDS grants have supported Chicago organizations including the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, the Test Positive Aware Network and Visual AIDS for the Arts. The General Interest program, meanwhile has made grants to Funders for LGBTQ Issues and Friends of the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
Important Grant Details:
The Alphawood Foundation made over $6 million in grants in a recent year. Grants generally ranged from $10,000 to $500,000, with an average grant size of about $35,000. Well over half of this funders grantmaking stays in the Chicago area, but national organizations and organizations operating in other parts of the country are funded on occassion. For additional informaiton about past grantmaking see the foundation’s recent tax filings.
The Alphawood Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests for funding, but grantseekers may subit inquiries after reviewing the foundation’s giving priorities for each of its grantmaking areas.
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