Honda USA Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Honda USA Foundation funds K-12 education, environmental initiatives in the 15 states where it maintains a corporate presence. It also gives to institutions of higher education.
IP TAKE: This is a surprising accessible corporate funder, although grantmaking is limited by specific interests and geographic priorities. Educational programs that targets special populations and disabled students will likely gain the foundation’s attention, as will initiatives for safety and environmental education. Honda provides detailed guidelines and submission instructions for applicants and review applications quarterly. If your organization is located near one of Honda’s several operational centers, consider this a significant opportunity.
PROFILE: The Honda USA Foundation, also known as the American Honda Foundation, is the philanthropic arm of the American Honda Motor Co., Inc. The foundation seeks support “society in the areas of education, mobility, the environment, and traffic safety by strategically collaborating with like-minded organizations to drive sustainable change in marginalized communities throughout the nation where Honda operations are located.” The foundation currently makes grants through its mobility, traffic safety and environmental grantmaking programs and supports institutions of higher education.
Grants for K-12 Education and Public Health
Honda’s Mobility Awards support interventions and therapies for “youth with with disabilities and/or critical illnesses,” prioritizing programs for youth with limited mobility. Past grantees include Los Angeles’s Children Youth and Family Collaborative and the National 4-H Council. The foundation’s Traffic Safety Awards, meanwhile, support safety and traffic education programs for children up to age 16. According to its recent tax filings, the foundation has also supported many general education initiatives including California’s Larchmont Charter School, the Children First Fund of Chicago, Kid Smart of Louisiana and the Long Beach Math Collaborative.
Grants for Environmental Conservation and Marine Conservation
The Honda USA Foundation’s Environment Awards invest in “programs that educate youth and communities on how to build a sustainable future through environmental education and conservation initiatives, with an emphasis on water, air and land.” Past grantees include the mobile science education program BioBus, New York City’s Green City Force, and California’s AltaSea, an eco-friendly business and complex at the Port of Los Angeles.
Grants for Higher Education
The Honda USA Foundation does not name higher education as an area of grantmaking interest, but tax filings suggest significant giving in this area. In recent years, the foundation has supported Auburn University, the University of California, the United Negro College Fund, North Carolina State University and Xavier University of Louisiana.
Important Grant Details:
Grants generally range from $10,000 to $100,000 with an average grant size of about $50,000. This funder does not make multi-year grants and limits its grantmaking to the areas of the U.S. where it maintains operations. For additional information about Honda’s grantmaking, see its recent tax filings.
Applications for an American Honda Foundation grant are submitted via an online application portal. Applications are reviewed quarterly with deadlines falling on the first of February, May and August. Interested organizations can start the process by verifying their eligibility for funding via an online quiz.
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