Argosy Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Argosy Foundation supports arts, culture and humanities, education, the environment, health, human services, international and foreign affairs, and public and society benefits.
IP TAKE: The Argosy Foundation works in the U.S. and abroad in several overlapping areas of interest. It takes an active interest in research, the dissemination of knowledge and advocacy. This funder does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding. In addition to reaching out via their contact page, grantseekers may opt to network with the foundation via one of its affiliate organizations.
PROFILE: A co-founder of Boston Scientific, John Abele established the Argosy Foundation in 1997 to support “a world where all people are empowered and inspired to make a positive impact on their communities and our world.” It is based in Milwaukee. Recent areas of grantmaking include arts, culture and humanities; education; the environment; health; human services; international and foreign affairs and community development. Through its funded projects, Argosy aims to develop and share knowledge and best practices in the form of reports and briefs, which it posts on the bookshelf section of its website.
Grants for the Arts, Arts Education and the Humanities
Argosy’s arts, culture and humanities funding supports and develops projects aimed at broad audiences. Many of the program’s grantees have operated in the Milwaukee area. One past grantee, Milwaukee Film, used funding to support its international film festival, which has an audience of over 36,000. Another grantee, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, created cross-cultural broadcast and social events that aim to “build bridges across race, age, gender, culture, abilities and sexual orientation.” In 2019, the Milwaukee Ballet received a $500,000 grant from Argosy to build its new headquarters. As well, the foundation invests in art education programs that “cultivate the next generation of artists and art appreciators.”
Grants for Education
The foundation’s education program works at all age and grade levels to fund scholarships, innovative programming and staff development. It also supports individual schools and institutions with funding for capacity building and infrastructure.
Grants for K-12
At the K-12 level, Argosy has funded Beyond Benign, a “green” chemistry program with classroom and teacher development learning modules, and Schools That Can Milwaukee, which brings collaborative remediation and intervention programs to low performing urban schools.
Grants for Higher Education
In higher education, the foundation has supported programs "within schools and higher education institutions, themselves, as well as independent, 501 (c)3 organizations that advocate for education improvement locally and nationally." Past higher education grantees include the Center for Community Engagement at Amherst College, Berea College, and Nursing Students for Choice, which advocates for “comprehensive reproductive health education and abortion care training” for all nursing curricula in the U.S.
Grants for Environmental and Freshwater Conservation
Agosy’s environmental grantmaking supports “research, advocacy and action” toward sustainability and conservation. Working nationally and locally, this initiative’s central theme is the dissemination of knowledge about “environmental resources, the threats to them and steps that can be taken to save them.” Argosy also invests in programs that help public and private organizations implement sustainable new technologies and best practices. A past environmental conservation grantee is Living Lands and the Conservation Law Foundation. Past freshwater conservation grantees include Milwaukee’s River Revitalization Foundation, which supports the “conservation of natural areas and creation of public access to those natural areas,” as well as Waters Restoration. Argosy has also made grants for agriculture to organizations like Shelburne Farms, a Vermont organization which operates sustainable agriculture, educational partnerships and manufacturing projects with the aim of cultivating “a conservation ethic for a sustainable future;” however, this area of funding is minimal in contrast to the foundation’s other environment-related grantmaking.
Grants for Public Health
Operating in the U.S. and abroad, the Argosy Foundation’s health program works in the areas of education, research, advocacy and health-related community service and addresses a “broad array of health issues.” In the public health space, the foundation has supported organizations that build healthier local communities, food pantries, and those that are providing low-cost direct healthcare services. In 2022, the foundation reiterated its commitment to “funding intersectional abortion access work, comprehensive sexual health education, access to a full-range of contraceptives, and training for providers to increase capacity of the reproductive health infrastructure.” Recent public health grantees include multiple chapters of Planned Parenthood, New York City’s Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the Population Media Center, which works internationally to provide health education and promote healthy behaviors through “entertainment-education strategies” and mass media.
Grants for Housing, Homelessness and Community Development
Argosy’s human services program works with organizations in the areas of homelessness, hunger relief, community engagement and youth services. Funding supports general operating expenses, implementation and expansion of best practices, capacity building, technology advancement and staff development. Past grantees include the King Street Youth Center of Burlington, Vermont; the Vermont Food Bank and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which used funding to provide sex education outreach to middle school students.
Argosy also invests in community and urban development in the U.S., prioritizing underserved communities and providing support for research, advocacy, infrastructure and technology. Past grantees include Common Good, a national organization that supports local governments and communities to find workable solutions to local problems, and the Milwaukee Local Initiative Support Corporation, which works to revitalize “distressed” urban areas with financial, technical and policy support.
Grants for Global Security and Global Development
Argosy’s international and foreign affairs center on advancing global security and development by providing “relief and resources to communities and individuals in need” and to advocate “on behalf of human rights and respect for all.” The foundation has made grants for program support, resources, IT and infrastructure development for organizations whose work aligns closely with Argosy’s interests and values. In Haiti, the foundation has supported the Lambi Fund, which works with local communities in rural areas to advance democracy and economic development.
Important Grant Details:
Argosy grants range from a few thousand dollars to about $1 million, with a majority of grants in the $25,000 to $100,000 range. Grantmaking is national in scope, with a few grants each year supporting organizations operating outside of the U.S. The foundation provides annual reports on its website.
The Argosy Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or applications for funding. General inquiries may be made through the contact section of the organization’s website.
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