McConnell Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The McConnell Foundation’s global development grantmaking focuses on peacebuilding and conflict resolution in Nepal, water quality, sustainable livelihoods, and improving justice systems in Laos.
IP TAKE: The organization tends to support large international groups working in its fields of interest rather than grassroots outfits. While it’s not accessible, it states that it appreciates “collegial” outreach and exchanges of knowledge, so contact them with any questions and be ready to state a brief outline of your organization’s work and how it aligns with the foundation’s mission. Otherwise the foundation has very targeted giving, which means your work has to closely align to stand a chance.
PROFILE: Carl and Leah McConnell established the McConnell Foundation in 1964, but did not award significant domestic grants until 1988. Based in Redding, California, the McConnell Foundation refers to itself as a “broad based funder,” with global geographic interests in Nepal and Laos. The foundation ultimately seeks to help “build better communities through philanthropy.” The foundation’s grantmaking priorities include Children, Youth & Education, Community Vitality, McConnell Scholars, and the NatureBridge in Yosemite program. The foundation focuses its U.S. giving primarily on Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties in rural Northern California. It began funding Internationally in 1999, and now supports projects in Nepal and Laos.
Grants for Bay Area and Northern California
McConnell’s grantmaking in the U.S. is limited to Modoc, Siskiyou, Shasta, Trinity, and Tehama Counties in Northern California. Within this limited geographic area, the foundation supports Arts & Culture, Community Vitality, Recreation, Social Services, and the Environment. The foundation’s grant-making program is administered by the Community Foundation of the North State.
The foundation’s Children, Youth & Education initiative works to address “all needs surrounding[the] region’s children and youth in recognition that school performance and readiness is affected by a child’s nutrition, activity and health.” It also acknowledges that “communities have needs and aspirations that may not directly involve education, but have an impact on the development and education of children and youth.”
The Community Vitality program focuses on downtown and the greater Redding area in Northern California. It defines a Vital Community as “a place where people love to live, work, learn and play.”
McConnell’s McConnell Scholars program works “to identify and support students qualified to bring about positive change in their communities.”
Finally, NatureBridge in Yosemite is an outdoor environmental education program that runs for five days each spring. The program is open to high school sophomores and juniors from public high schools and public charter schools in Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties, and Big Valley High School in Lassen County.
Grants for Global Development and Security
In 1999, the foundation launched its International grantmaking program. It focuses on rural development, schools, and addressing domestic violence. The foundation has revamped its International giving to also support peace-building and “conflict transformation efforts” across Nepal. Particular areas of interest here include community level justice programs and building leadership capacity for marginalized communities.
In 2006, the foundation decided to add the Southeast Asian country of Laos to its global grantmaking agenda. The scope of McConnell’s grantmaking in Laos differs substantially from its Nepal grantmaking. Instead of peace-building and conflict resolution, the foundation’s giving in Laos focuses on community-based water quality projects, reducing pollutants in local water sources; increasing and managing fish stocks to help foster sustainable livelihoods; and improving justice systems.
Important Grant Details:
Via the McConnell Fund at the Community Foundation of the North State, McConnell’s Northern California programs accept Grant Requests of up to $50,000 for eligible nonprofit organizations in Modoc, Siskiyou, Shasta, Trinity and Tehama Counties. International grants out of the McConnell Foundation typically range from $50,000 to $350,000. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications for its international program, but it does “appreciate collegial exchanges of knowledge, lessons learned, and being apprised of the work others are doing in or fields of interest.”
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