How the Anheuser-Busch Foundation Prioritizes Grantmaking in St. Louis, Missouri

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Although thousands of craft beer breweries are now operating across the U.S., Anheuser-Busch remains one of the most recognizable names in beer. The Anheuser-Busch brand dates back to the 1850s, when it launched as a small neighborhood brewery at the hands of a German immigrant who pioneered the popular lager beer style. The company employs thousands of people today and has had a foundation supporting nonprofits since 1975.

The Anheuser-Busch Foundation frequently supports groups in and around the company’s St. Louis, Missouri headquarters. To guide local nonprofits, here’s a look at what this beer company’s foundation supports near its home city and state.

Top areas of interest

The Anheuser-Busch Foundation backs communities where the company operates and has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to charitable organizations. Primary focus areas at this time include disaster preparedness and relief, sustainability, economic empowerment and responsible drinking. The foundation’s other interests include military personnel and their families, education, blood drives and affordable housing.

Transparent and publicized funding

Anheuser-Busch doesn’t shy away from sharing news about its charitable support and often publishes news articles about how and where it’s giving. From these and other sources, it’s quite easy to glean insights into how the foundation operates and the types of organizations and projects it backs.

For example, the company and its foundation hosted a brewing competition to celebrate St. Louis, Missouri heritage and benefit local nonprofit partners. The organizations it supported were the St. Louis Area Foodbank, LifeWise StL, the Missouri Historical Society and 100 Neediest Cases. Winning nonprofits from the competition received $40,000 from the foundation. The company also published news of its $120,000 grant commitment to support sustainable agriculture research by partnering with universities to advance farming innovations. These universities were located in North Dakota, Montana and Arkansas.

Connecting with Anheuser-Busch

General information about the foundation’s initiatives can be found on a page on the company’s website. But while it’s fairly transparent about its activities, the Anheuser-Busch Foundation does not offer guidelines or instructions on how to get in touch and apply for a grant. Missouri grantseekers should consider signing up for the Anheuser-Busch newsletter to receive information about future funding opportunities. Prospective applicants may need to initiate contact through the company’s general phone number or submit an email inquiry to be routed to a relevant staff member.

Meanwhile, you can learn about additional funders that prioritize the needs of Missouri by browsing IP’s Missouri grantmaking guide.