The Standard Charitable Foundation and The Standard Corporate Giving: Oregon
/OVERVIEW: The Standard Charitable Foundation supports community development, education, disability organizations. Meanwhile the financial company’s corporate grantmaking supports health, people with disabilities, education, and cultural development.
IP TAKE: Emphasize how a nonprofit program helps local residents who have suffered from an unforeseen setback or emergency to get this funder’s attention.
PROFILE: Established in 2006 the Standard Charitable Foundation is the charitable arm of the financial company called The Standard. The Standard provides group and individual disability insurance, group life insurance, accidental death insurance, retirement plans, group dental and vision insurance, and other financial products. The foundation seeks to “make a positive difference in the communities we serve by supporting community development, education, and disability organizations.” Its grantmaking interest areas include community development, education, and disability organizations.
Throughout all three of its funding areas, the Standard Charitable Foundation places special emphasis on helping individuals and families who have experienced a loss or setback, including a major disability or the loss of a family member. Top funding priorities for the foundation include homeless families, low-income youth, and people with disabilities. The foundation provides general operating support, program support, and capital support.
The Standard has a corporate grantmaking program that is separate from the Standard Charitable Foundation. Corporate grantmaking areas include healthy communities, disability and empowerment, cultural development, and education and advancement. According to the community philanthropy page of the company’s website, the philosophy of corporate charitable giving is “shaped by the same attributes that help make us a leading provider of financial services: integrity, commitment and doing things differently.” The Standard’s corporate grantmaking program supports general operating support, program support, capital support, event sponsorship, exhibitions, performances, and productions.
Foundation grants tend to range from $5,000 to $25,000, with the average of $10,000. Corporate grantmaking program grants tend to be between $500 and $25,000, with the average grant being $3,000. Past grantees include Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp, Portland Homeless Family Solutions, and Portland Youth Builders. While the foundation does not place strict geographic restrictions on its funding, a significant amount of funding stays in the Portland, Oregon area, which is where the company is headquartered.
The foundation and the corporate giving program both accept unsolicited requests for funding throughout the year with no deadlines. Grant decisions are communicated within four weeks of receiving a grant application and via email. Grant applications must be submitted via online portal, which can be accessed on the funder’s website. Grant seekers can contact the foundation by phone at 971-321-3162.
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