Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The philanthropic vehicle of billionaire Bruce Halle, the founder of Discount Tire, and his wife, Diane, the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation does most of its grantmaking in Arizona, with particular interests in housing, hunger, human services, education, health, and the arts.
IP TAKE: The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation is a major funder in its giving region, making many large, sometimes multi-million-dollar, grants to nonprofits in Arizona and beyond. While it generally prefers giving moderate-to-large grants to a limited number of recipients each year, its broad range of giving categories cover nearly all the bases for nonprofits looking for support in Arizona, from basic needs human services and healthcare access, to youth enrichment and the arts. So while the foundation’s giving may be somewhat exclusive, there is something for nearly everyone, however your organizations serves your community.
This is not the most transparent funder, as its website does not contain any list or database of past grantees, or even press conferences or blog posts to celebrate the work it is doing. It is somewhat accessible, as it accepts applications online through three grant cycles per year, although it makes a significant amount of its grants by invitation only or to organizations of personal interest to the foundation’s board members. However, its website is fairly barebones, which limits the amount of information available to help grantseekers regarding this funder’s grantmaking strategy and priorities. If you don’t have an established relationship with the foundation or the family behind it, the first step to getting your foot in the door is to take Halle’s eligibility quiz to see if your organization qualifies for funding.
PROFILE: Established in 2002, the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of Bruce Halle, the founder of Discount Tire, and his wife, Diane. Discount Tire is the world's largest independent tire and wheel retailer. Halle attended Eastern Michigan University and launched his first Discount Tire store more than half a century ago in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Today, Discount Tire has more than 850 locations in 25 states. The Halles now live in Paradise Valley, Arizona, and conduct most of their philanthropy in the state. The Halle Foundation’s mission is to “strengthen the daily opportunities and lifelong outcomes for the people and communities of the State of Arizona.” Its current Categories of Giving are Human Services, Health & Medical, Education, Arts & Culture, and Spirituality.
Grants for Housing and Food
The Halle Foundation’s Human Services funding supports nonprofits that “tackle the roots of chronic poverty by applying effective solutions to the most challenging social and economic problems.” These grants prioritize efforts to provide direct services for basic needs, such as housing, food access, clothing, job training, youth development, and other forms of “support to those who are without resources; be it financial, emotional, mental, physical, and/or spiritual support.” In the foundation's hunger focus area, Halle has supported the Northern Arizona Food Bank, St. Mary’s Food Bank, United Food Bank in Mesa, Valley of the Sun United Way, and Homelessness & Hunger Funders Collaborative. The foundation's homelessness grantmaking, meanwhile, has funded UMOM New Day Centers, SJ Jose Women’s Shelter, Habitat for Humanity, and Children’s Home Society of Florida.
Grants for Public Health
The Halle Foundation’s Health & Medical funding supports “leading local hospitals, medical centers and specialized medical institutions providing access to healthcare for high-need populations,” as well as efforts to address the nationwide shortage of healthcare professionals through “programs designed to enhance skills and increase the number of practitioners across roles in healthcare.” It prioritizes programs that improve access to healthcare facilities and resources, including dental and vision, for veterans, rural communities, and low-income populations. It also supports programs working on “scaling innovative healthcare delivery systems to provide efficient, coordinated care.” Past health and medical grantees include Valleywise Health Foundation, Mayo Clinic, Foundation for Senior Living, Banner Health Foundation, Arizona Women’s Recovery Center, Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Cancer Support Community-Arizona, and Parents of Addicted Loved Ones.
Grants for Education
The Halle Foundation's Education grantmaking supports efforts to “increase access to high quality education and training particularly for lower income students.” Its largest avenue of giving centers around scholarships and other donations to Arizona’s three public state universities. The University of Arizona is the site of the Halle Chair in Leadership. Halle also supports programs to increase college readiness, access, and success. It prioritizes programs that take an innovative approach to new education models that “enhance learning for at-risk and underserved students from pre-k through graduation.” Halle also supports religious institutions through its Spirituality focus area, which funds “organizations that offer meaningful programs access to spiritual purposes and solace to those in spiritual need,” with recent grants going to Franciscan Renewal Center and Southgate Church. It should be noted that Halle’s Spirituality grantmaking primarily funds groups and churches associated with the Christian faith. Past grantees for education include the University of Arizona, Tesseract School, Children First Academy (a charter school), and Educare Arizona.
Grants for Arts & Culture
The Halle Foundation’s Arts & Culture grantmaking supports “cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences,” with a focus on projects that “add to the creation of knowledge in the arts, especially Latin American art in the United States” or “nurture and develop artistic talent.” It has funded art museums, history museums, performing arts centers, art schools and educational programs, and major cultural institutions in Arizona. Phoenix Art Museum is the site of the Diane and Bruce Halle Collection, which showcases Latin American art. Other grantees include Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Children’s Museum, Heard Museum, Solomon Guggenheim Foundation, Artist Outreach, Young Arts Arizona, Ballet Arizona, and Scottsdale Museum of the West.
IMPORTANT GRANT DETAILS:
Grants generally range from $25,000 to $250,000, although select long-term grant partners may receive upwards of $1 million a year. The foundation does not maintain a list or database of past grantees, but grantseekers may review the foundation’s tax filings for more information on the types of organizations it supports.
The Halle Foundation’s grantmaking is mostly limited to organizations headquared in and serving the state of Arizona, although it sometimes makes grants outside the state on an invitation-only basis.
The Halle Foundation provides core operating grants, programmatic grants, capital grants for equipment and facility needs, large capital campaigns for select grantees, and capacity building support.
The Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation accepts unsolicited concept proposals from nonprofits, but grantseekers must first take the foundation’s online eligibility quiz before submitting a letter of inquiry. If approved, applicants will be invited to submit a full application.
The board meets to review proposals three times per year in February, May, and October. LOIs must be received by November 15, February 15, or October 15 respectively in order for the full application to be reviewed at the next meeting.
Applicants whose LOIs or proposals have been rejected must wait at least one year from the date of notification before applying again. Successful grant recipients may reapply after submitting their final report following the grant period.
Grantseekers may reach out to the foundation at info@hallefamilyfoundation.org or by phone at 480.515.7500.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
