VERIZON FOUNDATION

Contact information:
1 Verizon Way
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920-1025
Phone: 800-360-7955
Fax: 908-630-2660
Email: Verizon.foundation@verizon.com

Website: http://foundation.verizon.com/

Type of foundation: Company-sponsored

Types of grants: Operating, project. The foundation will not make capital or endowment grants.

Description: The Verizon Foundation has two primary program areas:

• Education and Literacy: This program area focuses on preparing children to be successful; enabling teachers, parents and caregivers to help children learn; and educating adults so they are prepared to achieve their goals and contribute to their communities. One of the foundation's top priorities is to improve the literacy skills of children and adults. To that end, Verizon Foundation launched Verizon Thinkfinity, a signature K-12 website, to deliver powerful education and literacy tools to teachers, librarians, students, parents and nonprofits.
• Safety and Health: This program area supports projects that:
  • Prevent domestic violence through education and provide victim relief and empowerment to individuals and families.
  • Help underserved populations access information on critical health issues.
  • Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare providers.
  • Improve the lives of people with disabilities.
  • Teach children and adults how to use the Internet safely.

The foundation has a strong interest in ensuring that its grants have “meaningful outcomes and measurable results.” Applicants must identify specific outcomes and results in their applications. Additional information is provided in the guidelines.

Sample grants:

• $625,000 to John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in continuing support (2009).
• $561,000 to National Trust for the Humanities (2009).
• $300,000 to WGBH in continuing support (2009).
• $225,000 to ASPIRA, a youth development program for Latino youth (2009).
• $125,000 to Jobs for America’s Graduates (2009).
• $49,920 to KERA/KDTN (2009).
• $45,000 to WHYY in continuing support (2009).
• $20,000 to Michiana Public Broadcasting (2009).
• $10,000 to Western New York Public Broadcasting Association (2009).
• $5,000 to Native American Television (2009).

Fit for Public Media: The foundation has made numerous grants to public media, often for general support. The foundation may also be a candidate for grants related to its primary giving areas. For example, public media initiatives related to domestic violence prevention, Internet safety, literacy and health education may be of interest.

Eligibility: An online eligibility screener is available here. Applicants should have 501(c)(3) tax status. The foundation will not give capital or endowment grants.

Deadline: Applications are accepted any time between January 1 – mid-October (October 16, 2011).

How to apply: Grant applications should be submitted online. In the grant application, organizations must indicate what outcomes are targeted through programming and what results the organization will measure. Grant decisions are usually made within 90 days.

Giving range: Most past grants to media have been below $50,000.

Assets: $241,741,456 (as of 12/31/09)

Total giving: $56,289,332