W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Contact information:
One Michigan Avenue East
Battle Creek, MI 49017-4012
Phone: 269-968-1611
Fax: 269-968-0413
Website: www.wkkf.org
Type of foundation: Independent
Types of grants: General operating, program
Description: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was established in 1930 by the founder of the Kellogg Company (cereal). The Foundation receives its money from a trust which holds substantial equity in the Kellogg Company, but also holds a broader portfolio of investments. The Foundation has changed its focus considerably in recent years. Now it is focused specifically on supporting children, families and communities with the goal of enabling vulnerable children to achieve success. Its program areas are:
- Educated kids: early child development (ages zero to eight), reading proficiency by third grade, high school graduation and pathways to meaningful employment.
- Healthy kids: food/nutrition, health and well-being, especially for marginalized children.
- Secure families: family stability, career ladders, financial independence.
- Racial equity: sustainable/accountable media infrastructure that can influence perceptions and help dismantle structural racism; support for anchor organizations and efforts to eliminate racial inequities/disparities.
- Civic engagement: public will for civic engagement; leadership pipelines; support for community philanthropy.
The Foundation allocates 80 percent of its funding to the United States, targeting half of that to Michigan, Mississippi and New Mexico and the remainder nationally. Twenty percent of its funding is granted internationally, specifically in Latin America, Mexico, the Caribbean and northeastern Brazil.
Sample grants:
- $1,500,000 to Educational Broadcasting Corporation over 18 months to explore how the interaction of different ethnicities has produced our diverse society and reveal how family histories can be used to confirm and explode many of our national myths through a series of televised programs (2009).
- $832,000 to National Public Radio over 11 months to produce balanced, comprehensive coverage of the critical issues facing our society, disseminate vital information to listeners and provide additional on-air messages throughout National Public Radio's programming (2005).
- $608,376 to Pundit Productions over 21 months to enhance, expand and deepen localized coverage and interactive public radio programming on food systems, community-based agriculture, rural economic development and related issues for underserved rural communities in the Delta and nationwide (2006).
- $350,000 to National Public Radio over 9 months to enhance news operations and expand the dialogue to include more diverse audiences (2006).
- $348,864 to Youth Radio over 10 months to help vulnerable youth make their voices heard among adult audiences and engage new youth audiences about civic issues by creating original media content exploring connections between their lives and the political arena (2009).
- $250,000 to Minnesota Public Radio over two years to provide general support to help build a partnership with the public through radio, related technology, and services (2007).
- $180,000 to Round Earth Productions over 18 months to produce and broadcast important issues of poverty, youth, democracy, development and sustainability throughout the United States and Latin America and provide opportunities to journalists in reporting important stories with few resources (2006).
- $150,000 to Youth Radio over nine months to further develop the administrative and fundraising infrastructure of Youth Radio and build their capacity to sustain their organization (2006).
- $30,000 to Minneapolis Telecommunications Network over nine months to explore the many aspects of globalization, focusing on the socio-economic and environmental effects and stimulate nationwide discussion through the creation of various public radio programming (2005).
- $10,000 to WNYC Radio in general operating support (2010).
Fit for public broadcasting: There is a very good fit for public media, especially for organizations and projects that converge with the Foundation's key interest areas and that have significant reach and impact.
Eligibility: Applicants must qualify under regulations of the United States Internal Revenue Services. The Foundation does not typically support:
- Individuals or scholarships.
- Operational phases of established programs.
- Capital, including construction, purchasing, renovation and furnishing of facilities.
- Equipment.
- Conferences/workshops.
- Films, TV or radio programs (see note below).
- Endowments or development campaigns.
- Research/studies.
Note: The Foundation has a long and active history of support for public media, especially for coverage of topics that intersect with its key interests.
Deadline: None
How to apply: By online application. The Foundation will request a full proposal if it is interested.
Giving range: Widely varies
Assets: $506,138,741 (year ending 8/31/08)
Total giving: $272,511,561 (year ending 8/31/08)
