AT&T FOUNDATION

Contact information:
130 E. Travis, Suite 350
San Antonio, Texas 78205
Phone: 800-591-9663
Website: http://www.att.com/gen/corporate-citizenship?pid=7736

Type of foundation: Corporate

Types of grants: Project, equipment, matching grants, emergency relief

Description: Since 2008, the Foundation has focused the majority of its funding on education – specifically, high school retention programs and college and workforce readiness programs. In that year, AT&T and the Foundation launched AT&T Aspire – a $100 million philanthropic program focused on the high school dropout crisis. The initiative provides grants to schools and nonprofit organizations, supports research and offers job shadowing opportunities.

In March 2012, AT&T announced that it would invest an additional $250 million in this program over five years. The Foundation will emphasize “social innovation” – bringing new ideas, technologies and approaches to the problem of dropout prevention. The Foundation has particular interest in connecting with students through tools such as interactive gamification, Web-based content and social media (and incorporating these tools into educational programs). AT&T plans to sponsor challenges for mobile application developers to create cutting-edge solutions to complex problems in the educational system.

The Foundation also announced that the AT&T Aspire Local High School Impact Initiative will offer new grants for student retention programs. This program will provide project grants to expand or strengthen currently operating high school retention programs. The 2012 Request for Proposals (RFP) features an emphasis on metrics, with a preference for programs showing results for those served vs. peer groups and an emphasis on underserved populations. The Foundation seeks to fund local programs that have strong evidence-based practices and data-driven outcomes.

The Foundation is especially interested in organizations that incorporate social innovation into their programs (including new concepts/strategies to achieve success for students who are at risk of dropping out of school; collaboration with school districts, foundations, nonprofits, government entities, and/or businesses; or use of technological innovations). The Foundation will give additional consideration to organizations that focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) disciplines in their programs for students who are at risk of dropping out of school.

While education is its primary philanthropic focus, the Foundation also makes some grants to organizations in its service region in the area of diversity and inclusion. The AT&T Foundation supports nonprofit organizations and projects that increase inclusion and create opportunities for diverse populations. Projects address quality-of-life issues, with an emphasis on improving education and advancing community development. AT&T has a strong legacy with organizations focused on the empowerment of the African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Asian American, active military members, LGBT, and American Indian communities. In addition, AT&T is committed to supporting underserved populations that include women, seniors, youth, people with disabilities and low-income families.

Based on recent giving, the Foundation is still making some grants to the arts, at least in areas of company operation.

Sample grants:

• $1.5 million (total) invested in Communities In Schools to increase the number of school-based site coordinators who help at-risk students get the resources they need to stay in school and succeed (2010).
• $500,000 to McNay Art Museum (San Antonio) for a capital campaign for additional wing to the museum and a grand lobby that will include up-to-date technology components (2010).
• $260,000 to San Antonio Symphony for the San Antonio Symphony's Music Scholars program at three San Antonio high schools, which keeps disadvantaged youth connected and improves their self-esteem through training and accomplishment in music (2010).
• $250,000 to Baylor Health Care System Foundation for Baylor Health Care System in establishing a new Cancer Center on the campus of Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, which will provide North Texas with local access to advanced cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment (2010).
• $98,524 to Education Alliance - Business and Community for Public Schools (Charleston, WV) for the Walk the Talk program, providing at-risk students with mentoring and academic intervention focused on improving students' work/life skills (2010).
• $56,773 to Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools for expansion of the AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) program for additional 100 students, supporting a rigorous curriculum, small learning classrooms, and ample experiences with the real world through field trips and service projects (2010).
• $50,000 to Alamo Public Telecommunications Council for KLRN in procuring updated communication network that will help maintain the station's direct line of contact with its community (2010).
• $50,000 to American Association of People with Disabilities for a Development and Sustainability initiative for implementation in years 2011 - 2015, updating the business model to secure long-term sources of infrastructure funding by creating deeper, higher-value relationships with corporate partners and sponsors (2010).

AT&T also continued to support Roadtrip Nation's innovative career exploration programming with funding for a new online interactive curriculum that facilitates self-discovery, inspiring students to take the educational steps required to identify and achieve their career goals (2010).

Fit for Public Broadcasting: By and large, the Foundation’s grants to public media have supported educational initiatives or have fit into the Foundation’s interest in serving diverse populations (e.g., grants to Radio Bilingue, Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, New America Media). There are current opportunities for public media to use its media and technology expertise in the area of dropout prevention and workforce readiness. The 2012 RFP may be a fit for stations that: are partnering with one or more schools, are developing (or have developed) digital educational tools, are interested in advancing the use of digital media in curricula, are using social media to reach out to and engage underserved youth, are engaged in workforce training, run youth media programs, and more.

Eligibility: The following types of organizations are eligible for 2012 Local High School Impact Initiative grants: school districts, campuses, and school district foundations with 501(c)(3) public charity status; charter school foundations and private school foundations with 501(c)(3) public charity status; 501(c)(3) public charities that work on-site with public and private education institutions; and 501(c)(3) public charities that work with public and private education institutions on a project basis.

No support for:

• Individuals or organizations without 501(c)(3) status or private foundations except under special circumstances. Groups that qualify as a government instrumentality are considered.
• Major operating funds for United Way agencies.
• Capital campaigns or endowment funds except under special circumstances.
• Goodwill ads, ticket/dinner purchases, sports programs/events or cause-related marketing.
• Donation of products or services.

Deadline: The deadline to complete the Local High School Impact Initiative pre-qualification survey is April 18, 2012. The RFP closes on April 27, 2012.

How to apply: Applications are not accepted, except in response to Foundation-issued RFPs. All prospective applicants for the Local High School Impact Initiative are required to complete a pre-qualification survey as part of the RFP process. One of the key requirements of applicants is that they be able to provide student-level records to AT&T’s external evaluator. Based on an assessment of the pre-qualification response, prospective applicants will be asked to submit a full length RFP response to AT&T using an online, invitation-only application process.

Giving range: The 2012 Local Impact Initiative grants will range from $100,000 – $300,000 over two years.

Assets: $111,872,390 (2008).

Total giving: In 2011, more than $115 million was contributed through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs.

AT&T’s recent Citizenship and Sustainability reports, which include information about the Foundation, can be downloaded from this page.