BEN & JERRY’S FOUNDATION

Contact information:
30 Community Drive
South Burlington, VT 05403-6828
Phone: 802-846-1500, ext. 7485

Website: http://www.benjerrysfoundation.org/

Type of foundation: Company-sponsored.

Types of grants: Conferences/seminars; Equipment; Operating support; Management development/capacity building; Program development; Technical assistance.

Description: The Foundation focuses on supporting grassroots, progressive, social change organizations around the country. Its interests are in furthering social justice, protecting the environment and supporting sustainable food systems. It is committed to supporting non-violent, thoughtful and strategic approaches.

The Foundation’s philanthropy is led by Ben & Jerry’s employees who serve on committees that review grants.

The Foundation administers five grant programs:

• The Grassroots Organizing for Social Change Program supports non-profit, grassroots, constituent-led organizations across the country that are using direct action, grassroots community-organizing strategies to accomplish their goals.
• The National Movement Building Grant Program is a proactive grant program that supports national progressive movement-building efforts by identifying cross-sector alliances that can significantly advance the Foundation’s broad social justice, environmental protection and sustainable food systems goals.
• The Vermont Capacity Building Program provides grants to Vermont statewide organizations to help build their organizational strength and sustainability.
• The Vermont Community Action Teams Program awards small grants to local Vermont organizations.
• The Foundation also operates an Employee Matching Gift Program.

Sample grants:

• $15,000 to Media Mobilizing Project (Pennsylvania) for Radio Unidad and to continue work with Labor Justice Radio which is collaboratively produced by five local workers’ unions (2009).
• $15,000 to the Media Mobilizing Project (Philadelphia) for its radio journalism initiative, Voice of Poverty, which trains people to become radio journalists and to produce media about their own experiences and the work of anti-poverty organizations (2009).
• $15,000 to International Media Project for the National Radio Project (Oakland, CA) (2009).
• $15,000 to Aubin Pictures (New York, NY) for operating support (2009).
• $15,000 to Media in the Public Interest (Boulder, CO) to support a public news service in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont (2008).
• $15,000 to Center for Media Justice for Unplug Clear Channel Campaign (2006).
• $13,600 to Vermont Independent Media for operating support (2009).
• $12,500 to Media in the Public Interest for public interest news outlet in New Hampshire in collaboration with non-profit organizations (2007).
• $12,500 to Justice Productions for The Empty Chair, documentary film that explores issues surrounding capital punishment (2004).
• $10,000 to TVbyGIRLS for operating support (2009).
• $10,000 to TVbyGIRLS for film projects (2007).
• $10,000 to Swell Cinema for Voting in America, a provocative collection of ten short films that aim to increase voter participation in the 2004 elections (2004).
• $10,000 to Center for Health, Environment and Justice for national media and educational events, workshops, issue brochures, and other BE SAFE initiative activities designed to promote a wide range of state- and local-level precaution-based policies (2004).
• $2,000 to Indykids (New York, NY), a progressive current events publication for kids in elementary and middle school (2009).
• $1,000 to Tamarack Productions (Burlington, VT), an independent media producer, in support of Vermont Climate Witness, an interactive website where Vermonters can share their stories about climate change (2008).

Fit for public broadcasting: This Foundation could be an interesting fit for small or community-based public media outlets or producers. It could also be a fit for projects focused on training disenfranchised people to produce media. Any project must emphasize social change.

Eligibility: Giving on a national basis, with emphasis on St. Albans, South Burlington, and Waterbury, VT. The Foundation generally limits its support to organizations with budgets under $500,000. Organizations must have 501(c)3 status or have a sponsoring agency with this status. The Foundation will not fund:

• Discretionary or emergency requests.
• Colleges or universities.
• Individuals or scholarship programs.
• Research projects.
• Capital campaigns.
• State agencies.
• Social service programs.

Deadline: Varies by program.

How to apply: See individual program guidelines for relevant requirements and deadlines.

Giving range: Grants range up to $50,000.

Assets: $5,149,482 (2010). The Foundation receives funds annually from the company based on sales in the previous year. In 2010, the Foundation received $2,175,216.

Total giving: $2,120,486 (2010)