BEST BUY CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION

Contact information:
7601 Penn Ave. S.
Richfield, MN 55423-3645
Phone: 866-625-4350
Fax: 612-292-4001
Website: http://www.bestbuy-communityrelations.com/our_foundation.htm

Type of foundation: Corporate

Types of grants: Project

Description: The Best Buy Children’s Foundation makes grants locally and nationally to help youth excel in school, engage in their communities and develop leadership skills. Specifically, the Foundation focuses on programs that provide opportunity to youth (ages 13-17) through technology. The Foundation makes grants nationally (to organizations with a national audience and distribution plan), locally (Community Grants go to organizations within 50 miles of a Best Buy store) and in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area (project and capital grants).

Teen Tech Center RFP: In Spring 2012, Best Buy announced that it would partner with Intel Computer Clubhouse Network to launch Teen Technology Centers in communities across the U.S., beginning with Minneapolis, Chicago and Miami. At the Centers, teens will develop projects based on their own interest such as: creating art, music and animations; designing their own science simulations and mobile applications; writing and illustrating interactive poetry, stories and films; building kinetic sculptures and robotic constructions; and designing their own 3D worlds and games. Best Buy’s investment will include the build-out of the Centers, technology and funding for one year of staff.

The Centers will offer a powerful array of cutting-edge technology, such as computers, digital cameras, movie cameras, professional software and program activities in a wide range of areas:

• Computing.
• Digital Photography.
• Film making & Videography.
• Graphic Design.
• Audio production (including music mixing).
• Robotics.
• Game Development.
• Programming (including app development).

The Tech Centers will be located in high teen traffic areas in safe locations within existing community sites of the selected host organization (e.g., libraries, schools, museums or community centers). Local Best Buy employees will serve as volunteers, providing ongoing guidance and curriculum instruction.

Best Buy is seeking a local nonprofit or municipal organization in each target community to partner in housing and supporting the center (e.g., community-based organizations, public schools, libraries, community centers or public sector entities that have an existing afterschool program and a commitment to youth in underserved communities). Best Buy is searching for community-based afterschool programs with a respected track record for achieving results, which have demonstrated financial stability, can embrace new technologies and can sustain the Technology Centers over time (minimum three years). For more information about the Teen Tech Center opportunity, please email contact@computerclubhouse.org.

Sample grants:

• $365,000 to YouthVenture (National Grant, 2011).
• $250,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs of America (National Grant, 2011).
• $100,000 to WETA (National Grant) (2007).
• $10,000 to Creative Kids (El Paso, TX) for Project TAP (Technology Arts Program) (Community Grant, 2011).
• $8,000 to Science Math and Robotic Technology Education (Indio, CA) for Operation SMaRT Education (Become a Technology Hero) (Community Grant, 2011).
• $8,000 to Latin American Youth Center (Washington, DC) for Teen Tech Program (Community Grant, 2011).
• $7,000 to Wide Angle Youth Media (Baltimore) for The Mentoring Video Project (Community Grant, 2011).
• $5,000 to Documentary Foundation (Sacramento, CA) for its Doc School (Community Grant, 2011).
• $5,000 to Zeum (San Francisco) for ZeumMasters Teen Internship Program (Community Grant, 2011).
• $5,000 to Girls, Inc. of Omaha for Tech Savvy Girls (Community Grant, 2011).
• $5,000 to Portland Community Media for Media Technology Career Readiness Program (Community Grant, 2011).
• $5,000 to Spirit of Youth Foundation (Anchorage) for Alaska Teen Media Institute (Community Grant, 2011).

A full list of Community Grants given in 2011 is available here.

Fit for public broadcasting: The Foundation is a good fit for public media organizations that:

• Engage young people in media training or production.
• Engage youth in app development.
• Promote STEM learning through technology.
• Utilize media technology to promote educational achievement or work readiness.
• Operate training programs or contests in digital media, robotics or gaming.

Eligibility: The Best Buy Children’s Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. It does not fund:

• Schools.
• General operating expenses.
• Product requests.
• Endowments.
• Multi-year requests.

Organizations interested in applying to host/support a Teen Tech Center must:

• Be within an existing and successful afterschool program that already serves youth ages 13-18. Location can be within a public or nonprofit community-based organization (e.g., community center, school or library).
• Be within the metropolitan area of each city.
• Be within 15 miles of a Best Buy store or other Best Buy center of operations (e.g., corporate headquarters) to allow for Best Buy employee volunteers.
• Have a space for the Technology Center with a minimum of 1,100 square-feet.
• Be ADA compliant.
• Provide a commitment to host the Best Buy Teen Tech Center for a minimum of three years.

Deadline: Deadlines vary by program.

• Community Grants: Applications are accepted once per year in the Summer. In 2012, the application window will open June 1, 2012 and close July 1, 2012.
• Twin Cities Grants: The Foundation accepts project grant applications from organizations serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area four times per year. Capital requests must be submitted by February 1.
• Teen Tech Center: Proposal must be submitted no later than 5:00pm EDT on April 20, 2012 by email to bestbuyteen tech@computerclubhouse.org. Proposals must be submitted electronically.

How to apply: To apply to the Best Buy Children’s Foundation, applicants begin with the online eligibility quiz. Applications are submitted online. Application instructions are available here.

Giving range: Up to $1,000,000. Community Grants range up to $10,000.

Assets: $3,339,854 (as of 2/28/10).

Total giving: $8,657,694 (2011).