Possible Sources of Funds for Training and Conferences

Possible Sources of Funds for Gathering Expenses

The following list was assembled by the Southern Empowerment Project and tends to have a southern emphasis. Information may not be current so please share any updates with us. This list is for information purposes since we cannot assure you that any funder will be able to respond to your particular situation. If you are a current grantee of a foundation, ask you program officer if there are funds for technical assistance and/or staff development. Before applying anywhere, check the funding guidelines of the donor organization.

Geographically specific funds:

"Aetna Foundation, funding in southeastern Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, usually health related.

Appalachian Community Fund,Knoxville, Tennessee

Funding Exchange (and FEX regional funds)

Assisi Foundation, Memphis, Tennessee

Atlanta Women's Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia

Beldon Fund

BellSouth Foundation

Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Bernadine Franciscan Sisters Foundation. Virginia

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

Bullitt Foundation, Seattle, Washington

Columbus Foundation, . ColumbusOhio.Kentucky Foundation for Women

John and James L. Knight Foundation, Florida for Boca Raton, Bradenton, Miami, Tallahassee, Columbus (Georgia), Macon, Milledgeville (GA), Biloxi, Charlotte, Jackson (MS), State College (PA), Lexington (KY), Columbia (SC), and Myrtle Beach

New York Communiuty Trust

Foundation for the Mid-South, Jackson, Mississippi

Fund for Southern Communities,.Atlanta, Georgia

Southern Community Partners Fund, Atlanta, Georgia .

Virginia Environmental Endowment. Virginia and Kanawha and Ohio RiverValleys of Kentucky and West Virginia

The Warner Foundation, Durham, North Carolina

Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Little Rock, Arkansas .

Sapelo Foundation:

South Carolina Coastal Community Foundation

The Winston-Salem Foundation:

Lyndhurst Foundation, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Winston-Salem,

North Georgia Community Foundation, Georgia

William J. and Dorothy K. O'Neill Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio

Environmental Support Center, Washington, D.C.

Common Counsel Foundation, Oakland, California

Check out Community Foundations in your area to see if they have discretionary for travel or exchange funds:

Community Foundation of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky

Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, GreensboroNC

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee

Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Asheville, NC

East Tennessee Foundation,Knoxville, Tennessee

Greater Memphis Community Fund, Memphis, Tennessee

Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, ParkersburgWest Virginia

Peace Development Fund, Amherst, Massachusetts

Plum Creek Foundation, Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc., Seattle, WA

Triangle Community Foundation, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina

Three Rivers Community Fund, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Southwest Pennsylvania only.

Virginia Beach Foundation, Virginia Beach, Virginia23454.

Arkansas Community Foundation:

Arlington Community Foundation:

Austin Community Foundation:

Baton Rouge Community Foundation:

Cape Fear Community Foundation, Inc. cfcc.edu/foundation/

Charlottesville - Albemarle Community Foundation: cacfonline.org

Community Foundation of Central Georgia:

Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga:

Community Foundation of Greater Greenville, Inc.:

Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Inc.:

Community Foundation of HendersonCounty:

Community Foundation of the New River Valley, Inc.:

Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia

Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc.:

Foundation for Appalachian Ohio:

Foundation for RoanokeValley:

Foundation for the Carolinas:

Greater Houston Community Foundation:

Greater Lynchburg Community Trust:

Greater New Orleans Foundation:

Norfolk Foundation:

North Carolina Community Foundation:

North Virginia Community Foundation:

The Community Foundation of Shreveport-Bossier:

The Pittsburgh Foundation:

Religious Sources:

Self-Development of People, Presbyterian Hunger Fund, Presbyterian Church (USA)

Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Racial Justice Fund, National Council of Churches

Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock,

Check home pages of the the UnitedMethodistChurch, EvangelicalLutheranChurch in America, Jewish Funds for Justice,

Check with your own denomination for support through development and hunger funds.

J. Muste Memorial Institute

Astrae Lesbian Action Foundation

Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation

Fannie Mae Foundation

Special Contribution Fund of the NAACP

Contact Oxfam America and similar international groups to see if they have domestic education programs.

Ask your union if it has a special fund for leadership development.

Ask your employer if there is a fund for matching donations to registered charitable purposes such as NOA

Consult with your local United Way to see if donations could be processed for your program.

Hold a party to raise funds.

Write a letter to twenty friends and associates to raise money.

Public libraries in large cities usually have a resource section on foundations. Foundation Centers in libraries.

Add your own suggestions to this list. Email us at