Sprint Foundation

Overview: Emphasis on education, including business education, secondary education, and higher education, performing arts, and youth; support also for community development and drug abuse programs.

A. Education
The Foundation's emphasis on education is focused principally in the corporation's Employee Matching Gift Program. The Foundation also partners with the United Negro College Fund, the Hispanic College Fund and targeted MBA programs and undergraduate institutions to provide financial assistance and employment opportunities for students pursuing degrees in business and technology-related fields.

The United Negro College Fund awards scholarships to undergraduate students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and majority institutions. The Hispanic College Fund awards scholarships to deserving Hispanic students attending any undergraduate school.

Strategic partnerships are developed with targeted MBA and undergraduate programs that support Sprint's hiring needs and impact faculty research and curriculum. Few grant awards are made to individual schools. Unsolicited scholarship requests will not be considered for funding.

B. Arts and Culture
The Foundation supports visual and performing arts organizations, theater, symphonies, museums and other cultural organizations and activities with effective outreach programs that broaden cultural experiences for the general public, particularly youth and non-traditional audiences.

C. Youth Development
The Foundation focuses its resources on mentoring programs, minority youth endeavors, broad-scale community youth activities focused on building leadership and social skills, and programs that promote business and economic education for youth. The Foundation is proud to donate to Junior Achievement of Middle America, Inc. and the Boys and Girls Club.

D. Civic Affairs
Local and regional efforts that local Sprint employees believe are a significant contribution to the community's infrastructure

E. Sprint Character Education Grant Program

Through the Sprint Character Education Grant Program, the Sprint Foundation will award grants to school districts and individual schools to fund the purchase of resource materials, supplies, equipment and software that facilitates and encourages character education among K-12 students. With a national reach, the program is open to all US public schools (K-12) and US public school districts.

The Sprint Character Education Grant program will accept applications for Character Education programs that promote youth leadership, youth volunteerism, school pride and a positive school culture.

Examples of programs that the Sprint Foundation will fund include:

a. Character education curriculum and character education teacher training

b. Direct project related costs for community service/service learning programs

c. Leadership and mentor training

Examples of programs that the Sprint Character Education Grant Program will not fund include:

a. On-going staff salary (stipends and training are allowable)

b. Physical fitness programs

c. School beautification programs (i.e. playgrounds, gardens)

d. Capital improvement needs (i.e. bricks and mortar, computer labs, Smart Boards)

e. Any costs that are not directly related to the Character Education program you are proposing.

Grant Amounts

a. District level grants are available for programs ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.

b. School level grants are available for programs ranging from $500-$5,000.

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding consideration from the Sprint Foundation organizations submitting grants must:

1. Focus on at least one of the funding priorities (K-12 education, arts & culture, youth development, or community development)

2. Support either a national program, or local program focused in one of Sprint's key employee communities (Kansas City, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, and New York City)

3. Comply with applicable laws regarding registration and reporting

4. Have financials available for independent outside audit and all potential contributors

5. Be a non-profit tax exempt organization under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue code (unless a public school or library). If you are requesting funding for a public school, please use the education specific program.

• Arts:
• Arts & Culture: The foundation supports visual and performing arts organizations, theater, symphonies, museums and other cultural organizations and activities that have effective outreach programs which broaden the cultural experience for the general public, particularly youth and non-traditional audiences.
  
• Business school/education:
• Children and Youth, Services:
• Community Development: The foundation primarily supports organizations involved with community development through matching funds raised by the foundation's national food drive and United Way pledges.
• Disabilities, People with Disabilities: The foundation supports organizations that work to increase the access, equality, and independence of people with disabilities through specific services, assistive technologies, and educational programs.
  
  Although this is one of Sprint's funding priorities, they have not done much grantmaking in this area. Perhaps an under-utilized resource.
• Diseases/Disabilities General:
• Economics:
• Education: The foundation provides support for programs involved with increasing and improving student engagement, parental involvement, and professional development for teachers, administrators, and staff. The foundation primarily supports K-12 education, and targeted MBA and undergraduate institutions in order to provide financial assistance and employment opportunities for students pursuing a degree in business and technology-related fields.
  
• Education, Adult Education:
• Education, Higher Education:
• Education, K-12:
• Education, Literacy & Reading:
• Human Services:
• Local Efforts: Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver and New York City.
• Minorities:
• Museums:
• Performing Arts:
• Youth Development: The foundation supports organizations involved with mentoring, minority youth endeavors, and broad-scale community youth activities focused on building leadership and social skills. The foundation also supports programs that promote business and economic education for youth.

Sample Grants
$ 25,000 to 18th and Vine Authority , Kansas City , MO
$ 10,000 to American Indian College Fund , Denver , CO
$ 25,000 to Center for Management Assistance , Kansas City , MO
$ 75,000 to Children's Theatre of Charlotte , Charlotte , NC
$ 10,000 to Christmas in October , Kansas City , MO
$ 12,500 to Crittenton Center , Kansas City , MO
$ 15,200 to Don Bosco Centers , Kansas City , MO
$ 100,000 to Easter Seal Society of Chicago , Chicago , IL
$ 50,000 to Fellowship of Christian Athletes , Kansas City , MO
$ 5,000 to Goodwill Industries of Minnesota , St. Paul , MN
$ 30,560 to Harvard University , Cambridge , MA
$ 25,000 to Heart to Heart International , Olathe , KS
$ 10,301 to Holy Cross Catholic School , KS
$ 22,050 to Inroads of St. Louis , St. Louis , MO
$ 16,700 to James Madison University Foundation , VA
$ 10,411 to John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , Washington , DC
$ 155,000 to KaBOOM! , Washington , DC
$ 100,000 to Mexican Museum , CA
$ 20,000 to NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund , New York , NY
$ 10,000 to National Alliance of Business , DC
$ 75,000 to Negro Leagues Baseball Museum , MO
$ 200,640 to Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art , Kansas City , MO
$ 10,000 to STOP Violence Coalition , Kansas City , MO
$ 14,550 to Youth Symphony Association of Kansas City , KS
$ 11,305 to YouthFront , KS

Application Procedures:: General Grant Application Process

The Sprint Foundation asks that you submit your grant request online. The Sprint Foundation accepts and reviews unsolicited proposals from January 2nd through November 20th. Grants submitted in December will not be reviewed until January. Before starting the online application, please review the eligibility guidelines above. Your proposal will be reviewed and a response provided within 90 days

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a sponsorship and a grant?
A sponsorship is a cash or in-kind payment to an organization (generally in sports, entertainment or the arts) in return for the following:

1. Marketing benefits: the right to use trademarks of the sponsoree, signage, television, radio, print or online advertising inventory, etc.

2. Technology showcase: the ability to integrate Sprint products and services into the sponsored event or property.

3. Entertainment: the opportunity to entertain customers and prospects.

A grant is typically a cash payment to a non-profit organization and may or may not include the elements listed above. The Sprint Foundation reviews grant and contribution proposals relating to education, civic and community, arts and culture and youth development. Please complete an online grant proposal form if your opportunity more closely resembles a grant or contribution.

What is a corporate foundation?
A corporate foundation is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit corporation through which a corporation organizes and channels its philanthropic giving. Corporate foundations usually focus on communities where the company has operations and fields related to that company’s business.

What is the difference between a corporate foundation and a corporate giving program?
A corporate foundation is a separate tax-exempt corporation, which is legally distinct from the founding corporation. A corporate giving program is a grant-making and charitable giving vehicle established and administered from within the corporation, usually as part of its Community Affairs or Marketing Departments.

How do I submit a proposal?
The Sprint Foundation no longer accepts hard copy proposals. Please click here to go to the Sprint online grant proposal submission form.

When do you accept proposals?
The Sprint Foundation accepts grant and contribution proposals year-round.

When will a decision be made?
A decision will be rendered on all proposals within 30 days. Submitters are notified of the decision via e-mail.

Our 501(c)(3) has a pending status; do we qualify?
No. The Sprint Foundation only makes grants to 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. Once you have received notification that your status is no longer pending and you have been approved, then you will qualify.

Should I call to discuss my proposal before submitting it?
No. The Sprint Foundation will not discuss the status or the merits of any proposal with the submitter or anyone related with the organization that is submitting a grant proposal.

What are The Sprint Foundation’s deadlines for submitting a proposal?
The Sprint Foundation does not have any deadlines for submission; we accept proposals year-round.

If my organization receives United Way funding, do we still qualify?
Sprint gives more than $1 million annually to United Way in order for it to support organizations such as yours. Therefore, we approve very few grant proposals from organizations that receive United Way funding.

What is the Sprint Foundation’s average grant size?
The Foundation does not have an average grant size.

Can one organization receive multiple grants?
Due to limited funds, we approve very few multiple grant proposals for the same organization.

What types of organizations are eligible for Sprint Foundation grants?
The Foundation’s areas of interest include education, arts and culture and youth development. Organizations that are ineligible for Foundation grants include political, religious, fraternal, labor and veteran organizations, as well as hospitals and neighborhood organizations.

What types of grants do you award?
The Sprint Foundation makes direct grants and also administers a matching gift program for eligible Sprint employees and retirees.

Grants Paid

2001 ($3,919,714 )

2002 ($5,014,846 )

2003 ($5,273,080 )

2004 ($5,444,815 )

2005 ($5,859,292 )

2006 ($8,109,143 )

2007 ($7,518,179 )

2008 ($6,498,053 )

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