American Express Foundation

Overview:
Grants are awarded in three program areas: Community Service, Cultural Heritage, and Leadership. Most grants are made for projects operating in locations where the company has a major employee or market presence (see below).

Community Service

The foundation supports programs designed to cultivate meaningful opportunities for civic engagement; and promote immediate and long-term relief and recovery efforts to help victims of natural disasters. Special emphasis is directed toward support preparedness programs designed to help relief agencies be better equipped to respond to emergencies as they occur.

Cultural Heritage

The foundation supports programs and projects designed to preserve and rediscover important cultural works and sites to provide ongoing access and enjoyment for current and future audiences; promote a broad range of arts and culture, from historic landmarks and public spaces to dance, theater, music, film, and the visual arts; and preserve works that represent a range of diverse cultures. Special emphasis is directed toward programs designed to ensure public engagement with a restored work or historic site; produce or present a new interpretation of work that is in danger of being lost; and preserve significant cultural traditions.

Leadership

The foundation supports programs designed to provide current and future nonprofit leaders with practical opportunities to learn and build leadership skills. Special emphasis is directed toward programs designed to cultivate leadership opportunities for diverse communities within the nonprofit sector; foster innovative leadership development for emerging leaders of world-class institutions; and programs designed to target emerging nonprofit leaders in the arts, environment, higher education, and social service sectors.

See the corporate contributions program profile for more information on the company's complete giving program.

NOTE: Recently the corporation spun off its Minnesota-based mutual funds and investor services component. The new company, Ameriprise has it own funding programs and priorities.

• Aging:
• Animals/Wildlife, Welfare:
• Arts & Culture, Cultural Heritage: Funding that protects important natural and man-made cultural or historic sites around the world, and that also supports art and culture unique to countries and regions.
• Arts & Culture, Cultural/Ethnic Awareness:
• Arts & Culture, Culture & Humanities:
• Arts & Culture, Literature:
• Community Economic Development:
• Community Service: Funding includes employee volunteer activities, support to local United Ways, and grants to the American Red Cross and other relief agencies.
• Crime/violence prevention:
• Crime/violence prevention, domestic violence:
• Disaster Relief:
• Diseases/Disabilities, AIDS/HIV Services & Research:
• Economic Development:
• Education, Adult Education, Financial Literacy:
• Education, Adult Education, Literacy, Basic Skills, GEDs:
• Employment, Job Training:
• Employment, Vocational education:
• Employment, Workforce Development:
• Environment:
• Family Services:
• Gay/Lesbian Issues and Services:
• History, Historic Preservation:
• Human Services:
• Libraries, public:
• Museums, Art:
• Museums, History:
• Nonprofit management:
• Performing Arts:
• Race/Intergroup Relations:
• Visual Arts:
• Women & Girls:
• Women & Minority Business Development & Opportunities:
• Women's Economic Empowerment:
• Youth Development, Services:

Sample Grants
$ 25,000 to A Better Chance of New York , New York , NY
$ 20,000 to A+ For Kids Teacher Network , Trenton , NJ
$ 10,000 to African American Heritage Foundation , Stanford , IA
$ 130,000 to Aid to Artisans , Hartford , CT
$ 7,000 to Al-Amal School , Fridley , MN
$ 7,500 to Alzheimer's Association of the National Capital Area , Fairfax , VA
$ 8,000 to American College , Bryn Mawr , PA
$ 10,000 to American Indian College Fund , Denver , CO
$ 5,000 to American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery Corporation , New York , NY
$ 25,000 to American Woman's Economic Development Corp , New York , NY
$ 5,000 to Annunciation School , Minneapolis , MN
$ 5,000 to Arizona Equine Rescue Organization , Scottsdale , AZ
$ 41,704 to Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore , Baltimore , MD
$ 10,000 to Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children , GA
$ 5,500 to Beaver Creek Arts Foundation , Avon , CO
$ 2,550 to Boston Center for Adult Education , Boston , MA
$ 100,000 to Broad Confidence in Women
$ 20,000 to Broward Partnership for the Homeless , FL
$ 25,000 to Broward Public Library Foundation , Fort Lauderdale , FL
$ 30,000 to Catholic Community Services of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT
$ 10,000 to Center Against Spouse Abuse , Saint Petersburg , FL
$ 5,040 to Chicago Zoological Society , Chicago , IL
$ 5,000 to Clare Housing , St. Paul , MN
$ 10,000 to Coalition for the Homeless , IL
$ 15,000 to Coastal Enterprises , Wiscasset , ME http://www.ceimaine.org/
$ 29,000 to Community Action Committee of Pike County , Piketon , OH
$ 24,900 to Community Services Council of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT
$ 10,000 to Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence , Bloomington , IL
$ 20,000 to Council of Senior Centers and Services of New York City , NY
$ 10,000 to Cray Youth & Family Services , New Castle , PA
$ 10,000 to FareStart , Seattle , WA
$ 6,000 to Food Bank of Western Massachusetts , Hatfield , MA
$ 5,061 to Friends School of Baltimore , Baltimore , MD
$ 7,200 to Gilmour Academy , Gates Mill , OH
$ 5,000 to Greenbacks Bringing Hope Foundation , Salt Lake City , UT
$ 5,000 to Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum , Winterthur , DE
$ 20,000 to Horticultural Society of New York , New York , NY
$ 10,000 to Houston Food Bank , TX
$ 30,000 to Human Services Program of Carroll County , Westminster , MD
$ 10,000 to Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco , CA
$ 6,100 to Institute for Educational Achievement , New Milford , NJ
$ 10,000 to Jersey Battered Women's Service , Morristown , NJ
$ 8,000 to Jewish Federation of Greater Cleveland , Cleveland , OH
$ 15,000 to Jobs for America's Graduates , Alexandria , VA
$ 5,000 to JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy , Washington , DC
$ 8,000 to Kindering Center , Bellevue , WA
$ 10,000 to LEAD Program in Business , New York , NY
$ 5,000 to LULAC National Educational Service Centers , Washington , DC
$ 10,000 to Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation , Columbia , MD
$ 10,000 to Massachusetts Association of Council on Aging and Senior Center Directors , MA
$ 30,000 to Mi Casa Resource Center for Women , Denver , CO
$ 5,865 to Mohonk Preserve , New Paltz , NY
$ 4,400 to Mount Holyoke College , South Hadley , MA
$ 5,025 to Nature Conservancy of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN
$ 30,000 to Neighborhood Housing Services of Connecticut , New Britain , CT
$ 50,000 to New Jersey Family Advocate Management , Trenton , NJ
$ 50,000 to New Jersey Immigration Policy Network , Newark , NJ
$ 15,000 to New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project , New York , NY
$ 25,000 to New York Public Library , New York , NY
$ 100,000 to Northern Virginia Family Service , Falls Church , VA
$ 5,000 to Ogden Weber Applied Technology Center Foundation , Ogden , UT
$ 10,000 to Olive Crest Treatment Centers , Santa Ana , CA
$ 8,000 to Open Water Women's Sailing Organization , Hoboken , NJ
$ 8,000 to Padua Franciscan High School , Parma , OH
$ 6,200 to Pathway Family Center , Southfield , MI
$ 30,000 to Pocatello Neighborhood Housing Services , Pocatello , ID
$ 15,000 to Prevent Child Abuse Georgia , Atlanta , GA
$ 5,000 to Public Education Network (PEN) , Washington , DC
$ 10,000 to Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Education Foundation , Warwick , RI
$ 15,000 to Saint Mary Food Bank (AZ) , AZ
$ 5,000 to Seattle Public Schools , Seattle , WA
$ 15,000 to Share Our Strength , Washington , DC
$ 15,000 to Sojourner Center , Phoenix , AZ
$ 10,000 to Southern New Hampshire School-to-Careers Partnership , Nashau , NH
$ 10,000 to Tabor Community Services , Lancaster , PA
$ 15,000 to Tree Utah , Salt Lake City , UT
$ 5,600 to US Catholic Conference , Cranston , RI
$ 3,000 to United Way of Central Massachusetts , Worchester , MA
$ 30,000 to University of Kansas at Kansas City , Kansas City , KS Medical Center Research Institute
$ 30,000 to Warren-Conner Development Coalition , Detroit , MI
$ 10,000 to Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation , Milwaukee , WI
$ 5,985 to Women Venture , St. Paul , MN
$ 28,000 to Women's Business Development Center of Connecticut , Stamford , CT
$ 15,000 to Women's Housing & Economic Development Corporation , New York , NY
$ 10,000 to Women's Venture Fund , New York , NY
$ 4,902 to World Learning , Brattleboro , VT
$ 25,000 to World Wildlife Fund, Philippines , Philippines
$ 10,000 to Wyoming Lodging and Restaurant Association Education Foundation , Cheyenne , WY
$ 20,000 to Young Women's Christian Association of the City of New York , New York , NY

Application Procedures::
HOW TO APPLY FOR A GRANT
Sending a Letter of Inquiry

Letter of Inquiry
Inquiries for funding are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the year. While the foundation does welcome innovative ideas and approaches, they seldom support unsolicited requests. Given the large volume of requests that they receive each year, please understand that they are unable to respond personally to all inquiries.

Letters of inquiry (maximum 1-2 pages, no attachments) should include answers to the following questions:

* What is your organization's mission?
* What is the nature of the project for which you are requesting support?
* How does this project fit into our giving themes of Cultural Heritage, Leadership and Community Service?
* What is the proposed timeline for the project?
* What is the project budget and how much will you be requesting from American Express?
* Do you have any other supporters or pending requests for support for this project?
* What are your criteria for evaluating the success of the project?

The giving area for which you are applying (Cultural Heritage, Leadership, Community Service) should be clearly marked on the envelope containing the letter.



WORLDWIDE

American Express Philanthropy
Funding Priority
(Select One: Cultural Heritage, Leadership or Community Service)
3 World Financial Center
Mail code 01-48-04
New York, NY 10285-4804

REGIONAL

Greensboro, North Carolina
American Express Service Center – Greensboro
C/O Community Affairs
Mail Code: NC-06-03-10
7701 Airport Center Drive
Greensboro, NC 27409-9047
Deadlines for Letter of Inquiry: February 1 (for funding Aug-Jan), July 1 (for funding Feb-July)

Greater Phoenix
American Express Company
C/O Community Affairs
Mail Code: AZ-08-01-08
20022 N. 31st Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027
Deadlines for Letter of Inquiry: February 1 (for funding Aug-Jan), July 1 (for funding Feb-July)

South Florida
American Express Company
C/O Community Affairs
Mail Code: FL-05-02-16A
777 American Expressway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33337
Deadlines for Letter of Inquiry: February 1 (for funding Aug-Jan), July 1 (for funding Feb-July)

Salt Lake City, Utah
American Express Company
C/O Community Affairs
Mail Code: UT-02-03-10
4315 South 2700 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84184
Deadlines for Letter of Inquiry: February 1 (for funding Aug-Jan), July 1 (for funding Feb-July)

Grants Paid

1999 ($27,800,000 )

2000 ($29,700,000 )

2001 ($29,800,000 )

2002 ($32,000,000 )

2003 ($28,109,000 )

2005 ($19,693,910 )

2008 ($10,066,849 )

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