Grant Guidelines

Since 2009, the Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation has been providing grants to nonprofit organizations in the Birmingham community, the Black Belt, and the state as a whole to support a variety of programs. From education to the environment, from the cultural arts to neighborhood revitalization, the Foundation has distributed over $37,000,000 in grants to over 260 organizations whose work we are proud to support.

Our Impact Region

Grants from the Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation are made to support programs that impact:

  • The Birmingham metro area;
  • Dallas, Greene, Hale, Perry and Sumter Counties of the Black Belt Region in Alabama;
  • The State of Alabama as a whole, through influencing policy change at the state level.

Our Focus Areas

The Foundation focuses its grantmaking in 5 program areas, investing in programs geared toward achieving specific results in these focus areas.

  • Education
  • Neighborhood Revitalization
  • The Environment and Green Spaces
  • The Arts and Culture
  • Positioning Strategic Community Assets

The Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation provides funding in amounts ranging from twenty-five hundred dollars up to one million dollars for program and operating support as well as for capital campaign needs:

  • Program grants of up to $30,000 to support a specific program.
  • Operating grants of any amount may be applied for in up to three year increments with an annual review. Our goal is to help our grantees focus more on their missions and less on application cycles.
  • Capital Campaign grants of any amount will be considered throughout the year.

Applications must be submitted by February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 for consideration at the following quarterly board meeting. Grant applications pertaining to the Black Belt Region must be submitted by January 16 and July 16 for consideration at the next quarterly board meeting.

Grants are not made:

  • to individuals;
  • for scholarships or individual awards;
  • to individual school classrooms;
  • to private schools;
  • for mission trips or ambassador programs;
  • for individual school programs;
  • for health-related research;
  • to support fundraising events that are not 100% deductible for charitable purposes.

Grants to faith-based organizations may be made to support programs that strongly address the focus areas.