The Abelard Foundation East supports nonprofit organizations located east of the Mississippi River.
The Foundation is committed to supporting local progressive social change activities that expand and protect civil liberties and civil and human rights, and promote and strengthen community involvement in, and control over, the decisions that affect their lives.
The Foundation does not focus on any issues in particular, e.g., housing, health, the environment, or education, etc. Rather, grantees are involved in a broad range of issues which involve the question of civil and human rights.
The constituents of the Foundation's grantees are poor and low-income people seeking to affirm their civil or human rights. These include the disenfranchised, immigrants, workers, people of color, the disabled, etc.
Funded organizations use the strategy of community organizing as they work toward the goal of a more democratic, just, and equitable society.
The Foundation primarily supports local organizations. Certain state and regional efforts are considered if they have a strong local membership base.
Priority is given to projects that are in their first years of development and have budgets less than $350,000.
Types of support include general operating and project support.
Grants are not provided to/for:
- international organizations and organizations located outside of the U.S.;
- direct social services;
- government agencies or programs undertaken by tax-supported institutions or government initiatives;
- programs which are solely educational, training, or technical assistance in nature;
- capital expenditures, endowments, construction, or renovation programs;
- emergency funding;
- scholarship funds or other aid to individuals;
- schools or educational institutions;
- cultural institutions;
- medical institutions;
- film, video, publications, or other media projects;
- grantmaking institutions;
- large national or regional networks;
- research or fellowships; or,
- organizations with access to traditional or mainstream funding.