Grant Guidelines

The U.S. Bancorp Foundation giving program is designed to respect the diversity of our communities. We are actively involved in our communities, partnering with local nonprofits to meet specific needs within each community.

Within our funding guidelines, we consider grant requests without regard to race, gender, disability, religion, ethnicity, age or sexual orientation. While The U.S. Bancorp Foundation generously funds many nonprofit organizations in our communities, it is impossible to fund every request received.

Mission

U.S. Bancorp contributes to the strength and vitality of our communities through the Foundation charitable contributions program. We seek to build strong partnerships and lasting value in our communities by supporting organizations that:

• improve the educational and economic opportunities of low- and moderate-income individuals and families
• enhance the cultural and artistic life of the communities in which we live and work

General Guidelines

Through the U.S. Bancorp Foundation, we support organizations and programs that advance the funding priorities described under the "Funding Priorities" section below and that are located in a community with a U.S. Bank office.

Organizations must have tax-exempt status under IRS section 501(c)(3).

Types of Support

Within these general guidelines, we consider the following requests:

Unrestricted General Operating Support
We consider unrestricted general operating support requests from organizations that:

• deliver effective programs with measurable outcomes in response to community needs
• are financially stable
• receive and provide strong leadership
• collaborate to maximize effectiveness
• involve constituents in planning

Program Support
We consider requests to support programs that are highly effective or innovative and do not duplicate other programs or services.

Capital Support
We consider a small number of requests for capital support from organizations that meet all other funding criteria and with which we have a pre-existing relationship. We do not make lead gifts, and grants generally do not exceed one percent of the campaign contribution goal.

Contributions of Equipment and Property
U.S. Bancorp provides occasional in-kind contributions of miscellaneous office equipment and property when available. For information about available items, contact the charitable contributions contact in your local area.

Funding Priorities

Economic Opportunity
Through the U.S. Bancorp Foundation, we support the creation of economic opportunity through grants to organizations that provide affordable housing, encourage self-sufficiency, and assist economic development.

	Affordable Housing We support: organizations that support the preservation, rehabilitation and construction of quality affordable housing that assists low- and moderate-income populations programs that provide home buyer counseling and related economic education to individuals and families with low and moderate incomes
	Self-Sufficiency We support: programs that assist low- and moderate-income individuals in development of work and life skills essential to self-sufficiency, with a focus on work-entry programs, specific skills training, employment retention, and personal financial management training broad child-care and transportation initiatives designed to help people transition from welfare to work (no funding is provided for direct service providers or individual child-care providers
	Economic Development In low- and moderate-income areas, we fund programs that support small business development and expansion, commercial revitalization, and job creation.

Education
We support:

• innovative programs that help low-income and at-risk students succeed in school and prepare for post-secondary education

• financial literacy training

• effective mentoring programs

Priority is given to programs that reach a broad number of students, bring together community resources, support curriculum innovation, and can, if successful, be replicated.

Cultural and Artistic Enrichment
We fund organizations and programs that:

• build audiences for the arts, especially among underserved populations

• bring select and limited civic amenities to underserved, rural communities

• promote the arts in education

Human Services
U.S. Bancorp supports the United Way as an effective means of meeting human service needs. Organizations receiving primary funding support from a United Way organization are not eligible for a direct grant from the U.S. Bancorp Foundation.

Employee Community Involvement

U.S. Bancorp is committed to working in partnership with our employees to strengthen the community. We consider employee involvement in evaluating contribution requests, and we support volunteer involvement programs for employees in our communities.

U.S. Bancorp Foundation Matching Gifts Program
The U.S. Bancorp Foundation matches qualifying contributions of cash and stock made by U.S. Bancorp employees to nonprofit organizations or higher education institutions on a dollar-for-dollar basis from a minimum of $50 up to an annual maximum of $1,000.

Funding Restrictions
The U.S. Bancorp Foundation charitable contributions program will not provide funding for:

• organizations that are not tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3)
• fraternal organizations, merchant associations, chamber memberships or programs, or 501(c)(4) or (6) organizations
• section 509(a)(3) supporting organizations
• fundraising events or sponsorships
• "pass through" organizations or private foundations
• organizations outside U.S. Bancorp communities
• programs operated by religious organizations for religious purposes
• political organizations or organizations designed primarily to lobby
• individuals
• travel and related expenses
• endowment campaigns
• deficit reduction
• organizations receiving primary funding from United Way
• organizations whose practices are not in keeping with the company's equal opportunity policy

Click here to complete our grant application.

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