Alabama Power Foundation
/OVERVIEW: This corporate funder supports STEM programs, workforce development, conservation education and early childhood education in Alabama. It also supports arts and culture, health and human services and community life programs statewide.
IP TAKE: There are many funding programs for grant seekers to consider with this corporate funder, so it is worthwhile to take some time getting to know them. Grantseekers are advised to read through this funder’s several grantmaking opportunities before reaching out with requests. Overall, this is a relatively accessible corporate funder that limits its giving to the state of Alabama.
PROFILE: The Alabama Power Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Alabama Power Company, an electric company headquartered in Birmingham. It seeks to use its “energy and resources to spread the power of good.” This corporate foundation was established in 1989 and has made over $180 million in grants in Alabama since then. The foundation was created with funds donated by Alabama Power shareholders and additional donations.
This is a funder concerned with improving education through STEM programs, workforce development, conservation education and early childhood education. Alabama Power Foundation grants have helped create over 90 education programs in the state. Overall, it has five funding areas: education, arts and culture, environment, health and human services and community life. Poverty and education are its biggest giving areas.
One of the foundation’s largest grantmaking programs is Elevate, which has made grants of $5,000 and $10,000 for capital development and operational support to Alabama nonprofits, along with workshops to help nonprofits grow and expand their impact. Elevate has an annual conference for nonprofits to network, as well.
The foundation’s Students to Stewards grant program awards conservation education grants to schools in Alabama. Curriculum grants have been awarded for these yearly grants. The pre-K demographic is of particular interest to this foundation, which makes $10,000 grants to First Class Pre-K classrooms for materials.
Through its Power to Play program, the Alabama Power Foundation has awarded grants to high school arts and athletics programs. It started as an athletics-focused program, and in 2016, expanded to include the arts.
Good Roots is a foundation program that provides up to $1,000 per grant to plant trees around the state. In a recent year, the foundation gave out 38 of these grants, totaling over $32,000.
The Alabama Power Foundation also runs several smaller grantmaking and scholarship programs including its Foundation, Classroom, Gateway, Scholar and Champion programs. Application eligibility, guidelines and due dates vary by program.
Past grantees include organizations like Girls Inc., Alabama State University, Montgomery Habitat for Humanity, Alabama Ballet and the Freshwater Land Trust. Each year, this foundation supports more than 700 community organizations. For additional information about past grants, see the foundation’s recent annual reports. A full list of grantee partners is available here. Grant seekers should see the Foundation Grant page to learn more about current focus areas, restrictions, application instructions and deadlines. In the past, deadlines have fallen in February, April, August and October.
In addition to grantmaking, this power company encourages its employees and retirees to put in volunteer hours to make Alabama a better place to live. Its ABC Trust Fund has also paid energy bills for more than 100,000 households over the past 11 years. Grant seekers can learn more about this foundation and its affiliated company in the Power of Good magazine, reading its blog or by signing up for its quarterly newsletter.
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