Cardinals Charities
/OVERVIEW: Cardinals Charities is an NFL team funder that focuses on education, youth development, public health, and human services in Arizona.
IP TAKE: Whether or not your work is involved with sports, this is a great funder for nonprofits to know in Arizona. Its funding priorities are broadly stated, meaning nonprofits working in a wide range of issue areas may find it worth applying. This funder appears to prefer giving relatively modest grants to a large number of grantees, so its is highly accessible. Education, youth, and human services are still a major focus, but the Cardinals seem to put a lot less priority on athletics-related philanthropy than other Arizona sports teams.
This is not the most transparent funder, as it does not maintain a comprehensive grants database and lists past grants only for the most recent year. It is also difficult to track down any financial reports or tax filings associated with the foundation, so it’s not easy to get a full picture of the foundation’s grantmaking priorities and strategy. It is relatively accessible, as it accepts applications for several of its programs, however it does not appear to make its application guidelines or process publicly available until the grant cycle is open, which may make it difficult to plan ahead. It also does not seem to provide any publicly available contact information for foundation staff or program officers, which may make networking difficult.
PROFILE: Established in 1990, Cardinals Charities is the philanthropic arm of the Arizona Cardinals NFL football team. It seeks “to improve the quality of life and enhance opportunities for children, women, and minorities in the state of Arizona.” The foundation was established to support opportunities for underserved populations in Arizona. Grant seekers can learn more about the history of this franchise and the team’s connection to Arizona here. Cardinals Charities grants are awarded once per year to nonprofits throughout the state. Since inception, this funder has given out millions of dollars to charitable organizations. Foundation guidelines require that at least 75 percent of all funding must be spent within Arizona. The foundation usually awards over 100 grants per year to groups with missions that align with its own. Grantmaking areas of interest are education, youth, health, and human services.
In addition to the foundation grants, there are several community programs affiliated with the Cardinals, including the Community Quarterback Award, Neighborhood Heroes, Arizona Ford Dealers Sacks for Scholarships and the Arizona Cardinals Women’s Club. Various players and coaches have their own ways of giving too. For example, the Larry Fitzgerald’s First Down Fund, established in 2004, supports children and families. Cardinals Coach Bruce Arians and his wife Christine, a longtime family law attorney, established the Arians Family Foundation in 2013 to help abused and neglected children. Patrick Peterson established the Patrick Peterson’s Foundation for Success in 2013 to support low-income and inner-city youth, Drew Stanton’s High 5ive Foundation has been operating since 2008 to support people with disabilities, and the Professional Football Players Mothers Association is a nonprofit corporation made up of mothers to enhance the public perception of their sons. In partnership with Albertsons, Safeway and the University of Phoenix, the Arizona Cardinals’ NFL FLAG program organizes non-contact football leagues for kids between the ages of five and 17.
Grants for Education and Youth
Much of the Cardinals’ giving goes to support children and youth development in Arizona. It funds school programs, after-school activities, literacy, leadership and mentorship, arts and music education, education-related nonprofits, and nonprofits seeking to expand access to athletic programs and other activities for underserved students. Past grantees in this area include Anytown Leadership Program, Arizona Science Center, Phoenix Children’s Chorus, Young Arts Arizona, Educare Arizona, Brighter Way Institute, Playworks Education Energized, and Dress for Success Phoenix.
Grants for Economic Opportunity and Public Health
The Cardinals’ Charities broadly fund health and human services in its giving region, including hospitals, clinics, homeless shelters, women’s shelters, food banks, and nonprofits providing resources to promote economic opportunity for the underserved. Grantees include Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA, Benson Area Food Bank, Boys and Girls clubs, Duet: Partners in Health & Aging, and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, Phoenix Boys Choir, and St. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic.
IMPORTANT GRANT DETAILS:
Foundation grants tend to range from $10,000 to $50,000. Learn more about the funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records or list of recent grantees.
Grantmaking is typically limited to groups that operate in and serve Arizona communities.
Cardinals’ Charities hold one grant cycle per year. The submission portal typically opens in early April, with deadlines in June or July. Guidelines and application details are not typically provided until the grant cycle is reopened.
Grantseekers may only submit one application per year, but may reapply each year.
At least 75% of funding received must be spent within the state of Arizona.
Direct general questions to the staff at askquestions@cardinals.nfl.net. The general phone number for the Cardinals is 800-999-1402.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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