ECMC Foundation: Grants & Investments

ECMC Foundation: Grants & Investments

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: ECMC Foundation
Last Updated: March 22, 2026

Summary

The ECMC Foundation focuses on eliminating equity gaps in postsecondary education by 2040 through strategic grantmaking and investments. They support organizations aiming to remove barriers to completion, build institutional capacity, and transform the postsecondary ecosystem. Eligible entities include nonprofit organizations, government entities, and postsecondary institutions. However, funding is not available for personal scholarships, political activities, or projects outside the U.S. that do not align with the Foundation's mission of diversity and inclusion.

Overview

NOTE: ECMC Foundation accepts and reviews Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) via our online system on a rolling basis. All LOIs must demonstrate how the project-based concept fits within one of our three strategic priorities to improve postsecondary persistence and degree completion. (For your convenience you can preview the form template here.) Who We Are Since our establishment, ECMC Foundation has supported student success in postsecondary education. The Foundation’s mission is to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. The Foundation uses strategic grantmaking and program-related investments to support nonprofit and for-profit ventures. In pursuit of systems change, we focus on three strategic priorities: removing barriers to postsecondary completion; building the capacity of organizations, institutions and systems; and transforming the postsecondary ecosystem. Founded as the charitable giving arm of ECMC Group, the Foundation is a national organization with offices located across the United States in Los Angeles, CA, Minneapolis, MN, and Washington, D.C.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. What types of organizations are eligible to receive funding?Nonprofit organizations registered as a U.S. 501(c)(3) or a 509(a)(1), (2) or (3) of the Internal Revenue CodeGovernment entitiesPostsecondary institutions and systems or their affiliated and supporting foundations

Ineligibility

What types of requests are ineligible for funding?Solicitations from individuals and/or requests for scholarships Appeals to support endowment funds, political activities and lobbying, capital campaigns or fundraising activities Applications from entities or for projects outside the United States (We only make grants in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and to sovereign tribes) Requests from organizations that operate in ways that are inconsistent with ECMC Foundation’s mission.What projects are generally not funded?Efforts to support K-12 students and/or youth development programming, including but not limited to college access, summer bridge and general career preparationProjects impacting a limited number of students, seeking resources for scholarships, or failing to primarily serve students from underserved backgrounds (e.g., students of color, students from low-income households, adult learners)Requests for ongoing program or general operating supportTrainings offering industry-recognized credentials with no connection to accredited programs conferring academic credentials Programs to support adult basic education or help students obtain a General Educational Development (GED) credential or high school equivalency diplomaJob placement services or internship programs without a direct connection to postsecondary persistence and degree completionSponsorships for conferences and other events hosted by organizations not already affiliated with ECMC Foundation.