Joseph Robert Foundation Grant

Joseph Robert Foundation Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Joseph Robert Foundation
Amount: Up to US $10,000
Last Updated: September 15, 2025

Summary

The Joseph Robert Foundation Grant provides essential funding for non-profit organizations focused on the arts, animal welfare, and environmental protection. Based in Pennsylvania, the foundation prioritizes smaller local organizations in the mid-Atlantic region, offering grants typically under $10,000. It encourages innovative projects and supports first-time grant seekers, prioritizing those with limited resources. Organizations can apply for general operating support or specific project funding to further their missions and impact their communities.

Overview

Note: The first step for any potential grant recipient will be the submission of a letter of interest. Applicants who are asked to submit full applications will have an additional 30 days (dated from the date of their preliminary acceptance letter) to submit the full application. Mission The Joseph Robert Foundation is a small Pennsylvania private foundation whose primary purposes are to provide financial support for the arts, animal welfare, and the environment. Our main geographic focus is the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., but in special cases we may provide support to organizations located outside this area. We are interested in awarding grants to non-profit organizations addressing significant issues of interest to our Board. We are especially interested in supporting smaller, local organizations that have fewer resources and more limited objectives, although we may also help fund regional or national organizations having specific program or project objectives. Both general operating and project/program support is available. We welcome first-time grant seekers, support applications from prior grant recipients, and reach out to find eligible organizations that share our goals and interests. What We Fund Arts We believe strongly in the power of the arts to transform both individuals and communities and are committed to reinforcing the importance of the arts as a vital component of our culture. In challenging political times such as these, the role of the arts is too often overlooked, or even denigrated. We want to play our part in asserting the value of the arts by encouraging artists to take risks, explore new possibilities, and reach out to both new and familiar audiences. By nurturing creativity and innovative thinking, we can help artists make an impact on the world around them. While we are supportive of all forms of creative expression, the interests of the Foundation are primarily in the visual arts. We will also look favorably upon interdisciplinary projects/programs with a visual arts component, or an arts program/project that would further the goals of either of the other of the Foundation’s areas of interest. Animal Welfare The plight and circumstances of animals, whether domestic, farm or wild, are areas of deep concern to the Foundation. We are interested in rescuing, protecting, rehabilitating, and providing homes and sanctuaries for the non-human inhabitants of this planet. We are especially interested in helping organizations that identify and provide resources for animal populations in underserved communities. We are also interested in helping with programs that train and educate wildlife rehabilitators and other animal rescue workers. Environment and Sustainable Resources Management With ever increasing attacks on the environment and environmental protection, it is critically important to protect and preserve our natural resources, open lands, forests, oceans, waterways, watersheds, and green spaces. The Joseph Robert Foundation is primarily interested in supporting smaller, local organizations that can have a direct impact on their communities, whether through education or through sustainability projects. We may also be interested in contributing to larger organizations that provide essential services to protect and safeguard the environment from threats of all natures. Grant Period The normal grant period will be one year, starting from the date the award has been granted. When appropriate, grantees may reapply for Joseph Robert Foundation funding upon the submission of a final report at the end of the funding period. Grant Amount Most grant awards to organizations will be under $10,000. First-time grant awards will be limited to $5,000 or less, unless there are compelling circumstances. Determination of the grant amount will be made based on organizational and/or program/project budgets, scope of proposal, organizational qualifications, and overall application quality. Grants to individuals will be limited to $2,000 or less, with sources of matching and in-kind funds considered. Grant Type Organizations may apply for general operating (GO) and/or program/project funds, but larger organizations are limited to applying for program/project funding. Individual applicants may only apply for project funds.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Organizations: 501 (c) 3 public charitable organizations whose purposes, programs or projects fits within the mission of the Joseph Robert Foundation are eligible to apply. Emerging not-for-profit organizations that do not have their 501 (c) 3 designation may apply through a fiscal conduit.Organizations that have been prior recipients of JRF funding may re-apply for future grant periods.Organizations must be located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U. S.: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.Arts: We provide program, project, or general operating support to non-profit organizations that promote/conduct innovative, experimental, community and/or public art programming, primarily in the visual arts.We support exhibitions that provide opportunities for emerging or under-recognized artists.We also support interdisciplinary or collaborative programming that includes a visual arts component.Animal Welfare:We provide program support and general operating support to animal welfare organizations, including, but not limited to, no-kill shelters, sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitation centers, animal adoption centers, and animal protection organizations.Environment and Sustainable Resources Management:We provide program, research, training and education, and general operating support to environmental organizations that promote sustainable resources management and innovative solutions to environmental problems. We support programs and projects that work to protect the environment by addressing climate change, pollution, and the use of land and water resources. We support community-based educational environmental initiatives, as well as community-based projects that enhance the quality of urban life through the development of parks and other environmental endeavors.Visual artists: Visual artists over the age of 18 who are not full-time students can apply for a limited number of grants for projects that promote their non-academic professional development.We provide limited support to eligible individual artists. Grant requests may be made for the following:Fees associated with non-academic artist residencies or other non-academic professional or skill development opportunities.Supplemental support for artists invited to participate in professional exhibitions, including travel, transportation, and fabrication and/or technical assistance.