Joseph Robert Foundation Grant

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.

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.
We are interested in awarding grants to non-profit organizations addressing significant issues of interest to our Board.
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.
Arts
In challenging political times such as these, the role of the arts is too often overlooked, or even denigrated.
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 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
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

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.