McGowan Charitable Fund Grants

The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund provides grants focusing on Education, Human Services, and Healthcare initiatives. The fund prioritizes programs with measurable outcomes that aim to alleviate poverty and suffering. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits and align with the fund's mission to create sustainable change. Applications are accepted by invitation only in specific regions, with a rolling deadline. The fund seeks collaborative efforts to maximize impact across its program areas.

NOTE: No Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is required if you have received funding within the past three years and still meet our general rules of eligibility. (If funding from the McGowan Fund was received more than three years ago, you must go through the LOI process.)
Letters of Inquiry and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. To be considered during a specific grant cycle, your LOI or application must be received by 11:59 p.m. CT on the deadline date.
If a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, LOIs and applications may be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on the following business day.
Please see eligibility. * By invitation only. If your organization is located in one of these regions, you are only eligible to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) with an invitation. Invitations cannot be solicited.
McGowan Charitable Fund brings our vision to life through grant-making efforts in three program areas: Education, Human Services, and Healthcare initiatives.
We look for funding opportunities that share our philosophy and explore the possibility of joint projects with other nonprofit organizations.
Funding Focus
The Fund puts an emphasis on the building blocks that adults and children need to flourish. While many community efforts are important and enriching—including the arts, animal welfare, and civic life—the programs that are most likely to receive our support hone to our mission and vision of addressing the roots of poverty. In our community grantmaking, we look toward programs that address immediate needs and those that reach for long-term impact in the lives of vulnerable families and individuals.
Education Initiatives
Education makes all the difference. It is the most powerful point of departure for children struggling with poverty, community disruption, family stress, or failure. It’s the prerequisite for most long-lived careers that provide sustainable wages.
Through our grant-making in five geographic regions, the McGowan Fund focuses on innovative programs that show measurable improvement in addressing achievement gaps, improving teaching and learning, and reducing disparities among students.
Areas of support in this initiative include:

• Out-of-school Programs
• Charter, faith-based, and alternative schools
• Scholarships for high potential students in private education.
• Human Services Initiatives

The cycles of poverty and homelessness can seem intractable. Homelessness decreases access to food, health, and work and this limited availability in turn hinders access to long-term housing. Recognizing the complexity and dependencies of the problem, the Fund focuses on projects that address basic human needs and stabilize individuals and families.
Areas of support in this initiative include:

• Stabilized Housing
• Food/Clothing Security

Adult Education (e.g. ESL, Financial Literacy, GED Attainment)
Healthcare Initiatives
Lack of healthcare can be a barrier to work, education, and a family’s mobility out of poverty. We fund programs that seek to remove this barrier by providing quality care to those who may not have other care options.
Areas of support in this initiative include:

• Primary Care
• Dental/Vision
• Mental Health Services
• Pharmacy

Eligibility

You are a 501 (c ) (3)Your work addresses our goalsYou are applying for either program or operations supportYou work in:Colorado (By invitation only)Eagle CountyKansas/Missouri (By invitation only**)Jackson County (MO)
Steuben County
Ontario CountyPennsylvania (Grant requests focused on Food Insecurity in this region are only eligible to submit a Letter of Inquiry following an invitation. Invitations cannot be solicited.)Lackawanna County
Luzerne CountyChicago (By invitation only**)Neighborhoods of Austin and North Lawndale*By invitation only. If your organization is located in one of these regions, you are only eligible to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) with an invitation. Invitations cannot be solicited.