OVERVIEW: The Albertsons Companies Foundation funds K-12 education, hunger, public health, diseases and veterans causes. This funder works in areas of the United States that are served by its twelve supermarket chains.
IP TAKE: This is a great funder for grassroots and local, community-led organizations to know in its geographic areas of priority. Much of its philanthropy is conducted through partnerships and store-sponsored fund-raising events, so your organization will need to reach out to local chains. This funder is accessible and accepts applications on an ongoing basis through its online portal, but networking with local store management will likely be key.
PROFILE: The Albertsons Companies Foundation represents the philanthropic arms of the 17 Albertsons supermarket chains: Acme, Albertsons, Amigos, Balducci’s, Carrs, Haggen, Jewil Osco, Kings, Market Street, Pavillions, Randalls, Safeway, Shaws, Star, Tom Thumb, United Supermarkets and Vons. The foundation is headquartered in Pleasanton, California, with satellite offices at the headquarters of each supermarket chain. It aims to improve the lives of people in the areas served by its retail food stores, which operate in 35 states and the District of Columbia. On the national level, the foundation works to eradicate hunger via its Nourishing Neighbors program. Albertsons also makes grants at the local level for education and community needs.
Grants for Food and Nutrition
The Albertsons Companies Foundation’s signature Nourishing Neighbors program focuses on “reducing food insecurity at a local level so all our neighbors thrive.”
- The program prioritizes vulnerable people in areas served by grocery chains under the Albertsons umbrella.
- The program pledged $9 million to support innovative initiatives to “tackle the root causes of hunger.”
- Nourishing Neighbors has provided “over 40 million meals to our neighbors in need.”
- In addition to food, the program provides giftcards to food insecure families and connects people to SNAP and WIC benefits.
- Food systems grants have supported Northwest Harvest, No Kid Hungry, Food in Need of Distribution and Feeding Feasible Feasts and many local food banks.
Grants for Housing, Homelessness and Community Development
In tandem with its grantmaking for hunger, the foundation makes grants for housing, shelter and human services for homeless and vulnerable people. Grantees include Chicago’s Misericordia Foundation, the United Way of the Bay Area, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Phoenix and the Salvation Army of Philadelphia among others.
Grants for Public Health and Diseases
The Albertsons Companies Foundation does not name specific goals for its health giving, but gives substantially to hospitals and other health organizations in areas where its supermarkets operate.
- Children’s health appears to be an area of primary interest. Grantees include the Children’s Hospital Corporation of Boston, the Seattle Children’s Hospital, Lurie Children’s Hospital in Children’s Hospital in Chicago and Alex’s Lemonade State Foundation for Childhood Cancer.
- Cancer is another area of interest. Funding has gone to Pennsylvania’s Bringing Hope Home, the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance and San Francisco’s Hair to Stay, which works to end “chemo-induced hair loss.”
- Other health grants have supported the Quantum Leap Health Care Collaborative of San Francisco, the American Heart Association and Oregon’s Providence Portland Medical Foundation.
Grants for K-12 and Higher Education
Albertsons’s gives broadly for education in areas where its stores operate:
- Funding for higher education has gone to the University of Washington, the College of Idaho, George Washington University and Oregon State University.
- K-12 grantees include the Chicago Jesuit Academy, the Education Foundation of Meridian, Idaho and Back 2 School America.
- The foundation also supports opportunities for out-of-school learning. Recipients include Chicago’s By the Hand Club for Kids and several local chapters of Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater in places including Houston, Maui and Portland, Oregon.
Grants for Disabilities
Services and programs for people with disabilities is a smaller giving area for Albertsons, but grants steadily support local Special Olympics programs as well as special education, housing and accommodations for disabled people of all ages.
In addition to several regional Special Olympics programs, the foundation has supported Best Buddies International, Easterseals of Northern California and Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from about $5,000 to $5 million, although most grants stay below $500,000.
- In a recent year, a significant portion of Albertsons giving was directed toward the Social Good Fund and Northwest Harvest.
- This funder has made over 500 grants in a single year to organization’s of every size.
- The foundation accepts grant applications at any time via its online application portal but strongly recommends that applicants find an employee sponsor at an affiliated store.
- For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s tax filings.
This funder does not provide a direct way to get in touch, but grantseekers may reach out to local stores to discuss opportunities. The foundation’s phone number is listed as (925) 226-5121.
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