OVERVIEW: The Annie E. Casey Foundation supports child welfare, community change and development, economic opportunity and juvenile justice nationally.
IP TAKE: The Annie E. Casey Foundation, part of the Casey Philanthropies, is a major grantmaker focused on the well-being of children and families. With about $2.5 billion in assets, Casey is well known in the philanthrosphere for its extensive national grantmaking to help kids and families move out of poverty. As IP has reported, Casey has expanded its footprint with a “growing commitment” to the U.S. South and Southeast, and the foundation is involved in several substantial collaborative efforts in these regions, including public-private partnerships and public policy advocacy. Indeed, Casey has emerged as a philanthropic leader in the public policy and research space, and characterizes its grantmaking as “very selective,” with an eye toward impact, evidence and data. It also makes impact investments and supports leadership development initiatives.
The “vast majority” of Casey’s grants are by invitation only. While the foundation is transparent, with detailed financial information available online, grantseekers should note that Casey’s website states, “there is no avenue for organizations to request an invite for future grant consideration,” and openly discourages questions about grant opportunities on its contact page.
PROFILE: The Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) was founded in 1948 by Jim Casey, a founder of the United Parcel Service, with his siblings. Based in Baltimore, Maryland, the foundation was named for Casey’s mother and maintains its original purpose of “developing a brighter future for millions of children at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes.” The foundation’s yearly grantmaking has recently surpassed $100 million. Grantmaking is limited to the U.S. and its territories, and the foundation names 11 strategies for its giving and engagement that center around child welfare, economic and community development and criminal justice reform.
Grants for Early Childhood, K-12 Education, Public Health and Mental Health
A majority of Casey’s grantmaking centers on the well-being of children. This funder takes a whole-child approach to its work, focusing on physical and mental health, as well as educational opportunity, family functioning, safety and more. The following grantmaking strategies focus on improving the lives of underserved and vulnerable children in the U.S.
- The foundation’s Child Welfare focus area is its largest and works broadly to ensure “that children grow up in families and get the help they need to heal, build lasting family relationships and reach their full potential.”
- The foundation’s in-house Family Well-being Strategy Group provides research-based consulting services to child welfare agencies.
- The Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative supports the development of policy at the national, state and local level that “meet[s] the needs of young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood.”
- The Foundation’s signature KIDS COUNT program conducts research and evaluation to support policymakers and legislators with “reliable data, policy recommendations and tools to advance policies that benefit children.”
- AECF’s Leadership Development program runs the Children and Family Fellowship for “outstanding executives who can steer and influence organizations serving children and families” and Results Count, which supports organizations and agencies working with children move from “intention to action” with research-based best strategies.
- A separate program for Research and Evidence supports research “on ideas and programs that work” as well as programs that replicate and scale successful strategies and interventions across the U.S.
- The foundation’s grantee partners in its child welfare work include Child Trends, the Foundation for Educational Excellence, Prevent Child Abuse America and the Partnership for America’s Children.
Grants for Community Development, Housing, Racial Justice, Work and Opportunity
Adjacent to its work in the child development sphere, AECF supports initiatives for community development and inclusive economic opportunity as they relate to the wellbeing of children and families.
- A focus area for Community Change focuses on “improving the neighborhoods where young people and their families live.”
- A significant portion of this grantmaking targets Baltimore, where the foundation is based, and Atlanta, where UPS is based.
- The Evidence2Success strategy involves communities directly in “assessing and improving the well-being of children and young people” in the contexts of where they live, learn and play.
- The Economic Opportunity program supports programs that help parents develop financial stability to “support their children’s healthy development and academic success.”
- A subprogram for Financial Well-Being targets initiatives for financial literacy, debt reduction, equitable access to banking and the improvement of consumer protections.
- A separate program area for Work, Education and Income invests in initiatives for career development, including vocational training, education, counseling and job placement.
- A newer focus area for Equity and Inclusion aims to support policy leaders and other stakeholders with “tools and resources to advance equitable opportunities for all children, families and communities, regardless of their skin color or community of residence.”
- The foundation also makes Impact Investments for affordable housing and economic opportunity for low-income and vulnerable families.
- Grant recipients in these areas include the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Association of Community College Trustees, the Baltimore Civic Fund and New America, a think-tank focused on economic opportunity and progressive policy.
Grants for Criminal Justice Reform
The Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Justice program works to “ensure that young people exposed to the legal system can realize their potential, even when they make mistakes and violate the law in serious ways.”
- A subprogram for Diversion and Prevention supports the advancement of “support, services and opportunities” that help vulnerable young people “navigate adolescence” and avoid involvement in the justice system.
The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative is a network of practitioners and other professionals who work together to advance “policies and practices” that keep justice-involved youth “safe and on track for long-term success.” The program conducts its work through a racial equity lens, acknowledging “the glaring overrepresentation of youth of color in the justice system.”
- Probation Transformation refers to the foundation’s support for initiatives that aim to transform probationary practices from punitive to responses that are “more developmentally appropriate” for young people.
The foundation’s Reducing Youth Incarceration focus area analyzes data from successful youth initiatives and uses evidence-based best practices to inform policy and legislation to “reduce the number of youth placed into correctional institutions and other residential facilities.”
Important Grant Details:
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s grants range from $50,000 to several million, although most grants stay under $500,000.
- Casey’s grantees tend to be large and highly reputable organizations, and it supports organizations working directly with youth and families, as well as organizations involved in research and policy development.
- This funder works closely with its grantees to conduct research, analyze data and share best practices with the broader child development community.
- Casey’s giving is limited to the U.S. and territories. Baltimore and Atlanta are areas of priority.
- The Annie E. Casey Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or requests for funding and will not respond to proposals or letters of inquiry.
- Additional information is available in the foundation’s blog.
- Contact the Annie E. Casey Foundation via its contact page or by phone at (410) 547-6600.
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