OVERVIEW: The Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons and his wife, Renee, who support medical, education, veterans, homelessness, youth and American dream causes in Phoenix.
IP TAKE: Although relatively new on the grantmaking scene, the Parsons Foundation has already set its sights on supporting the Greater Phoenix area, giving more than $10 million annually. Take the online eligibility quiz to see if your organization qualifies for funding and submit a letter of interest. The Parsons Foundation will reach out to select applicants for full proposals.
PROFILE: Established in 2012, the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation is the foundation of GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons and his wife, Renee. Parsons grew up "poor as a church mouse" in inner-city Baltimore. He struggled in school but credits his service in the Marine Corps in Vietnam with turning his life around. He later started Parsons Technology, which was sold to Intuit for $64 million. Three years later, Parsons founded Internet domain registrar and web hosting company GoDaddy, where he served as executive chairman before stepping down in the summer of 2014. The Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation seeks to “inspire hope by providing critical funding at critical times to communities striving to make a difference.” Grantmaking areas of interest are youth and education, health and home, military and first responders and “the American dream,” an initiative for higher education and career skills.
Parsons and Renee have given to a number of different human services organizations for children and adults in Phoenix and throughout the state of Arizona. The foundation has provided large support for the Make a Wish Foundation of Arizona and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix. The couple has also supported Mission of Mercy, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse, Maggies Place Arizona Shelter, UMOM New Day Centers and the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation in Phoenix. Given Parsons' military background, the foundation has also supported veterans and public safety officers. Past money has gone to the 100 Club of Arizona to provide financial assistance to families of public safety officers and firefighters. Money has also gone to Roots for Our Troops and the Joe Foss Institute. In health, the foundation has supported the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS, the Community Dental Foundation and the Phoenix Children's Hospital. On the education front, the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation issued a fundraising challenge for Teach for America–Phoenix.
In a recent year, this foundation made about $23 million in grants. Parsons grants range from $2,000 to $5 million. Review the funder’s grants page to learn more about past grant funding. Funding is largely restricted to the Phoenix area of Arizona, but it awards grants in Hawaii, elsewhere in the U.S., and in Haiti occasionally as well.
The foundation accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry from nonprofits who pass an eligibility quiz. It may take up to three months for the foundation to review new inquires and formally invite nonprofits to apply for grants. Direct general questions to the staff at info@tbrpf.org.
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