OVERVIEW: The Palmer Foundation names WASH initiatives and career education as its main areas of grantmaking focus. It also supports small arts organizations.
IP TAKE: Although the D.C.-based Palmer Foundation names WASH as an area of focus, its recent global development grantmaking has been much broader in scope. The foundation’s other main areas of giving are career education and the arts. This funder does not name geographic priorities, but appears to prioritize organizations in Illinois, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida and Washington, D.C.
The Palmer Foundation is not accessible or approachable, but organizations might reach out via email or phone to introduce relevant ideas or projects.
PROFILE: Rogers and Mary Palmer founded the Palmer Foundation in 1990. Based in Washington, D.C., the foundation supported the arts, education and health in its early years. Since then, the Palmer Foundation has named water access, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and career education as its main areas of focus, but a significant portion of funding continues to support the arts. This funder does not name geographic priorities but tends to give to organizations operating in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Illinois, Florida and Washington, D.C.
Grants for Global Development and Global Health
The Palmer Foundation names WASH as an area of grantmaking interest, but its global development grantmaking is actually much broader in scope. One past grantee, the African Library Project, supported the participation of teachers from Ghana in an educational conference. Another past global grantee is the Asante Mariamu Foundation, which organizes sewing cooperatives for women affected by albinism in East Africa. Other grantees include large global nonprofits Habitat for Humanity International, Doctors without Borders and Save the Children.
Grants for Work and Opportunity
The Palmer Foundation supports organizations, schools and institutions that help young people develop career skills and job training. The foundation does not outline specific goals for its grantmaking in this area. Past grantees in this area include the Boys and Girls Club of the Sand Hill in North Carolina, the Sandhills Community College and Milwaukee’s Cardinal Stritch University.
Grants for Arts and Culture
Although it is not named as a grantmaking priority, a significant portion of the Palmer Foundation’s grantmaking supports arts and culture organizations. In Wisconsin, the foundation has given to the Kemper Center, the Birch Creek Music Center and Write On, Door County, a creative writing program for writers of all ages and levels of experience. In Illinois, the foundation has provided ongoing support to the Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra.
Important Grant Details:
The Palmer Foundation makes about $500,000 in grants each year. Recent grants have ranged from $5,000 to $85,000, with an average grant size of about $15,000. This funder supports organizations of all sizes and appears to prioritize the states Illinois, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, as well as Washington, D.C. For additional information about past grants, see the foundations grantees page or its recent tax filings.
The Palmer Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications but can be reached via email or telephone at (202) 595-1020.
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