General Grants – Application Criteria

In order to qualify for funding, an organization must have 501(c)(3) non-profit status through the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and be qualified to receive deductible charitable contributions. Organizations must have been incorporated for a minimum of three years prior to application. If you have received a WHO Foundation grant in the past, please wait three years before applying again. Preference will be given to organizations with an operating budget of $3 million or less, those not dependent upon government grants, and those with greater organizational program costs than personnel costs.


Funding requests must be made using the WHO Foundation application. Electronic and faxed submissions will not be accepted. No videos or phone calls, please.


Funding will be considered for grass-roots charities with:

• Total organization budget of $3 million or less
• Government funding total of less than 30% of income
• United Way funding of less than 30% of income
• Salaries / wages and benefits not more than 50 % of budget

To ensure that our limited grants are given to those grass-roots charities as described above, please do not apply if the following list pertains to your organization.

We only fund certified 501(c)(3) organization and do not fund the following types of organization, activities or purposes:

• Personal requests, loans or scholarships to individuals
• Educational institutions
• Endowment campaigns
• International programs or projects
• Government agencies
• Fiscal agents
• Religious organizations (including young Men's and Women's Christian Association)
• Political causes, candidates, organizations or campaigns
• Foundations that are grant making institutions
• Advertising in charitable publications
• Sports organizations
• Labor groups
• Research Projects
• Travel for individuals or groups
• Conferences, galas, charity balls, sponsorships, seminars, or reunions
• Capital campaigns
• Salaries
• Building campaigns (i.e. Habitat for Humanity)

PLEASE DO NOT APPLY IF YOUR ORGANIZATION FITS INTO ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES.

How to apply
Funding Application Form

View the FAQs for additional assistance.

WHO Foundation

P. O. Box 816029
Dallas, TX 75381-6029
1-800-WHO-4-ONE
(1-800-946-4663)