The Avery Dennison Foundation grantmaking guidelines and application

The Avery Dennison Foundation (ADF) is a global funder that supports and builds partnerships with nonprofit/non-governmental organizations in communities across the globe, with an emphasis on geographies of high need.

We align our grantmaking with the UN SDGs. Within our pillars, nearly 90% of supported projects are based outside of the United States. The Foundation accepts grant requests year-round and makes funding decisions on a quarterly basis.

Grants typically range from $50,000-$100,000. To learn more about recent grant awards, view our CSR Report.

ADF gives to three impact areas: education access, environmental sustainability and secure livelihoods.

Apply

Impact Areas and Grant Criteria

Education Access

We support organizations addressing inequitable access to primary and secondary education among marginalized communities.

Reducing barriers and increasing enrollment of underserved individuals (in particular women and girls) in primary, secondary, post-secondary, and vocational programs.

Providing direct education or learning opportunities to populations who are traditionally underserved because of race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability or geography.

Environmental Sustainability

We support efforts to improve environmental sustainability through climate resilience, mitigation and adaptation.

Educating community members about responsible care of the environment, for example, energy and water conservation, waste reduction, recycling, responsible forestry, sustainable packaging, product safety and resource conservation.

Increasing the ability of the community and ecosystem to adapt to and recover from the negative impacts of climate change.

Providing direct support for projects related to the environment (forests, water, air) that contribute to the social, environmental and economic well-being of communities.

Secure Livelihoods

We support causes that increase access to economic opportunities for marginalized populations, such as workforce development, entrepreneurship programs, vocational training, and job readiness

Improving the overall economic and financial stability of communities facing disparities due to gender, race, socioeconomic status, and disability.

Providing direct services to address female gender equality and equity and improving the quality of life for women in the workplace.

Reducing barriers to meaningful employment among marginalized communities.

Grantmaking Considerations

When reviewing materials, ADF also considers the following:

Need

We prioritize funding to communities facing the greatest disparities (e.g., due to gender, race, disability, socioeconomic status, etc.) and geographies of highest need; referencing the United Nations Development Program Human Development Index.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We prioritize funding to organizations that demonstrate diversity, equity and inclusion in their work and cultivate trust and belonging with the communities they serve.

Guiding Principles

The following principles guide our grantmaking approach.

Trust-Based Philanthropy

We value open communication and deep relationships with our strategic partners and grant recipients.

Responsive Grantmaking

We value our employee-centered grantmaking through established programs and disaster relief efforts.

Proactive Grantmaking

We proactively seek out partners approaching the work within our impact areas through human-centered design in communities and geographies of need.

ADF does not sponsor

Conferences, fundraisers and special events.
Organizations that discriminate against a person or a group on the basis of age, political affiliation, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or religious beliefs.
Individual scholarships, stipends, fellowships, travel grants, etc.
For-profit organizations or ventures.
Religious groups for religious purposes.
Political organizations, candidates, ballot measures or other political activities.
Institutional endowments.

Application Process

The Foundation accepts grant requests year-round and makes funding decisions on a quarterly basis through the following process.

Create a profile and complete an Eligibility Form through our online application system.
Staff will review the Eligibility Form to ensure strategic alignment. This step helps ensure your valuable time is well spent before completing a full application. You will be notified of the decision via a system email.
If a full proposal is invited, you will gain access to the application in the online system.
Staff will review the application and follow up if any additional information is needed.
You will be notified through the online system of the final decision.

We respond to all submissions, regardless of grantmaking decisions.

Apply