Consolidated Communications Foundation is a regional corporate/community funder that makes modest grants to nonprofits and schools in the company’s service areas, with a strong emphasis on practical local needs. Its giving consistently centers on education and technology-enabled learning, alongside basic needs like hunger relief, homelessness support, youth/family services, and health. The foundation appears to favor organizations that deliver visible community impact in its operating markets, often through employee- and company-supported philanthropy and school-based grants.
Annual Giving$200K(2024)
Focus Areas
K-12 EducationTechnology-Enhanced LearningSTEAM EducationHunger ReliefHomelessness SupportYouth and Family Services
Giving Approach
Small local grants, typically $500-$10,000, distributed through regional and employee-supported programs to nonprofits, schools, and community funds in Consolidated Communications’ service areas.
Want a Personalized Pitch for Consolidated Communications Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Weekly grant intelligence for social impact leaders. Curated opportunities, funding trends, and strategic insights — free.
Join 500+ social impact leaders. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy
Weekly grant intelligence in your inbox. No spam — unsubscribe anytime.
How to approach this funder
Emphasize direct local benefit within a Consolidated service area, keep requests modest, and clearly connect your program to education, student learning, technology access, or basic needs. Proposals are strongest when they show practical outcomes for youth, families, or schools and explain how the grant will be used quickly and visibly in the community.
Notable grantees:
• Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota
• White Mountains Regional High School
• Canaan School District
• Dakota Meadows Middle School
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from Consolidated Communications Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: Varies
Consolidated Communications Community Fund / HickoryTech Fund of the Mankato Area Foundation
K-12 educationinnovative learninghunger+3 more
Who can apply: ["Organizations within or benefitting the Greater Mankato / southern Minnesota service area","Projects addressing community needs or innovative education/learning"]
Deadline: Historic annual cycle noted with requests opening in early fall and due Dec. 1, 2025; current post-transition process described as rolling.
Consolidated Communications California Foundation (employee-funded)
children & familieshealthhunger/homelessness+1 more
Who can apply: Small nonprofits addressing priority areas (children/families, health, hunger/homelessness) within the company’s northern California service area; employee-designated giving options apply for eligible organizations.
Consolidated Communications Community Fund (HickoryTech Fund)
hungerhomelessnesseducation+2 more
Who can apply: Local nonprofit organizations in southern Minnesota. Excludes projects completed prior to award, fraternal/veteran/labor groups serving only members, grant writers, discriminatory organizations, political activities, grants benefiting for-profit entities, religious sectarian purposes, individual personal use, and funding for fundraising events.
Deadline: Rolling (historically had annual window; example prior deadline Dec. 1)
Innovative education and learning programs21st century skills developmentCritical thinking and creative student learning
Who can apply: K–12 schools and school-affiliated educational programs within Consolidated Communications' service areas. (Program historically targeted to schools rather than general nonprofits.)
Deadline: [backfill scrub 2026-06-02: speculative closing_date nulled] Specific annual application windows (example: 2022 window Sept. 1–Oct. 14).
Consolidated Communications Community Fund (now HickoryTech Fund of the Mankato Area Foundation)
Hunger and homelessnessChildren and familiesHealth and healthcare needs+1 more
Who can apply: 501(c)(3) nonprofits and eligible community organizations serving the specified geographic area. Does not support projects completed prior to award, fraternal/veteran/labor groups serving only membership, political activities/organizations, projects benefiting for-profit businesses, religious organizations for sectarian purposes, individual personal use requests, or fundraising events.
Deadline: Rolling application deadline; grants awarded on a rolling basis (per transition information through July 1, 2025).
Consolidated Communications Community Fund (HickoryTech Fund / Mankato Area Foundation)
Hunger and homelessnessChildren and familiesHealth and healthcare needs+1 more
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3)) and schools/educational programs serving the community. Does not support projects completed before award, fraternal/veteran/labor groups serving only membership, political activities/organizations, projects benefiting for-profit businesses, religious organizations for sectarian purposes, individual personal use, or fundraising events.
Deadline: Rolling (applications accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis)
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
