We help people improve their lives by catalyzing private sector growth and employment.
Improving Economies for Stronger Communities uses program grants to connect private-sector growth with employment, often through universities and policy organizations. Recent awards include $309,285 to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, $274,349 to World Food Logistics Organization in Arlington, Virginia, and $220,783 to Cipe in Washington, DC. The pattern points to work that supports market linkages, trade facilitation, and workforce-related capacity rather than direct service to individuals. The foundation’s active programs show a repeated emphasis on cost-shared grants, technical assistance, and co-investment models. In Georgia, its Industry-led Skills Development Grants Fund is a $13 million effort designed to strengthen industry-relevant human capacity and link training with employment opportunities. Other program descriptions point to agricultural value chains, MSME support, institutional capacity strengthening, and trade systems, including sanitary and phytosanitary work and cold-chain development. The grant list also shows recurring support to several organizations across multiple years, including Purdue University, World Food Logistics Organization, Cipe, University of Florida, and Kansas State University. That repeat activity suggests ongoing project-based partnerships tied to specific economic development initiatives.
Private sector growth appears across the foundation’s grantmaking and program design. A 2024 grant of $163,628 to Purdue University supported program services, following prior awards to the same institution in 2023 and 2025. Trade facilitation is another visible theme. The foundation gave $274,349 in 2025 to World Food Logistics Organization for program services, alongside program activity such as Trade Safe and T-FAST, which focus on SPS systems, agricultural trade, and regulatory modernization. Workforce development is reflected in the Industry-led Skills Development Grants Fund, a $13 million program in Georgia that co-invests in initiatives strengthening industry-relevant human capacity and links between training and employment. Institutional and policy capacity also shows up in awards to Cipe and Icma for program services. Agricultural systems are part of the mix as well, with grants connected to agricultural trade, cold chain systems, and market linkages in the active program descriptions.
$2.8M
$32.4M
$32.3M
$31.9M
Most grants fall between $58K and $164K, with a median of $132K.
25th Percentile
$58K
Median
$132K
75th Percentile
$164K
About 29% of grants go to recipients in KS.
DAVID HARTINGH
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Typical grant size sits in a mid-six-figure band: the 25th percentile is $58,036, the median is $132,056, and the 75th percentile is $163,628. The recent list includes both larger program awards and smaller grants, including one under $10,000. This is a recurring grantmaker rather than a one-off funder. Multiple recipients appear in more than one year, including Purdue University, World Food Logistics Organization, Cipe, University of Florida, Kansas State University, and Global Communities. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and uses program grants; the active program descriptions also show competitive, cost-shared grants paired with technical assistance. Unsolicited applications are not accepted in the listed programs.
Grants in the recent list are entirely domestic, with 100% going to U.S. recipients. Washington, DC appears frequently, including awards to Cipe, Linc LLC, Grameen Foundation USA, and Icma. Other repeated recipient cities include Arlington, Virginia; West Lafayette, Indiana; Gainesville, Florida; Manhattan, Kansas; and Silver Spring, Maryland. By grant count, Kansas is the top state for giving, driven by awards to Kansas State University in Manhattan. The foundation’s headquarters are in Washington, DC, but its giving reaches multiple U.S. regions rather than staying local.
The recent grants show support for universities, logistics and policy organizations, and development intermediaries. Examples include Purdue University, World Food Logistics Organization, Cipe, University of Florida, Kansas State University, and Global Communities. The program descriptions also point to co-investment with institutions working on workforce development, trade facilitation, and agricultural systems.
Typical awards are in the six-figure range. The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $58,036, a median of $132,056, and a 75th percentile of $163,628. The recent list also includes smaller awards, such as $5,498 and $9,000.
Yes. The active Industry-led Skills Development Grants Fund in Georgia is a $13 million program aimed at strengthening industry-relevant human capacity and creating links between training and employment opportunities. Recent university and policy grants also align with workforce and skills development work.
Kansas is the top state by grant count. Washington, DC is also prominent in the recent list, with awards to Cipe, Linc LLC, Grameen Foundation USA, and Icma, while other frequent recipient cities include Arlington, Virginia; West Lafayette, Indiana; Gainesville, Florida; and Manhattan, Kansas.
The listed active programs do not accept unsolicited applications. Their grantmaking is described as competitive and cost-shared, often paired with technical assistance, which indicates program-driven awards rather than open applications.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PURDUE UNIVERSITY | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $309,285 | 2025 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| WORLD FOOD LOGISTICS ORGANIZATION | ARLINGTON, VA | $274,349 | 2025 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CIPE | WASHINGTON, DC | $220,783 | 2025 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINESVILLE, FL | $62,724 | 2025 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY | MANHATTAN, KS | $17,847 | 2025 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| WORLD FOOD LOGISTICS ORGANIZATION | ARLINGTON, VA | $197,994 | 2024 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PURDUE UNIVERSITY | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $163,628 | 2024 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CIPE | WASHINGTON, DC | $161,498 | 2024 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINESVILLE, FL | $132,056 | 2024 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY | MANHATTAN, KS | $78,068 | 2024 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GLOBAL COMMUNITIES | SILVER SPRING, MD | $58,036 | 2024 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINESVILLE, FL | $189,988 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GLOBAL COMMUNITIES | SILVER SPRING, MD | $180,741 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| CIPE | WASHINGTON, DC | $179,189 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| PURDUE UNIVERSITY | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $148,700 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| WORLD FOOD LOGISTICS ORGANIZATION | ARLINGTON, VA | $148,199 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| LINC LLC | WASHINGTON, DC | $111,882 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY | MANHATTAN, KS | $63,909 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| GRAMEEN FOUNDATION USA | WASHINGTON, DC | $35,961 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| WORLD PERSPECTIVES INC | ARLINGTON, VA | $34,160 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| FSQS CONSULTING LLC | ROUND HILL, VA | $9,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
| ICMA | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,498 | 2023 | PROGRAM SERVICES |
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
$309,285PROGRAM SERVICES
WORLD FOOD LOGISTICS ORGANIZATION
$274,349PROGRAM SERVICES
CIPE
$220,783PROGRAM SERVICES
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$62,724PROGRAM SERVICES
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
$17,847PROGRAM SERVICES
WORLD FOOD LOGISTICS ORGANIZATION
$197,994PROGRAM SERVICES
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
PROGRAM SERVICES
CIPE
$161,498PROGRAM SERVICES
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$132,056PROGRAM SERVICES
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
$78,068PROGRAM SERVICES
GLOBAL COMMUNITIES
$58,036PROGRAM SERVICES
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$189,988PROGRAM SERVICES
GLOBAL COMMUNITIES
$180,741PROGRAM SERVICES
CIPE
$179,189PROGRAM SERVICES
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
$148,700PROGRAM SERVICES
WORLD FOOD LOGISTICS ORGANIZATION
$148,199PROGRAM SERVICES
LINC LLC
$111,882PROGRAM SERVICES
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
$63,909PROGRAM SERVICES
GRAMEEN FOUNDATION USA
$35,961PROGRAM SERVICES
WORLD PERSPECTIVES INC
$34,160PROGRAM SERVICES
FSQS CONSULTING LLC
$9,000PROGRAM SERVICES
ICMA
$5,498PROGRAM SERVICES