About Us
The Green Bay Packers Foundation has been giving back to Wisconsin's communities since it was established in 1986 by Judge Robert J. Parins, then president of Green Bay Packers, Inc. "as a vehicle to assure continued contributions to charity." It is a component of Green Bay Packers Give Back, the all-encompassing community outreach initiative.
Our Mission
The Foundation, an entity independent of the Green Bay Packers, Inc., supports charities possessing one or more of the following goals: perpetuates a community environment that promotes families and the competitive value of athletics; contributes to player and fan welfare; ensures the safety and education of children; and/or prevents cruelty to animals.
Project/Program Focus Areas
The Foundation will accept a maximum of one grant application from an eligible organization during each three-year cycle. If an organization addresses multiple focus areas, that organization must choose one year to submit a grant application in the three-year cycle. Grant applications are accepted online May 1 to July 1 each year and must be submitted with a project/program that addresses one of that year's specific focus areas.
Specific project/program focus areas by year for the 2023 – 2025 three-year cycle:
- 2023 - elderly, homelessness, human services, hunger (View the 2023 Grant Recipients with Program Information list here)
- 2024 - arts and culture, athletics, education
- 2025 - animal welfare, civic and community, environmental, health and wellness (including drug/alcohol and domestic violence) View more information about the recipient organizations and their programs
Organizations that applied for a grant during the 2020 – 2022 three-year cycle will be eligible to apply during the 2023 – 2025 three-year cycle.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Determine eligibility. Review the information on our website to determine if the organization fits our mission and the project/program fits our current funding focus area.
- Learn how to use our online application system. Review the Frequently Asked Questions.
- Complete and Submit Application. Applications, including all required documents, must be submitted by the end of the day (11:59 p.m. CST) July 1. Submission confirmation is emailed to the email address used to log into the online application system.
- Application Review. Applications are assigned to Trustees for review. Trustees may contact applicants during the months of August and September.
- Final Determination and Notification. Trustees finalize grant recipients in October. A notification email will be sent to the grant application contact.
- Grant Distribution. Grant checks will be distributed in December.
WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY
May 1 to July 1 (11:59 p.m. CT)
Applications must be submitted online
Online Account Login to review saved or submitted applications, change login email and/or password
INFORMATION NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION:
- Organization Information
- Request: Description of the issue/need the grant will support and how the grant dollars will be utilized to address the issue/need, project/program budget
- Contact Information: Who can we contact with questions about the grant application
- Required Documents: Balance Sheet/Income Statement, Board of Directors Listing, Budget – Project/Program, Budget – Organization, Form 990 or 990EZ (or letter of explanation if not required to file) and other Funders (committed and pending)
ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS
An organization is eligible to submit an application if it is:
- Physically located in the state of Wisconsin;
- Classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code for a minimum of two years; and
- Requesting funding for a project/program that addresses issues for at least one of the current year's focus areas.
2023 project/program focus areas: elderly, homelessness, human services, hunger
2024 project/program focus areas: arts and culture, athletics, education
2025 project/program focus areas: animal welfare, civic and community, environmental, health and wellness (including drug/alcohol and domestic violence)
INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS/PROGRAMS
Grant applications will not be accepted from organizations not classified as exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code or have not had a valid IRS Tax ID for a minimum of two years.
The Green Bay Packers Foundation will not accept grant applications for funding of:
- Annual appeals;
- Camp scholarships;
- Capital campaigns;
- Debt retirement, deficit financing, reduction of an on operating deficit or replenishment of resources used to pay for such purposes;
- Endowments;
- Fundraising event or activity sponsorships;
- Individuals;
- Lobbying or legislative activities;
- Projects/programs that do not address issues in one of the focus areas identified for the current year;
- Scholarship funds.
Our Leadership
The Green Bay Packers Foundation is made up of 10 Green Bay Packers Board of Directors. The Trustees review grant applications and make decisions regarding grant disbursements.
TRUSTEES
- Wilson Jones, Chairperson
- Dexter McNabb, Alternate Chairperson
- Jan Allman
- Michael Barber
- LeRoy Butler
- Eddie Garcia
- Michael Haddad
- Bill Jartz
- Laurie Radke
- Michael Simmer
SECRETARY
- Bobbi Jo Eisenreich
FAQ
DOES THE APPLICATION LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING MY ORGANIZATION CAN REQUEST
Applicants can enter a minimum request of $3,000 and a maximum request of $8,000. Grant distributions will vary based on the number of applications approved and total amount of funding approved for distribution.
DO YOU ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THE STATE OF WISCONSIN?
No.
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY ORGANIZATION IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
Review the "Eligible Organizations" and "Ineligible Organizations and Projects/Programs" sections.
HOW OFTEN CAN MY ORGANIZATION APPLY?
Eligible organizations can apply for a grant once during the three-year period, 2020 – 2022. For example, ABC Organization applies in 2020 for funding of its hunger program and is awarded a grant. ABC Organization is not eligible to apply again until 2023. If ABC Organization applies for funding in 2020 and is not awarded a grant, it is not eligible to apply again until 2023.
WHAT PROJECTS/PROGRAMS DO YOU FUND?
Review the "Eligible Organizations" section.
DO YOU ACCEPT APPLICATIONS TO FUND CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS?
No.
WHEN ARE APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED?
Applications are accepted May 1 to July 1 (11:59 p.m. CST).
WHAT IS NOT FUNDED THROUGH THE PACKERS FOUNDATION?
Review the "Ineligible Organizations and Projects/Programs" section.
HOW DO I APPLY?
Only applications submitted through our online application system are accepted.
HOW DO I CREATE AN ONLINE ACCOUNT AND WHAT CAN I DO WITH IT?
Organizations submitting applications through our online application system must have (or create) an account. After the account is created, organizations can:
- View saved, but not yet submitted applications
- Complete and submit previously saved applications
- View submitted applications
To create a new account, go to the "When and How to Apply" section and use the Begin Application Process button.
I SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION. WHY DIDN'T I RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL?
A confirmation email to the email address used to log into the online application system is auto-generated following submission of the grant application. It is sent from mail@grantapplication.com with the subject: GBP Foundation – Grant Application Submission Confirmation.
HOW DO I VIEW AN APPLICATION THAT I HAVE SAVED, BUT HAVE NOT YET SUBMITTED?
Applications cannot be submitted after July 1 (11:59 p.m. CST). If you have questions, contact us.
Log in to your account. On your account page, change "Show In Progress Applications" to "Show Submitted Applications". To open an application, select the applicable application name under the Application Name column header.
WHAT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED ON THE APPLICATION?
Review the "Information Needed to Complete the Application" section.
WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING ELIGIBILITY OR MY APPLICATION?
Contact us via email.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE A RESPONSE TO MY APPLICATION?
Review the "Application Process" section.
Recent Grants and Other Efforts
The Foundation distributed $1.5 million in annual grants to 321 civic and charitable groups throughout the state of Wisconsin in its annual distribution of grants. Of the Foundation's distributions in November 2023, 40 grants – aggregating $189,500 – were awarded to Brown County organizations. Additional grants, totaling $1,310,500, were made to 281 other groups around the state. The 2023 grant cycle focused on organizations that directed funds toward the need areas of elderly, homelessness, human services and hunger.
The Foundation now has distributed more than $22,542,000 million for charitable purposes since it was established in 1986 by Judge Robert J. Parins, then president of the Packers Corporation, "as a vehicle to assure continued contributions to charity."
GREEN BAY PACKERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM:
Established in 2002, this educational partnership with CollegeReady (formerly known as Scholarships, Inc.) and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College benefits student from Brown County.
Scholarship funds totaling $53,000 were awarded in 2023 - $26,500 to Scholarships, Inc., for distribution to students in four-year colleges, and $26,500 to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), for distribution to students in two-year associate degree or apprenticeship trades programs. A portion of the scholarship funds come from National Football League Properties which, at the Packers' request, returns to the Foundation royalty fees paid for using the Packers logo on Wisconsin automobile license plates. Because the royalties do not fully cover the scholarships, the Green Bay Packers fund the remainder of the amount, a figure which totals $557,000 since 2006.
For eligibility criteria, contact the following organizations:
- CollegeReady @ 920-857-9088 or collegereadywi.org (4-year programs)
- NWTC Educational Foundation, Inc. @ 920-498-6931 or nwtc.edu/scholarships (2-year programs)
