WHERE WE FUND

The Heron Foundation believes in the value of close connections to communities as a means of learning from experts who are working directly with individuals and families within neighborhoods. As a result, the Foundation concentrates its grants in the specific geographic areas listed here:

New York City Michigan Texas Appalachia Mid-South Delta

We also continue to support organizations with a national focus and, in some cases, regional focus where those organizations are advancing solutions that have broad application for the Foundation’s selected wealth creation strategies. Our mission-related investments, however, are not restricted geographically, but are nationwide in scope.

For more information on Heron’s geographic funding strategy and changes over time, see our report: Lessons Learned from Geographic Clusters.

South Africa
In 2007, the Foundation began researching grantmaking opportunities in South Africa. Then, in 2008 the Foundation made its first set of grants to learn more about supporting wealth creation and preservation for low-income people in an increasingly globalized economy; to exchange lessons learned in South Africa and the U.S.; and to build on the significant leverage potential of South Africa for sub-Saharan Africa. At this time, the Foundation is not accepting unsolicited grant proposals to support work in South Africa.