How To Apply

Thank you for considering WKKF as a prospective partner in your work!

Below, you’ll find helpful information on how to get started, what kinds of projects we support and those we typically do not fund.

How to get started:

First, you’ll need to register to access our W.K. Kellogg Foundation Portal. Once you fill out the registration form, our Concierge Service will send you log-in credentials within one business day so you can access our online grant application portal. The next step is to craft a letter of inquiry (LOI)–a brief description of your project (1500 characters or less, which is around 250-300 words). Every new application starts with a letter of inquiry. In your LOI submission, consider answering the following questions:
  • What problem are you trying to solve with this idea?
  • What are the objectives or outcomes you aim to achieve?
  • What interventions or strategies are you considering?
  • Who are your partners?
  • How does your project take into consideration our commitments to racial equity and racial healing, community engagement and/or leadership development, or what WKKF refers to as our DNA?
If you have had any conversations with WKKF staff about your project, please include that information as well.

What types of projects does WKKF support?

We are always looking to support innovative ideas and efforts that align with our priorities to ensure all children, families and communities – regardless of race or income – have opportunities to reach their full potential. WKKF wants all children to live a full life by accessing high-quality early childhood experiences, supported by families with access to good jobs and career pathways and living in communities where they are nurtured. Embedded in all that we do is a commitment to advancing racial equity, developing leaders at all levels and engaging communities in addressing barriers that prevent positive outcomes for their children. While not a definitive list, we typically do not fund unsolicited requests for the following:
  • Capital requests (e.g., the purchase or renovation of buildings, vehicles or technology)
  • Endowments (e.g., establishing an investment fund or a permanent, self-sustaining source of funding)
  • Events (e.g., fundraisers, conferences, workshops) that are not part of a larger WKKF-funded project, or fit with WKKF’s priorities
  • Individual assistance (e.g., tuition, financial support, emergency aid, etc.)

Where does WKKF fund?

WKKF provides grants to organizations in all 50 states of the U.S., in select communities in Haiti and Mexico, as well as to sovereign tribes. We also have identified Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and the city of New Orleans as priority places and we concentrate resources in those communities to improve child-level outcomes. In Mexico, our place-based programming focuses on the Highlands of Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula. In Haiti, we concentrate our programming in the Central and Southern corridors. Review the Places section of our website for specific communities within all WKKF priority places.

Should I apply?

Before you apply, we encourage you to review the information outlined in the “Priorities” section of our website to see if your project aligns with what the Kellogg Foundation supports. If you still have questions about whether or not your project might be considered for funding, please contact our Concierge Desk via email, toll free (888) 606-5905 (US only), or +1 (269) 969-2329 (international fees may apply). To be eligible for grant support, your organization or institution, as well as the purpose of the proposed project, must qualify under regulations of the United States Internal Revenue Service. As a result, we are not able to provide funding directly to individuals.

What should I expect?

As described above, the LOI offers the opportunity to provide us key details about your idea or project for funding consideration. After you submit a letter of inquiry, you will receive a response within 30 business days, informing you of next steps. At that time, we may encourage you to develop and submit a more formal proposal.

As you might imagine, we receive more requests each year than we are able to fund. Unfortunately, this means we are unable to provide funding for a majority of the letters of inquiry we receive.

or Login

women walking down a sun lit hallway

Putting Children First

Scroll to Top