The Alfred Bersted Foundation was established in 1972 with the mission to support and promote quality educational, human services, and healthcare programming for underserved populations. It is administered by Bank of America Private Bank's Philanthropic Solutions group, which acts as trustee or co-trustee for the foundation. The foundation focuses specifically on communities within DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, and McHenry Counties in Illinois.
The foundation accepts applications annually with a deadline of June 1. Applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on the due date. Applicants are typically notified of grant decisions by September 30. The majority of grants are one-year in duration, and applicants are limited to submitting one application per calendar year to any one of the five discretionary foundations managed by the Illinois office. These include the Alfred Bersted Foundation, Grace Bersted Foundation, Henrietta Lange Burke Fund, Carl R. Hendrickson Family Foundation, and Colonel R. Stanley McNeil Foundation. If an organization applies to one of these, it may not apply to another within the same year.
Eligible applicants must have a physical presence within one of the four designated Illinois counties. Grants are not made to degree-conferring institutions of higher education, religious houses of worship, or organizations conducting public safety testing. Generally, the foundation does not support endowment campaigns. Organizations are advised to consult the foundation’s online detail page to ensure alignment with funding goals before applying.
Applicants must submit their applications through the online portal found on the Bank of America grantmaking website. The site also includes guidance documents and technical support options. It is emphasized that technical support is not available on weekends, so applicants should plan accordingly.
Grant decisions are made following a thorough review process involving philanthropic staff and possibly co-trustees or advisory committees. Final decisions are determined after a due diligence process and a comprehensive evaluation of all applications.
For any questions related to the Alfred Bersted Foundation or the application process, applicants should email ilgrantmaking@bofa.com, ensuring that the foundation name is included in the subject line. Specific staff contacts for this foundation include Susan Boin, Senior Vice President and Philanthropic Client Manager. Detailed contact procedures and post-grant reporting requirements are available in the foundation’s grantmaking guidelines.
