Financial Education and Asset Building in Missouri and Illinois

The St. Louis Community Foundation is offering a new grant opportunity through its Economic Mobility priority area as part of its 2024–2028 strategic framework. The Foundation, committed to enhancing purposeful philanthropy in the St. Louis region, focuses its discretionary grant funds on Economic Mobility and Youth Connections. Within Economic Mobility, three sub-priorities guide funding: housing, financial health, and job access and creation. This specific grant opportunity is centered on financial health and is aimed at supporting nonprofit organizations that provide financial education combined with access to financial products and assets for low-to-moderate-income individuals or households. This grant cycle supports programs targeting adults 18 years and older or implementing multigenerational strategies. The focus is on increasing net worth and financial well-being for those classified as low-to-moderate income or “ALICE” (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households, defined as those earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) per HUD standards. Eligible programs may include components such as direct deposit access, checking or savings accounts, cash incentives, debt relief, and other financial tools that empower underserved individuals and families. Organizations are encouraged to partner with financial institutions, particularly when such partnerships result in matched savings, reduced debt, or increased access to beneficial financial products. The Foundation has allocated $200,000 for this grant cycle, anticipating 2 to 4 grants. Funding may be used for general operating support (for organizations focused on financial education) or program-specific expenses (for multi-service organizations). Eligible use of funds includes program participation incentives, matched savings, debt payment, down payment assistance, and creative methods to increase net worth. The funding term is for up to 12 months, and the grant cycle includes both a Letter of Interest (LOI) and a full application stage. Required documentation at the LOI stage includes financial records (audits or IRS filings) and letters of support or Memorandums of Understanding from partner institutions. The application process is staged. Letters of Interest are due by 3:00 p.m. on September 23, 2025. Applicants will be notified of advancement to the full application round by October 27, with completed applications due by 3:00 p.m. on November 17. Final decisions will be announced on December 22, 2025. A virtual information session will be held on September 9, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and various office hours are available for individual consultations from September 3 to 19. All interested applicants must submit their LOIs and applications through the Community Foundation’s online grant portal. Evaluation criteria emphasize alignment with the grant's purpose, clarity and feasibility of program design, measurable outcomes related to increasing net worth, strength of financial and organizational health, and the presence of meaningful, evidence-based partnerships. Strong proposals will demonstrate the use of best or innovative practices and must track specific outcomes tied to the Foundation’s Theory of Change, including developing partnerships, targeting financial education programs, and increasing financial assets in the region. Questions should be directed to the Community Foundation team at grants@stlgives.org using the subject line “Financial Health RFP.” If a question is commonly asked, the Foundation will distribute an answer to all known interested parties. Complete program details, including LOI questions and evaluation rubrics, are provided in the official RFP and its appendices.

Review Appendix C for scoring rubric. Ensure outcome measurement, financial documentation, and partner letters are strong.