The Grant Request Program & General Questions

Thank you for requesting information about The Vons Foundation.  This information is intended to assist you in applying for funding and to provide answers to general questions about the employee charitable organization.

The Vons Foundation receives a majority of its funding through automatic payroll deductions authorized by our Vons employees based in Southern California and Nevada. Through the generosity of our employees, we are able to provide assistance to many worthy organizations.  The Vons Foundation members (employees currently contributing to the Vons Foundation) are directly involved in the grant making process. All organizations requesting a grant must be sponsored by a participating Vons Foundation member; otherwise the request for funding will not be considered.   

The Vons Foundation committee is comprised of employees who represent various facilities and certain employee groups within the Vons division.  The committee meets monthly to review charitable requests and to recommend allocations.

The grant request program proceeds as follows:

All requests must be submitted on the organization’s official letterhead and sent to:

The Vons Foundation
P.O. Box 513338
Los Angeles, CA 90051

You must include the following items with your Grant Application and Information   
Sheet:

• Your organization’s most recent, full-year financial statement;
• Photocopy of exemption letter from the IRS.

To be eligible for a contribution from the Vons Foundation, your organization must have  501(c)3 tax-exempt status.  The organization cannot restrict services for reason of race, religion or national origin.  An organization can be considered for funds from the Vons Foundation once every 12 months.

Upon receipt of proper documentation, the request will be assigned to a Vons Foundation committee member.  The committee member’s review will start with an interview with our sponsoring foundation member.   The review may include an on-site visit or phone call to the applying organization to discuss the organization’s programs and its activities. 

 

The assigned committee member will then share the review results with the rest of the Vons Foundation committee members.  A recommendation is made and voted on.  All approved grants must meet majority vote by the committee members.   

Several factors are considered in determining the gift amount:

• The organization’s scope and purpose, annual budget, and disbursements;
• The organization’s purpose for which the funds will be used;
• The area served and number of people served by the organization;
• Proposals must operate or serve anywhere in which Vons operates.  This includes all Vons and Pavilions stores, all warehouse and distribution centers, and Vons division offices.

 

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed or considered.

The Vons Foundation does not fund:

• Businesses or profit making ventures
• Endowments
• Organizations outside where Vons operates
• Political organizations or programs
• Trips, tours, or fund-raising sponsorship of individuals
• Re-granting organizations
• Multi-year gifts
• Professional sporting events

 

General Policies

• Grant making policy places more emphasis on specific project proposals than on general operating fund or capital campaign projects;
• Organizations that receive a grant will be required to complete a post grant evaluation at the end of the grant period or year.  Not completing this requirement will eliminate future funding;
• Incomplete grant applications will not be considered for funding;
• Only organizations with the tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code qualify to apply.

General Instructions

• Submit your applications without staples or binders;
• Submit one (1) original application and supporting documentation and one (1) copy of the application and IRS status verification.

If further information is needed to submit your request, please contact the Vons Foundation administrator at (626) 821-7733.  If additional information is needed after you have submitted your request, you will be contacted.

Funding Guidelines

Beginning January 1, 2008, organizations interested in applying for funding through the Vons Foundation will need to have the support of a Vons employee.

This new application procedure ensures that employees have a greater voice in the grant-making process and provides opportunities for the Vons Foundation to support organizations that employees are involved with.

VF Application