Disaster Relief Fund

Disaster Relief Fund is sponsored by The UPS Foundation. Provides grants to nonprofits assisting with disaster relief and recovery efforts.

How to get a grant from the UPS Foundation | Inside Philanthropy OVERVIEW: The philanthropic arm of UPS supports disaster relief, work and opportunity, and higher education. A few grants have also gone to environmental causes. IP TAKE: The UPS Foundation is a relationship-driven corporate funder pairing cash grants with logistics support, donated transportation and employee volunteerism.

It does not accept unsolicited proposals; most awards grow from established partnerships and connections to UPS employees, facilities or current grantees. This is a high-fit, low-access prospect. A cold proposal is unlikely to advance.

The better route is through a UPS employee, local facility, humanitarian coalition, workforce network, conservation partner or trusted intermediary. Smaller organizations may have more success with employee giving, matching gifts and volunteer engagement than pursuing direct funding.

Strong prospects should align with one of the foundation’s four priorities—health and humanitarian relief, economic empowerment, local community engagement or planet protection—and show how UPS’s logistics or volunteers could strengthen the work. One exception is the UPS Louisville Community Care Fund , administered with the Community Foundation of Louisville.

Eligible nonprofits and fiscally sponsored projects in parts of Kentucky and Southern Indiana may apply through August 14, 2026, for grants up to $150,000. PROFILE: The UPS Foundation , established in 1951 by UPS founder Jim Casey, pursues a mission to “deliver pathways to empower resilient, safe and just communities. ” The UPS Foundation is a large corporate funder that brings more than money to the table.

Its philanthropy combines cash grants with UPS’s logistics expertise, transportation network, donated services and employee volunteers. Current grantmaking centers on four focus areas: Health and Humanitarian Relief, Economic Empowerment, Local Community Engagement and Planet Protection.

Grants for Health and Humanitarian Aid The UPS Foundation offers comprehensive funding for disaster relief and humanitarian causes through the Health & Humanitarian Relief program, which supports disaster preparedness, emergency response, long-term recovery and health-related logistics. UPS often provides a mix of grants, donated transportation, supply-chain support and employee volunteers.

Recent partners have included CARE, Good360, the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, Team Rubicon, the Salvation Army and the World Food Programme. The foundation also supports anti-human-trafficking education, training and survivor services. Read an overview regarding UPS’ recent humanitarian relief here .

Though the foundation does not have a program dedicated to refugees, it conducts related work through its relief efforts. The UPS Foundation has partnered with the UNHCR to address an array of refugee crises around the world. Other global grantees include CARE and MedShare International.

The Foundation is a longtime partner of the World Food Program , helping the organization “ advance innovation in its supply chain logistics and deliver lifesaving aid in more than 30 countries. ” In the U.S., UPS has supported SBP, which helps communities rebuild homes after natural disasters.

Grants for Economic Opportunity and Equity Economic Empowerment supports entrepreneurship, small-business development, workforce training and youth career pathways. Current partnerships include the International Trade Centre’s SheTrades and Women Exporters programs, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s Big Futures initiative and Goodwill Industries of Kentucky.

Funding generally flows through established nonprofit, educational and workforce intermediaries rather than directly to individual entrepreneurs. UPS Foundation does not have a publicly available grants database, but past and current partners include Paralyzed Veterans of America and the National Urban League.

Higher education recipients include the United Negro College Fund, the Council of Independent Colleges, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Morehouse College, Spelman College and Gonzaga University.

UPS makes grants to environmental causes through its Planet Protection program, which supports “areas that are linked to the Company’s environmental and sustainability initiatives, expertise and priorities, focusing on carbon reduction, reforestation, research, and thought leadership. ” Recent partners include the World Wildlife Fund, the Student Conservation Association and Georgia Tech.

The foundation tends to support established organizations that can pair environmental outcomes with education, employment or employee engagement. Past grantees include Earthwatch Institute, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Student Conservation Association, Georgia Conservancy, Inc. and the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Grantseekers should use caution when reviewing the foundation’s tax filings.

Much of its reported giving flows through employee-giving platforms and charitable-disbursement intermediaries, making it difficult to identify a reliable typical grant size or complete list of final recipients. Recent tax filings indicate that the foundation awards between $35 million and $50 million in total grants per year.

Geographic focus: Global, with additional emphasis on communities where UPS has a significant operational presence. Grant range: Not reliably available from recent tax filings. Application process: Invitation only for most direct grants.

Open opportunities: Limited and generally administered through outside partners. Best fits: Disaster relief, humanitarian logistics, workforce development, entrepreneurship, youth mentoring, conservation and environmental workforce programs.

Less likely fits: Unsolicited general operating requests, standalone advocacy or litigation, arts funding and projects without a clear connection to UPS’s stated priorities This funder does not provide a way to get in touch. Its phone number is listed at (404) 828-6000. Enable JavaScript to continue This site uses JavaScript to verify your account, display articles, and provide other features.

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