Wal-Mart Community Grants

[AFPD34]

Has anyone here been funded by Wal-Mart for any fire dept projects? (I believe their max is $1000.) We don't have a store in our community however there are 2 with in 15 miles, just wondering if they would still fund a project of ours?

http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Just stop by the customer service desk for the application, they fund any non-profit located in a community where their customers come from. Same with Sams Club, the one near my house gave money to a VFD about 45 miles away because they're the closest one to the area.

[jam24u]

I've applied a couple of times. Was told they were only approving applications from within their city/zipcode. Anticipate it was just an individuals bias however. Anyway I photocopied their applications and send in twice as many now.

[hfdfiremedic32]

Our department has received a Wal-Mart grant every year for the past few years. This year we received a grant for a laptop computer and projector for our training center.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

jam, you are stuck with someone that doesn't know the program. It's open to any organization whose customers shop at that store. Same reason they tried to stop giving to any 501c that wasn't a 3, they don't know that the whole c subset is non-profits. A little explanation goes a long way. Of course my powers of persuasion are increasing dramatically with all of these negotiation books I'm reading. Not sure why I never picked up Dale Carnagie's before.

[Limeforever]

JUst got a 1k check and a nice 50 flat screen for the training room from them last week. Thay usually give something to all of the fd's around that ask. They also have a special grant pot from which to draw if you have any personnel that work for them as well.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

They give out a lot of the stuff that's on display since it's tough to sell. Especially the larger electronics, as Derrick has pointed out with their good fortune. Several others I know of have done the same.

The rest of us walk out with less money than we go in with...

[AFPD34]

Guys thanks for the replies! I will be picking up an app later this week and give it a shot. I haven't heard of a lot of departments around this area talk about recieving money from Wal-mart for this sort of thing so either its a well kept secert or nobody knows they can do it?

[egmiller]

I got grants for both the fire department and the police department from the Wal Mart that is just south of our city limits. We are going to submit again to the same store after the first of the year.

[AFPD34]

Does anyone know of any other small grant opportunities out there like this?

Lowes, Target, ect...?

Also has anyone had any luck with insurance companies funding a TIC? It seems to me the long term benifit to them would far out weight the up front cost of a unit.

Thanks

[TNFF319]

Does anyone know of any other small grant opportunities out there like this?

Lowes, Target, ect...?

Also has anyone had any luck with insurance companies funding a TIC? It seems to me the long term benifit to them would far out weight the up front cost of a unit.

Thanks

Our Target gives money away, but its to St. Jude. You might go give them a talk in your area.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Lowes, Home Depot, Office Max, Office Depot, State Farm, FM Global, Firemen's Fund all have programs. State Farm & Firemen's Fund are the only two that traditionally give out enough for a TIC in the $10k range but with the smaller ones in the $4-5k range might have more luck with the others also. Or string together a couple of them for $1-2k each.

[Catch22]

Does anyone know of any other small grant opportunities out there like this?

Lowes, Target, ect...?

Also has anyone had any luck with insurance companies funding a TIC? It seems to me the long term benifit to them would far out weight the up front cost of a unit.

Thanks

You will find a lot of corporations have some kind of foundation or do some form of community giving. If I remember right, Lowe's concentrates on landscaping-type things. I've never checked into Target, K-Mart, Sears, or anything like that.

I've also seen where several insurance corporations give money. Often it's to education, health, and community services. As a typical example, here's American Families contributions page. At one time I had links to all the insurance companies I had found that give money towards things we might benefit from, but I've lost those links with my old computer. Seems like State Farm, Progressive, Shelter, and Farmers all do, as well. Just got o their sites and search for corporate or community giving.

On think you might think of putting into a request for a TIC, along with the life-saving benefits, is the reduced cost to insurance companies for overhauld damage. We've had several insurance claims reps commend us for the minimal amount of damage we've done with overhaul, all due to our TIC.

[Catch22]

Lowes, Home Depot, Office Max, Office Depot, State Farm, FM Global, Firemen's Fund all have programs. State Farm & Firemen's Fund are the only two that traditionally give out enough for a TIC in the $10k range but with the smaller ones in the $4-5k range might have more luck with the others also. Or string together a couple of them for $1-2k each.

Some others I thought of after I submitted my last post are community-based organizations or companies. We recieved an AED several years ago from the local Lion's Club. We've also had a lot of support from various local companies that wanted to keep money local. Even banks will throw some money to you.

One trick I've learned about local companies is to do exactly what you say, string them together. Take a cost total in with you and tell them your goal is to raise enough money to buy the TIC. As you go along, some of the companies (especially competitors) will get into trying to give more than the other guy. Not something I blatantly do, but I'm more that willing to tell them who all has contributed during the conversation. Also, make sure you recognize them for it! Even if it's just a blurb or a picture in the paper with you picking up the check.

[AFPD34]

Good info Catch22

[jam24u]

Thanks Catch. I did make a presentation to the nuclear plant we share a zipcode with. They did pay for a new laptop and 2 of Kurts classes/summit. The cash match for an AFG vehicle application and increased annual donation. Totals out around $89,000...cash. Anyway, I had made contact with their emergency prepardness office and requested time for a presentation. Plenty of visual display boards and handout sheets explaining the program request. After two days met again and though I didn't get everything I requested it was enough to cause my knees to shake.
Anyway I did basically the same with Wal-Mart and couldn't quite accept the explanation that they were only going to concentrate on requests from the those in the same city their in. (7,000). Also said their budget for the year was $10,000. Would it be any better to contact Wal-Mart home office about applying through them vs. the local store?

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

The program online at the corporate web site is different money from the store, so hit them also.

[Catch22]

Thanks Catch. I did make a presentation to the nuclear plant we share a zipcode with. They did pay for a new laptop and 2 of Kurts classes/summit. The cash match for an AFG vehicle application and increased annual donation. Totals out around $89,000...cash. Anyway, I had made contact with their emergency prepardness office and requested time for a presentation. Plenty of visual display boards and handout sheets explaining the program request. After two days met again and though I didn't get everything I requested it was enough to cause my knees to shake.

Thinking of electrical companies, I recently got hit up by one of our local coops about doing training for us on electrical safety. Things like what meters can be pulled and which can't, how to pull them, etc. They also expressed interest in purchasing meter pullers for the fire departments where they have service.

Anyway I did basically the same with Wal-Mart and couldn't quite accept the explanation that they were only going to concentrate on requests from the those in the same city their in. (7,000). Also said their budget for the year was $10,000. Would it be any better to contact Wal-Mart home office about applying through them vs. the local store?

If the store has a fire or major event, are you one of the departments that will respond as mutual aid? If so, that's a little "leverage" you can use when you talk to them. We had one that gave us a hard time and one of the assistant managers asked me if we would come if they had a fire or other incident there. When I started explaining that yes, we would, and how mutual aid and all works, the manager changed his tune and was more than helpful. I didn't even have to get into my rant about how many customers they get from our town.

[rands1]

I don't know what type of equipment you are looking for, but here in Michigan, AAA has a "Jaws of Life" program. Last year we received $15,800 towards the purchase of extrication equipment of our choice. They do this 3 times a year. Speaking of Walmart, they are opening a new super center across the street from their current location, I wonder what the chances are of getting a large LCD floor display from them. I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow. Just to show that you can always get good ideas from this forum.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Usually it's clearance items when the new models come in, they have 30 days for the turnover. No box items are good things to aim for, hard to sell that stuff.