Posted on September 25, 2009

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W.K. Kellogg Foundation

URL: http://www.wkkf.org

Mission:
To help people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and the quality of life of future generations. The foundation works in the areas of health, food systems and rural development, education, and philanthropy and volunteerism. It also supports its hometown of Battle Creek, Michigan, as well as Southern Africa and Latin America.

Purpose of Site:
The newly redesigned Web site provides information on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and its grantmaking activities, including descriptions of the foundation's main program areas, instructions on how to apply for grants, and a summary of active grants from 1991 to the present. The site also includes an online grant application and a bevy of reports and publications related to the Kellogg Foundation's areas of interest.

Background:
In June 1930, W.K. Kellogg combined his business savvy and his love of children to form what would become one of the largest foundations in the world. W.K. Kellogg, who at 46 founded the Kellogg Company, was never comfortable with his riches, and as his wealth grew, Kellogg gave generously to charitable causes, many involving children. These donations included aid for British orphans of World War I, the blind, and several hospital and medical programs.

By establishing the Kellogg Foundation, W.K. Kellogg sought to focus his philanthropy. In 1934, W.K. Kellogg donated more than $66 million in Kellogg Company stock and other investments to establish the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The foundation, which still owns substantial equity in the Kellogg Company, has traditionally focused its giving to help children and encourage long-term solutions to social problems rather than handouts.

Home Page:
The home page of the Kellogg Foundation Web site is attractive and well organized. By clicking on links across the top of the page, users can move to the Grantseeking, Knowledgebase, Who We Are, and Programming areas of the site. A keyword search option is also available on the home page. Summaries of and links to the foundation's most recent publications are also featured prominently on the home page.

Outstanding Feature:
The Knowledgebase is one of the most valuable features on the Kellogg Foundation Web site. It is divided into two parts: Publications and Resources and Grant Files. In both of these categories, users can search by keyword for a particular report or grant from the foundation or browse information within a particular program area. In the publications and resources portion of the Knowledgebase, users can also browse for a report by looking through an alphabetized list of publications. Users researching grants made by the foundation have the additional options of browsing grants geographically or using the site's advanced search option, which includes such criteria as the foundation's contact person who handled the grant, the start date, and the amount of the award.

Honorable Mention:
The Grantseeking part of the site is also impressive and provides very specific guidelines for grantseekers trying to secure funding from the foundation. That area of the site includes a Frequently Asked Questions page, instructions on how to apply, and an online application.

CEO: William C. Richardson

Main Office:
One Michigan Avenue East
Battle Creek, MI 49017-4058
Tel: (616) 968-1611
Fax: (616) 968-0413