About Humanist Grants

The COVID-19 crisis presents a unique set of circumstances and challenges for Humanist Grants beneficiary organizations. Adapting the Grants program to the current environment is one aspect of our ongoing humanist response to COVID-19.

Our Grant Beneficiaries

Each quarter our Humanist Grants staff selects four charitable organizations as quarterly beneficiaries, one in each of the following categories:

Poverty and Health
Human Rights
Education
Natural World

We carefully select beneficiary organizations for impact and efficiency, and they must pass our rigorous vetting process. These beneficiaries are secular organizations.

The Defining Values of the Humanist Grants Program

Evidence Based: the program was developed with best practices in mind; data collection is integrated for future study; decisions are made on a scientific/rational basis
Community Based: solutions are being addressed with strong community input; onsite employees are local wherever possible
Capacity Building: can the model being used be expanded in its current location? Can the model being used be replicated in another location?
Transparency: information is easily found and released in a timely manner
Vision: a clear, concise set of markers that drives the program
Innovation: forward thinking, adaptive, forging new ground within the charitable community
Financial Health: demonstrated through significant review
Variety: the organization meets Foundation Beyond Belief staff’s goals to balance organizations whose primarily focus on specific gender, location, or organization focus

Distributing the Grants

At the end of each quarter, all donations designated for our featured charities are forwarded and a new slate of beneficiaries selected. One quarter per year is reserved for the Compassionate Impact Grant.