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Deloitte Foundation

Annual Giving
$25.8M
Grant Range
$5K - $2.1M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $25,833,027 (2023)
  • Number of Awards: 352 grants (2023)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $2,100,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (approximately 30 select US locations for local impact grants)
  • Application Method: Primarily invitation-only; some programs have open applications

Contact Details

Website: https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/about/deloitte-foundation.html

Email: usdeloittefoundation@deloitte.com

Program Contact:

Address: Stamford, CT

Overview

Founded in 1928, the Deloitte Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports education in the United States through initiatives designed to develop future talent and promote excellence in teaching, research, and curriculum innovation. The Foundation distributes approximately $25.8 million annually in grants and awards (2023), with 352 awards made to educational institutions and programs. The Foundation's strategic focus centers on preparing students—from middle school through doctoral programs—for careers in business, accounting, technology, engineering, and STEM fields, with particular emphasis on supporting racially and ethnically diverse students and young women. The Foundation is chaired by Lara Abrash, Chair of Deloitte US, and operates primarily through invitation-only strategic grantmaking, though several signature programs accept direct applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Local Impact Grants (Invitation Only)

  • More than 65 grants annually to programs in approximately 30 select US locations
  • Support for educational nonprofits and universities serving students through age 24
  • Focus on curriculum development, supplemental learning experiences, scholarships, mentorship, and college/workforce readiness
  • Recent examples: $300,000 to YMCA of Greater New York (3-year grant, 2024)
  • Note: The Deloitte Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for this program

Large Strategic Grants (Invitation Only)

  • Major institutional grants by trustee discretion
  • Recent example: $2,100,000 to Cristo Rey Network for college scholarships (2025)
  • Four-year partnership supporting 1,200+ Cristo Rey students total

HBCU Support Programs

  • Institutional grants supporting accounting programs, curriculum development, faculty development, high school summer programming, community college transfer bridge programs, and accounting/analytics labs
  • TMCF | Deloitte Foundation HBCU Accounting Scholarship Program: 70 scholars receive up to $8,000/year (renewable for 3 years, maximum $24,000 total)
  • Available to high school seniors, community college transfers, and first/second-year HBCU students majoring in accounting

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Programs

  • Institutional grants supporting business and accounting programs, pre-college enrichment, first-generation student initiatives, and transfer bridge programs
  • HACU Scholars Program: 68 scholarships of $2,500/semester (renewable for 4 semesters, $10,000 total)
  • Eligible majors: accounting, business, computer science, cybersecurity, data analytics, economics, engineering, finance, information systems, mathematics, supply chain, statistics, and technology

Doctoral Fellowship Program (Open Application)

  • $25,000 grants to 10 top accounting Ph.D. candidates annually
  • Supports final year of coursework and dissertation completion
  • Application deadline: October 15
  • Only one applicant per school allowed
  • Applications sent to Accounting Department Chair at each institution

Accounting Scholars Program (Open Application)

  • Covers 100% of tuition and academic fees for one academic year
  • For undergraduate students pursuing accounting degrees
  • Application period: October 1 - February 28
  • Evaluations occur after application deadline

American Accounting Association Awards

  • AAA/J. Michael and Mary Anne Cook/Deloitte Foundation Prize: $30,500 monetary prize plus silver medal for superior teaching in accounting (up to 3 awards annually for graduate, undergraduate, and two-year programs)
  • American Taxation Association Teaching Innovation Award: $5,000 for innovative teaching techniques in tax education

Matching Gift Program (For Deloitte Personnel)

  • Matches 1:1 donations from US Deloitte Firms personnel to eligible colleges/universities
  • Minimum $1,000 aggregate donation required for matching
  • Maximum $32,500 match per donor per fiscal year
  • Has funded over $20 million in endowed professorships, fellowships, and chairs
  • Matching occurs annually in October

Priority Areas

Education Focus:

  • Business and accounting education at all levels
  • Technology and engineering education
  • STEM fields
  • Career preparation for students ages 12-24
  • First-generation college students
  • Racially and ethnically diverse students
  • Young women pursuing business, accounting, and STEM careers

Program Types:

  • Curriculum development and innovation
  • Faculty development and support
  • Scholarships and fellowships
  • Mentorship programs
  • Summer enrichment and after-school programs
  • College and workforce readiness
  • Transfer bridge programs for community college students
  • Pre-college enrichment for high school students

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the Foundation's focus is exclusively on education-related initiatives in business, accounting, technology, engineering, and related STEM fields. The Foundation does not appear to fund:

  • Programs outside the United States
  • Non-educational initiatives
  • Students beyond doctoral level
  • Fields unrelated to business, accounting, technology, engineering, or STEM

Governance and Leadership

Chair: Lara Abrash, Chair of Deloitte US, also serves as Chair of the Deloitte Foundation

The Deloitte Foundation Board includes senior leaders from Deloitte US, though the complete board roster is not publicly disclosed. The Foundation operates under the governance of Deloitte US leadership, with strategic grantmaking decisions made primarily by the board and senior leadership.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Most Grant Programs: The Deloitte Foundation does not have a traditional open application process. Strategic grantmaking is primarily by invitation only. Organizations cannot typically submit unsolicited grant proposals for the local impact grant program or large institutional grants.

For Doctoral Fellowship Program:

  • Applications open annually with an October 15 deadline
  • Only one applicant per school permitted
  • Applications are sent to the Accounting Department Chair at each institution
  • Contact: usdeloittefoundation@deloitte.com

For Accounting Scholars Program:

  • Applications open October 1 and close February 28
  • All submissions evaluated after the application deadline
  • Available to undergraduate accounting students at participating institutions

For HBCU Accounting Scholarships:

  • Administered through Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF)
  • Available to high school seniors, community college students, and current HBCU students

For HSI Scholarships:

  • Administered through Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
  • Available to full-time undergraduate students at HACU-member institutions

Getting on Their Radar (for invitation-only programs)

The Deloitte Foundation specifically recommends that organizations seeking support should "network with a Deloitte employee to champion your organization's work and, hopefully, get funding down the line." This suggests:

  • Building relationships with local Deloitte office personnel who may serve as internal champions
  • Being located in or serving communities within the approximately 30 select locations where Deloitte has a strong presence
  • Demonstrating alignment with the Foundation's mission of preparing diverse students for business, accounting, technology, and STEM careers
  • Serving students in age ranges the Foundation prioritizes (generally through age 24)

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by program:

  • Doctoral Fellowship Program: Applications reviewed after October 15 deadline; recipients announced in spring
  • Accounting Scholars Program: All submissions evaluated after February 28 deadline
  • Invitation-Only Grants: No public timeline; decisions made by Foundation leadership on rolling basis

Success Rates

The Foundation made 352 awards in 2023, 322 awards in 2022, and 265 awards in 2021, showing year-over-year growth in grantmaking activity. Specific success rates for application-based programs are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Given the invitation-only nature of most grants, ongoing relationships with the Foundation likely matter more than formal reapplication cycles.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's stated priorities and funded programs, successful initiatives share these characteristics:

Alignment with Strategic Priorities:

  • Programs that prepare students for the "future of work" in business, technology, and related fields
  • Focus on "driving transformative change at the intersection of education and equity"
  • Support for "racially and ethnically diverse students and young women"

Educational Innovation:

  • The Foundation values "curriculum innovation" and "innovative programs"
  • Programs offering credentials, certificates, or skills in business, technology, engineering
  • Supplemental learning experiences such as online, after-school, or summer enrichment

Geographic Presence:

  • Organizations in the approximately 30 select locations nationwide where local impact grants are awarded appear to have better access
  • Examples of funded locations include New York City, San Diego, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Houston, South Florida, Boston, Detroit, and Northern/Central New Jersey

Measurable Student Outcomes:

  • Programs serving students through age 24 with clear pathways to careers
  • Support for college and workforce readiness
  • Scholarship programs that help students "continue on their educational journeys"

Institutional Quality for Academic Programs:

  • For doctoral fellowships and academic awards, the Foundation recognizes excellence in teaching and research
  • The Cook Prize specifically honors "the attributes of a superior teacher in the discipline of accounting"

Deloitte Connection:

  • According to Inside Philanthropy, the most successful approach is to "network with a Deloitte employee to champion your organization's work"
  • Organizations in markets with significant Deloitte presence may have better access to these networks

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only model: Most grant programs do not accept unsolicited applications. Focus on building relationships with Deloitte employees who can champion your organization internally.

  • Geographic strategy: The Foundation focuses on approximately 30 select US locations. Organizations should determine if they operate in markets where Deloitte has a strong presence.

  • Mission alignment is critical: Successful programs prepare students (typically through age 24) for careers in business, accounting, technology, engineering, or STEM fields, with emphasis on serving diverse students and young women.

  • Look for open programs: While strategic grants are invitation-only, the Doctoral Fellowship Program and Accounting Scholars Program have formal application processes with published deadlines.

  • Matching gifts leverage: If your institution receives donations from Deloitte personnel, the Matching Gift Program can double those contributions with a 1:1 match up to $32,500 per donor annually.

  • Multi-year partnerships: The Foundation demonstrates commitment to sustained impact (e.g., four-year Cristo Rey partnership, three-year YMCA grant), suggesting preference for long-term relationships over one-time grants.

  • Think beyond direct grants: Consider HBCU and HSI scholarship partnerships administered through TMCF and HACU as alternative pathways to Foundation support if you serve these student populations.

References

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