Mike And Gillian Goodrich Charitable Foundation - Grant Information & Application Details

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $3,799,928 (2023)
Total Assets: $96,474,049
Decision Time: Approximately 14 weeks (6 weeks before board meeting + 8 weeks post-deadline)
Grant Range: $2,500 - $1,000,000
Awards Made: 130 grants (2023)
Total Distributed: Over $37,000,000 to 260+ organizations since 2009
Geographic Focus: Birmingham metro area, Alabama Black Belt (5 counties), and statewide Alabama

Contact Details

Website: https://mggoodrichfoundation.org

Phone: (205) 443-7809

Main Contact:

Carol Butler, Executive Director
Email: carol@mggoodrichfoundation.org

Black Belt Region Contact:

Casey Hinton, Grants Manager
Phone: (205) 918-7179
Email: casey@mggoodrichfoundation.org

Education Programs Contact:

Tommy Bice, Education Director
Phone: (205) 545-7266

Application Portal: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=mggoodrichfoundation

Overview

The Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation was established in 2008 by Mike and Gillian Goodrich, lifelong Birmingham residents, following the sale of BE&K engineering and construction firm where Mike served as Chairman and CEO. With assets of $96.5 million, the Foundation distributed $3.8 million in 130 grants in 2023. The Foundation invests in "transformative and sustainable programs that create vibrant communities and promote equity and economic opportunity" across Birmingham, Alabama's Black Belt region, and statewide. The Foundation takes a strategic, systemic approach emphasizing measurable outcomes and aims to "be a catalyst for civic transformation" and "help provide a level playing field" for people to develop their talents. Their funding philosophy centers on education as the pathway out of poverty and supporting holistic community development.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Program Grants: Up to $30,000

Support specific programs
Best suited for newer grantee organizations
Applications accepted via online portal
Quarterly deadlines

Operating Grants: No maximum amount

General operating support
Available in up to 3-year increments with annual review
Designed to help organizations "focus more on their missions and less on application cycles"
Grantees with previous Foundation relationships encouraged to apply

Capital Campaign Grants: No maximum (up to $1,000,000)

Considered in first and third quarters only
Deadlines: February 1 and August 1

Geographic Priorities

Birmingham Metropolitan Area: Primary focus for all program areas

Black Belt Region: Five counties (Dallas, Greene, Hale, Perry, Sumter)

Special application deadlines (January 16 and July 16)
Black Belt Advisory Committee guides grantmaking
"Nine of the ten poorest counties in Alabama are located in the Black Belt Region"

Statewide Alabama: Programs influencing policy change at state level

Priority Areas

1. Education Core belief: "Education is the best road out of poverty"

K-12 education increasing student achievement
Public charter school development
Early childhood education (birth to kindergarten)
College preparatory programs
Programs supporting children of color and struggling communities
"Research-based and proven" approaches

Desired outcomes:

More kindergarten-ready children
Grade-level proficiency in reading, math, science
Successful 8th to 9th grade transitions
High school graduates with clear college/career paths
Increased economic mobility

2. Neighborhood Revitalization Holistic approach including:

High-quality mixed-income housing
Cradle to college/career educational pipeline
Social services supporting families
Local economic revitalization

Key outcomes:

Safe and vibrant neighborhoods
Community programs developed with strong community input
Multiple strategies to improve lives and encourage economic mobility
Breaking "the cycle of generational poverty"

3. Arts & Culture

Access to visual and performing arts
Arts education for children and adults
Growing diverse audiences
Supporting world-class venues and events
Programs reflecting "historic and cultural diversity"

4. Environment & Green Spaces

Safe and accessible greenspaces contributing to health and economic development
Protecting Alabama's "richest and most diverse ecosystems in the nation"
Environmental education for children and public
Climate change mitigation and preparation

5. Positioning Strategic Assets

Strengthening civic, health, and educational partners
Supporting culturally significant community assets
Ensuring accessibility to all metro residents
Preserving shared community experiences

6. The Black Belt

Community-driven transformation projects
Economic development in underresourced region
Education, arts, youth development, environmental initiatives

What They Don't Fund

Grants to individuals
Scholarships or individual awards
Individual school classrooms or programs
Private schools (must be public or charter schools)
Mission trips
Health-related research
Fundraising events that are not 100% tax-deductible

Note on Faith-Based Organizations: Can apply if programs "strongly address focus areas"

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

The board is composed entirely of Goodrich family members:

Charles Goodrich, Chair
T. Michael Goodrich, Vice-Chair (founder)
Gillian Goodrich, Board Member (founder)
Grace Goodrich, Secretary
Mary Goodrich, Board Member
Mike Goodrich, Board Member

Staff

Carol Butler, Executive Director

20-year President of Central Alabama Community Foundation before joining in 2011
BA from University of Alabama, MBA from University of Denver
Quote: "You have to work on … all those things that make communities healthy"

Tommy Bice, Education Director

Former Alabama State Superintendent of Education
B.S. and Ed.D. from Auburn University, M.A. from UAB
Butler's quote about Bice: "We are committed to trying to create better student outcomes and helping them achieve more in our public schools, and [Bice] has tremendous knowledge and experience in making that happen"

Casey Hinton, Grants Manager

Previous work with Woodlawn Foundation, YWCA of Central Alabama
Auburn University graduate
Primary contact for Black Belt region applications

Black Belt Advisory Committee

Community representatives from each of the five Black Belt counties guide grantmaking in that region.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Eligibility: Must have 501(c)(3) designation or use a fiscal sponsor

Application Method: Online portal only at https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=mggoodrichfoundation

Application Frequency: Organizations may only apply once per 12-month period

Focus Area Selection: "Recommend applying under the focus area most aligned with project goals"

Standard Application Deadlines

Quarterly deadlines for general grants:

February 1 (also for capital campaigns)
May 1
August 1 (also for capital campaigns)
November 1

Black Belt Region Deadlines

Applications for the five Black Belt counties:

January 16
July 16

Decision Timeline

Applications due 6 weeks before quarterly board meeting
Board reviews proposals at quarterly meetings
Funding typically available approximately 8 weeks after application deadline
Total timeline: Approximately 14 weeks from submission to funding

Reporting Requirements

Grant Status Report required through online portal
Due prior to grant anniversary date

Reapplication Policy

Organizations may apply once per 12-month period
Foundation staff willing to discuss declined proposals
Newer organizations more likely to succeed with program grants
Organizations with previous Foundation relationships encouraged to apply for operating grants

Application Success Factors

Funder-Specific Priorities

Funding Philosophy: "The Foundation rarely makes grants for programs in which it is the sole funder"

Demonstrate diverse revenue sources
Show multiple funding partners
Avoid sole dependency on Foundation support

Focus on Measurable Outcomes: The Foundation seeks programs with "measurable outcomes" in education and other program areas

Include clear metrics and evaluation plans
Show how you'll track progress toward goals
Provide data on expected outcomes

Community-Driven Approach: For neighborhood revitalization, programs should be "developed with strong community input"

Demonstrate community engagement in program design
Show how community voices shape your work
Provide evidence of community support

Strategic and Transformative: Mission emphasizes "transformative and sustainable programs"

Go beyond band-aid solutions
Address root causes of issues
Demonstrate long-term sustainability planning

Equity Focus: Foundation aims to "promote equity and economic opportunity"

Address systemic inequities
Support underserved populations, particularly children of color
Show pathways to economic mobility

Research-Based Approaches: Especially for education, they seek "research-based and proven" approaches

Cite evidence base for your methodology
Reference successful models or research
Include evaluation components

Grant Type Selection

New to Foundation: Apply for program grants (up to $30,000)
Previous grantees: Consider single or multi-year operating grants
Capital campaigns: Apply only in Q1 or Q3 (Feb 1 or Aug 1 deadlines)

Regional Considerations

For Black Belt applications:

Use special January 16 or July 16 deadlines
Contact Casey Hinton directly
Understand that region faces severe economic challenges
Address how project builds local capacity

Contact Strategy

The Foundation encourages contact:

"Recommended to contact Foundation staff with specific questions"
Staff "willing to discuss declined proposals and alignment"
Carol Butler and education-focused applicants can contact Tommy Bice

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Demonstrate partnership funding: The Foundation "rarely makes grants for programs in which it is the sole funder" - show diverse revenue sources and other funders committed to your work
Align clearly with one focus area: Choose the focus area most aligned with your project and use the Foundation's language about outcomes and priorities for that area
Start with program grants if you're new: Newer organizations are more likely to succeed with specific program grants up to $30,000 rather than larger operating grants
Education applicants emphasize measurable outcomes: For education grants, clearly articulate how you'll achieve outcomes like kindergarten readiness, grade-level proficiency, or increased economic mobility
Show community input for neighborhood work: Revitalization projects must demonstrate strong community input in program development and multiple strategies for economic mobility
Research-based approaches win: Particularly for education, cite evidence base and proven methodologies rather than untested approaches
Contact staff proactively: The Foundation welcomes questions and discussions, even about previously declined proposals - use this resource to strengthen alignment before applying

References

Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation official website - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Grant Guidelines - Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/grant-guidelines/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
FAQs - Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/faqs/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Leadership - Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/leadership/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
History - Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/history/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Education Focus Area - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/focus-areas/education/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Arts & Culture Focus Area - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/focus-areas/arts-culture/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Environment & Green Spaces Focus Area - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/focus-areas/environment/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Neighborhood Revitalization Focus Area - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/focus-areas/neighborhood-revitalization/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Positioning Strategic Assets Focus Area - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/focus-areas/positioning-strategic-assets/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
The Black Belt Focus Area - https://mggoodrichfoundation.org/focus-areas/black-belt/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation | 990 Report | Instrumentl - https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/mike-and-gillian-goodrich-foundation (Accessed January 14, 2026)
Mike and Gillian Goodrich Foundation | Cause IQ - https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/mike-and-gillian-goodrich-foundation,263587489/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)
"Reshaping Woodlawn" - ironcity.ink - https://ironcity.ink/faces/reshaping-woodlawn0524/ (Interview with Carol Butler, Accessed January 14, 2026)
T. Michael Goodrich – The Alabama Business Hall of Fame - https://abhof.culverhouse.ua.edu/member/t-michael-goodrich/ (Accessed January 14, 2026)