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Emerson Elec Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$19.2M
Grant Range
$0K - $0.9M

Emerson Elec Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $19,201,282 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only process)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $250 - $900,000
  • Average Grant: $15,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (St. Louis region receives 50%+ of funding; additional focus on Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, Iowa, Louisiana)

Contact Details

  • Trustee: Northern Trust Company, PO Box Chica, IL 60680
  • Phone: (312) 630-6000
  • EIN: 52-6200123
  • Managed By: Akberet Boykin Farr, Vice President of Diversity and Social Responsibility, Emerson Electric
  • Website: Emerson Charitable Giving

Overview

Established in 1944, the Emerson Elec Charitable Trust (commonly known as Emerson Charitable Trust) is the grantmaking arm of Emerson Electric Company, a global technology and engineering corporation. The trust has granted charitable status since November 1978 and is managed by Northern Trust Company as trustee. In March 2022, Emerson announced a transformational $200 million pledge over 10 years (through 2032) focused exclusively on education equity in underserved communities where the company operates, representing a significant strategic shift from its previous broader philanthropic approach. Over 50 years, Emerson has donated nearly $750 million nationwide. The trust operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Early Learning Grants Fund equitable, high-quality early childhood education in underserved communities, with specific interest in:

  • Programs that support parental involvement in children's school readiness
  • Programs that increase both the quality and accessibility of early childhood programs
  • Head Start & Early Head Start programs promoting kindergarten readiness

Student Services Grants Target K-12 students in under-resourced communities and fund programs that provide both academic and social-emotional skill development, prioritizing:

  • Out-of-school enrichments
  • Mental and physical health interventions
  • Programs providing children and teens with positive role models and mentors

Emerson Early Literacy Challenge A $1 million specialized initiative administered through The Opportunity Trust partnership:

  • Planning Grants: $5,000 per participating school
  • Implementation Funding: Up to $200,000 per school over two years
  • Focus: Science of Reading research implementation for third-grade reading proficiency

Priority Areas

  • Early childhood education (infancy through kindergarten)
  • K-12 education with emphasis on addressing achievement gaps
  • Third-grade literacy proficiency (only 15% of St. Louis city third graders currently read at grade level)
  • Programs serving under-resourced communities with measurable performance outcomes
  • Parental resources equipping families with knowledge for children's academic success
  • Extracurricular and academic programming access
  • Healthcare, nutrition, and mental health services for youth
  • Adult mentorship programs for students

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations that discriminate based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, national origin, ethnicity, or age
  • Individual needs or deficit underwriting
  • Loan repayment or investment funding
  • Organizations outside the United States
  • Programs outside early childhood through K-12 education focus

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel:

  • Akberet Boykin Farr, Vice President of Diversity and Social Responsibility: Manages the Emerson Charitable Trust and oversees its transition to education equity focus. Boykin Farr joined Emerson in 1998 and was appointed to this role effective December 1, 2020. She is responsible for executive leadership of diversity and inclusion initiatives, management of the charitable trust, corporate social responsibility reporting, and serves as Emerson's community liaison in St. Louis.

  • Lal Karsanbhai, CEO of Emerson Electric: Championed the $200 million education equity pledge. He stated: "Inequities in the educational experience of children lead to inequities in life."

  • Trustee: Northern Trust Company serves as the trustee for the foundation

Strategic Partners:

  • Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis: Long-standing partnership focusing on Head Start & Early Head Start programs to promote school readiness of infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children from low-income families
  • The Opportunity Trust: Partnership aims to double the number of St. Louis third graders reading at grade level by 2027

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Emerson Charitable Trust does not have a public application process. The trust operates on an invitation-only basis as they align their funding priorities. Unsolicited grant applications and requests for funding are not accepted.

Grants are awarded through:

  • Strategic partnerships identified by Emerson leadership
  • Relationships with organizations in communities where Emerson maintains operations
  • Trustee discretion aligned with the company's education equity priorities

Getting on Their Radar

The Emerson Charitable Trust identifies grantees through strategic partnerships in communities where Emerson Electric operates facilities. Specific intelligence about this funder includes:

  • Geographic Connection: Emerson has multiple Illinois locations including Chicago, Crystal Lake, Elgin, Elmhurst, Mount Prospect, Villa Park, and Schaumburg, with headquarters operations in St. Louis. Organizations operating in these communities or in Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, Iowa, and Louisiana (areas of concentrated grantmaking) may have better positioning.

  • Partnership Approach: The trust works through established intermediary organizations like The Opportunity Trust and Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. Building relationships with these partner organizations or similar intermediaries in your region could provide pathways to funding.

  • Key Contact: Akberet Boykin Farr, VP of Diversity and Social Responsibility, manages the trust and serves as Emerson's community liaison in St. Louis. She is responsible for identifying priority needs with partner organizations.

  • Emerson Employee Connections: Networking with local Emerson employees has been identified as a strategy to gain traction with this funder, as the trust prioritizes communities where the company maintains operations and has employee presence.

  • Measurable Outcomes Focus: The trust specifically seeks "projects that serve under-resourced communities with outcomes related to measurable performance," suggesting that organizations with strong data tracking and demonstrated impact may be more likely to attract attention.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, typical application-to-decision timelines are not applicable.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. The trust does not release information about how many organizations are considered versus funded.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only structure.

Application Success Factors

Since this is an invitation-only funder, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on research into the trust's documented preferences and patterns, organizations that align with Emerson's funding are characterized by:

Alignment with Strategic Priorities: The trust made a decisive shift in 2022 to focus "exclusively on initiatives that directly impact the developmental and educational experience of children and youth," prioritizing "projects that serve under-resourced communities with outcomes related to measurable performance." Organizations must operate squarely within early learning or K-12 student services.

Evidence-Based Approaches: The Emerson Early Literacy Challenge specifically requires "Science of Reading practices and green-rated curriculum," indicating the trust values research-backed methodologies. Partner organizations must demonstrate "data-driven decision-making culture" and "track record of monitoring student achievement results."

Geographic Relevance: More than half of giving remains in the St. Louis area. Recent grantees include Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, The Opportunity Trust, Girls Scouts of Eastern Missouri, and Gateway Region YMCA. Additional concentrated grantmaking occurs in Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, Iowa, and Louisiana—all states with Emerson facilities.

Focus on Equity and Access: CEO Lal Karsanbhai's framing—"Inequities in the educational experience of children lead to inequities in life"—signals that the trust prioritizes organizations addressing systemic inequities rather than general enrichment. Programs must serve "under-resourced communities" and "low-income families."

Partnership Capacity: The trust identifies organizations willing to engage in multi-year partnerships. The Opportunity Trust partnership aims to "double the number of St. Louis third graders reading at grade level by 2027," indicating long-term commitment expectations. The Emerson Early Literacy Challenge provides two years of implementation funding with expert support.

Collaborative Team Approach: Application requirements for the Emerson Early Literacy Challenge specify that organizations "must assemble diverse teams including teachers, building leaders, central office decision-makers, and instructional coaches," suggesting the trust values cross-functional collaboration and organizational buy-in beyond a single program manager.

Growth Mindset: The challenge criteria specifically seek "demonstrated growth mindset and willingness to innovate," indicating the trust supports organizations willing to try new approaches and adapt based on data.

Recent Example Organizations: Known recipients include Teach for America, Junior Achievement USA, Michigan's Troy Foundation for Educational Excellence, Camp for All Foundation, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, The Opportunity Trust, Girls Scouts of Eastern Missouri, and Gateway Region YMCA. These organizations share characteristics of established track records, multi-site or significant reach, and focus on measurable educational outcomes.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only structure: This funder cannot be accessed through traditional applications; focus energy on funders with public application processes unless you have existing relationships with Emerson or their partner organizations
  • Geographic strategy: Organizations in St. Louis have the highest probability of partnership, followed by those in Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, Iowa, and Louisiana where Emerson maintains significant operations
  • Partnership pathway: Building relationships with The Opportunity Trust, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, or similar intermediary organizations in Emerson operating communities may provide the most viable pathway to funding
  • Education equity focus is exclusive: Since 2022, the trust funds only early childhood through K-12 education programs in underserved communities; organizations working in other areas (arts, health, civic initiatives) are no longer eligible
  • Data and outcomes are essential: All funded work must demonstrate measurable performance and evidence-based approaches; organizations without robust data tracking systems are unlikely to align
  • Long-term commitment: The $200 million, 10-year pledge signals Emerson seeks sustained partnerships rather than one-time grants; organizations should be prepared for multi-year engagement
  • Employee connections matter: Networking with Emerson employees in your community has been identified as a viable strategy for getting on the trust's radar

References

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