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Avery Dennison Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.6M
Grant Range
$50K - $0.1M
Decision Time
2mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,600,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Quarterly reviews (approximately 1-3 months)
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $100,000 (typical range)
  • Geographic Focus: Global (90% outside US), priority to communities where Avery Dennison has facilities and workforce

Contact Details

Website: https://www.averydennison.com/en/home/company/avery-dennison-foundation.html

Grantmaking Portal: https://www.averydennison.com/en/home/company/avery-dennison-foundation/grantmaking.html

Email: Contact through online application portal

Location: 751 N Todd Ave, Azusa, CA 91702

Note: As of early 2025, the application portal was temporarily closed due to unprecedented application volume. Check the website for updates on when applications will reopen.

Overview

The Avery Dennison Foundation was established in 1977, carrying forward the community spirit of company founder Stan Avery. The Foundation is a corporate foundation supporting programs that promote education and environmental sustainability worldwide. With annual giving of approximately $4.6 million distributed through 65 grants in 2024, the Foundation made over 130 grants across more than 40 countries. The Foundation's vision is to create a more diverse, equitable, and sustainable global community where people and the planet thrive. Nearly 90% of the Foundation's initiatives are based outside the United States, reflecting its commitment to addressing global disparities. The Foundation operates under principles of trust-based philanthropy, responsive grantmaking, and proactive partner selection, prioritizing communities with the greatest needs using tools such as the UN Development Program's Human Development Index.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Strategic Grants: $50,000 - $100,000 (typical range)

  • Applications accepted on rolling basis
  • Quarterly decision-making cycle
  • Online application portal (when open)
  • Two-stage process: eligibility form, then full proposal upon invitation

Employee Engagement Programs:

  • Granting Wishes Program: $10,000 donations to employee-nominated NGOs globally
  • Matching Gifts: Employee contributions to educational institutions matched 1:1 up to $3,000 per employee annually
  • Leadership Excellence Awards: Five employees annually recognized with $5,000 grants to nonprofits of their choice

Priority Areas

Education Access

  • Reducing barriers to primary, secondary, post-secondary, and vocational education
  • Increasing enrollment and completion rates for marginalized communities
  • Prioritizing programs supporting women and girls
  • Direct learning opportunities for underserved populations based on race, gender, disability, socioeconomic status, or geography

Environmental Sustainability

  • Climate resilience, mitigation, and adaptation initiatives
  • Community education on environmental conservation
  • Sustainable forest management and responsible natural resource use
  • Projects benefiting both ecosystems and community well-being

Secure Livelihoods

  • Workforce development and job readiness programs
  • Entrepreneurship and vocational training
  • Reducing barriers to meaningful employment for marginalized populations
  • Economic opportunity creation for communities facing gender, race, disability, or socioeconomic disparities

Disaster Relief

  • Emergency response funding for communities affected by natural disasters

What They Don't Fund

  • Conferences and fundraising events
  • Discriminatory organizations
  • Individual scholarships
  • For-profit ventures
  • Religious or political activities
  • Institutional endowments
  • Organizations without Avery Dennison employee engagement component

Governance and Leadership

Alicia Procello serves as President of the Avery Dennison Foundation and Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Avery Dennison Corporation. She oversees initiatives in over 50 countries related to international grantmaking, employee engagement, cause marketing, and disaster response.

Board of Trustees: The Foundation's Board represents a cross-section of Avery Dennison's business units and global locations. The Board is responsible for guiding funding priorities and decisions in alignment with the Foundation's mission, with oversight from the company's Governance Committee.

Key Quote from Leadership: Alicia Procello stated, "To determine who we work with, we are prioritizing greatest need and expanding the geographies we support, while also looking at how organizations incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles in both their internal and community practices."

On the Foundation's mission, Procello noted: "Enabling the next generation is crucial to achieving our vision for a more diverse, equitable and sustainable global community where people and the planet thrive."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Avery Dennison Foundation utilizes an online application portal with a two-stage process:

Stage 1: Eligibility Form

  • Applicants create an account on the ADF online application system
  • Submit an eligibility form to confirm alignment with Foundation strategic priorities
  • Foundation staff review and notify applicants via email of outcome

Stage 2: Full Proposal (by invitation only)

  • Organizations whose eligibility is confirmed are invited to complete a full application
  • ADF staff review applications and may request additional information to clarify or strengthen proposals
  • Staff may work collaboratively with applicants to improve submissions

Note: As of early 2025, the application portal was temporarily closed due to unprecedented application volume. The Foundation advises checking back for updates on when applications will reopen.

Decision Timeline

  • Application Period: Rolling basis (when portal is open)
  • Review Cycle: Quarterly
  • Typical Timeline: 1-3 months from submission to decision
  • Notification Method: Through online application system
  • Communication: ADF responds to all submissions, ensuring transparency and timely communication regardless of outcome

Success Rates

Specific success rate statistics are not publicly available. However, the Foundation made 65 grants in 2024 and received enough applications to temporarily close the portal, indicating competitive selection.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is publicly documented. Contact the Foundation directly through their portal for guidance on reapplication timing and procedures.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's documented priorities and approach, successful applications demonstrate:

Alignment with Greatest Need

  • Projects serve communities with significant disparities as identified through the UN Development Program's Human Development Index
  • Focus on populations facing inequities due to gender, race, disability, or socioeconomic status
  • Clear demonstration of how the project addresses pressing community challenges

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Integration

  • Organizations must demonstrate DEI principles in both internal operations and community practices
  • Projects should cultivate trust and belonging within the communities served
  • As Procello emphasized, the Foundation prioritizes "how organizations incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles in both their internal and community practices"

Avery Dennison Employee Engagement

  • Organizations must incorporate Avery Dennison employees into community programs offered
  • This is a critical eligibility requirement distinguishing the Foundation's approach
  • Employee involvement strengthens connection between corporate presence and community benefit

Geographic Alignment

  • Projects must benefit communities where Avery Dennison has facilities and significant workforce presence
  • While 90% of funding goes outside the US, it's targeted to specific locations with company operations

Recent Funded Project Examples

  • Women Win received $250,000 for economic resilience programs for girls and women globally
  • Rainforest Alliance received $600,000 for forestry management best practices in Honduras
  • Girls Leading Africa in Nigeria supporting young women's high school enrollment and completion
  • Digital Amazons program in Nigeria adapted for women with disabilities inclusion
  • Kyrgyz Space Program supporting women in aerospace engineering education
  • Community Women Enterprise Network in Uganda for entrepreneurship boot camps

Clarity and Specificity

  • Strong applications clearly articulate outcomes and measurable impact
  • Foundation staff may request additional information, so initial clarity helps streamline the process
  • Proposals should align language and terminology with Foundation priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Employee engagement is essential: Projects must incorporate Avery Dennison employees into programming. This is non-negotiable and a unique aspect of their grantmaking.

  • Focus on greatest need: Use data and indices (like UN HDI) to demonstrate your target population faces significant disparities. The Foundation explicitly prioritizes communities with the greatest challenges.

  • DEI must be integral, not superficial: Show how diversity, equity, and inclusion principles are embedded in your organization's operations and community work, not just stated values.

  • Geographic strategy matters: Research where Avery Dennison has facilities and workforce presence. Applications from these regions are prioritized.

  • Application timing is critical: With the portal temporarily closed due to high volume, monitor the website closely for reopening announcements and apply early in the cycle.

  • Typical grant range is $50,000-$100,000: While the Foundation has made grants from $1,000 to $835,000, most fall in the $50,000-$100,000 range. Scale your request appropriately.

  • Trust-based approach: The Foundation practices trust-based philanthropy and may work with you to strengthen proposals. Be responsive to staff requests for additional information.

References

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