CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation

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Neighborhood Networks provides potential funding sources to help centers develop and improve programs and services. Featured this week is the CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation.

CenturyTel is a leading provider of communications, high-speed Internet, and entertainment services in small- to-mid-size cities through its broadband and fiber transport networks. CenturyTel delivers advanced communications to customers in 25 states.

Program Areas: The CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation was established by CenturyTel with the fundamental belief that companies have an obligation to improve the quality of life where they do business. The focus of the CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation is to fund programs that operate in the following areas:

	Family.
	Children.
	Safety.
	Substance-abuse prevention.
	Disaster relief.

The CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation supports programs in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Targeted Area: Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West.

Eligibility: Only proposals from eligible tax-exempt organizations in certain Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 501(c)(3) subsections will be considered. In addition:

	The organization must be based in a CenturyTel service area and/or serve residents of a CenturyTel service area.
	The services of the organization should not duplicate or significantly overlap the work of government agencies on the federal, state, or local level.
	The organization must make records available for regular annual independent outside audit and make the results available to potential contributors.
	The organization must comply with applicable laws regarding registration and reporting.
	The organization's mission (and the project the requested funds will be used for) must support one of the five focus areas identified above and benefit residents of a CenturyTel service area.

For the most part, only public charitable organizations operating in CenturyTel communities will be eligible to receive grants. CenturyTel will not make grants to:

	Individuals.
	Non-tax-exempt organizations.
	National or regional organizations, unless their programs address specific local community needs.
	Programs or initiatives where the primary purpose is the promotion of religious doctrine or tenets.
	Projects of schools that fall under regular school budgets.
	Political campaigns, candidates, causes, or organizations; political action; or legislative advocacy groups.
	Organizations located in or benefiting nations other than the United States.
	Any person or organization to which the donation of monies would directly benefit CenturyTel.
	General operating expenses or non-specific projects normally funded by federal, state, and local governments, and by agencies such as the United Way.
	Scholarships.
	Sports, athletics, or other extracurricular activities.

Award Amount: Award amounts vary.

Application Process: The foundation uses an online grant application form, which will be available on the CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation Web site on June 1, 2009. Grant applications received by October 31 will be reviewed and grant requests will be fulfilled in the first quarter of 2010. The CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation secretary will notify the appropriate CenturyTel public relations manager when their area is selected for a grant.

Deadline: October 31, 2009. The foundation will begin accepting grant applications on June 1, 2009.

Contact: For more information on the foundation and the application process, contact:

CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation
Kristy LaCroix
Phone: (318) 388-9500