At Light a Single Candle Foundation, we are always eager to learn about nonprofits that drive progress in St. Louis communities. We are excited to discover creative, innovative, and impactful programs and ideas that align with the following guidelines:
Eligibility
- Applicants must be not-for-profit USA based 501 (c) (3) public charity organizations as defined by the Internal Revenue Service code.
- Projects to be considered must be located within the City of St. Louis, Missouri, or North St. Louis County (North County).
*Organizations we do not fund: Light a Single Candle Foundation does not fund schools, churches, healthcare entities & initiatives, government, or government agencies, for profit organizations, individuals, or any non-501(c)3 USA based charitable organization.
Funding Categories LASC will consider:
 Unleashing Potential youth celebrating a cultural outing |
 St. Louis Public Schools students take part in stem programing funded by LASC |
1) Early Childhood, Youth & Teens’ Education & Social Development
Examples:
- Literacy and tutoring programs for youth pre-K through high school focused on improving academic levels by two grade levels, as well as increasing literacy rates and graduation rates for youth in our community. This may include financial literacy for youth.
- College & career readiness programming that assists middle school and high school youth to graduate and plan for their next steps. (i.e. trade school, four-year university, associate programming, etc.)
- Early Childhood Education programming that helps children under age 5 build strong cognitive & social development.
- Mentorship programming for youth to support social-emotional development and help them to achieve their long-term goals.
- This may occasionally include multi-generational programming.
 New homeowners through Beyond Housing’s Keys 2 Homeownership |
 NPower participants training in Tech Fundamentals |
2) Economic Empowerment & Sustainability
Examples:
- Employment Readiness & Job Training programming to help adults gain or improve employment, increase job retention, and increase income.
- Financial Literacy programming to improve their knowledge of financial education to move towards economic sustainability.
- Income Development
- Asset Building & Home Ownership programming for adults to help build generational wealth through increased savings, improved credit scores, entrepreneurship, and/or home ownership.
Our Grants Process
All partners interested in introducing themselves to Light a Single Candle are asked to submit a Letter of Inquiry. This brief introduction should describe your organization, the scope of your work, and your reason for reaching out to us. This initial step is essential for registration within our potential application system. After reviewing this submission, we will contact you regarding any next steps within approximately 10 business days.
If your organization is an established partner of Light a Single Candle Foundation, please contact our Program Officer for your access code.
Deadlines
Light a Single Candle has both a monthly and quarterly review process, dependent upon the size and scope of the proposal. Prospective grants may be submitted at any time. However, larger, more complex proposals should follow the quarterly deadline schedule noted below:
January 11, 2025 – These proposals will be reviewed in February.
April 5, 2025 – These proposals will be reviewed in May.
July 12, 2025 – These proposals will be reviewed in August.
October 4, 2025 – These proposals will be reviewed in November.
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding your registration or experience technical difficulties using our site, please contact our Administrative Manager.
If you have any questions regarding potential partnerships with Light a Single Candle Foundation or questions about the grants process, please contact our Program Officer.
 Train Up a Child tutoring participants smiling after a day of learning |
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