The Aerie Real Foundation™ works to build confidence in young women, foster an inclusive community, and protect our planet to make the world a better place for all.

By donating to national philanthropic organizations, giving grants to community programs, and providing educational resources, the Aerie Real Foundation™ is investing in making the world a more positive place for this generation and generations to come.

Grant Program

The Aerie Real Foundation is opening up applications for US and Canada-based non-profit organizations to apply for an Aerie Real Foundation™ Community Grant to support their work. The application should center around a program or project and should address one or more of the following pillars of the Foundation: Confidence, Inclusion, Sustainability. 

Building Confidence – It’s more important now than ever to build confidence and increase mental well-being in young women.  The Aerie Real Foundation strives to fund local programs that increase confidence, self-esteem, and well-being in young women.

Fostering Inclusion – In today’s world, we must focus on including people of all backgrounds and abilities in all aspects of our lives.  The Aerie Real Foundation would like to fund programs which promote inclusive communities.  

Protecting Our Planet – Climate change is one of the biggest challenges our world faces today.  The Aerie Real Foundation looks to fund local programs focused on protecting our planet.  

If awarded, the organization should be prepared to spend the grant funding within the next 365 days.

Application Deadline

Proposals are accepted for the Aerie Real Foundation™ Community Grants program on a rolling basis. Information on upcoming review dates and expected award notification dates can be found on the Aerie Real Foundation website and application portal. Applicants will receive an email confirming that their application has been submitted after they proceed through the portal.

All applications will need to be submitted through the Aerie Real Foundation application portal. Applications submitted via email, on social media or through the mail will not be accepted. 

Amount

Aerie Real Foundation™ Community Grants will be up to $10,000 USD. Organizations should be prepared to be awarded partial funding depending on the circumstances. In the application, organizations should be as specific as possible for the use case for the funding.

Eligibility

Organizations that are certified 501c3 nonprofits in the United States and Canada are eligible to apply. Individuals, corporations and other entities not accepted. The proposal must show that funding will be used to support programming or goals related to one of the following: Confidence, Inclusion, Sustainability. 

Organizations can apply and receive funding once per year. The organization will need to spend the funding and return a final report before re-applying. Reapplying for funding does not guarantee that you will be awarded. 

Review Process

After the application deadline, the Aerie Real Foundation Grants Committee will review the application. The Committee does take into consideration if the organization has received funding from the AEO Foundation or AEO Inc in any other capacity in that calendar year. Organizations will be notified of the Committee decision typically a month after the deadline via email. All communication will go through the email in the grant application. 

Reporting

If your organization is awarded an Aerie Real Foundation™ Community Grant you will be required to submit a final report, due one year from the date of the grant award. Organizations should be prepared to report on the program outcome, money spent, and should be able to provide photos and video.

Application

The application and further information are available at ARL (aerie.com/aeriereallife). The application will include the questions below:

  • Mission/Purpose Statement – Please provide your organization’s official mission/purpose statement.
  • Brief History – Please provide us with an “elevator speech” of 200 words or less that describes how and why your organization came to be, and what you have accomplished to date.
  • Organizational Budget – Please provide your TOTAL organizational operating expense for the last three complete fiscal years. For example: FY2019 $158,000; FY2020 $186,000; FY2021 $187,000. If you are a new organization, please provide your projected total expenses for this fiscal year.
  • Program Services % – What percentage of your organization’s budget was spent on program services in the last year? Salaries for program staff should be included in this value. Fundraising, Management and General Expenses should not be included.
  • In the past year, has your organization received any funding and/or donations from AEO Inc. or its brands, the Aerie Real Foundation, or the AEO Foundation? This includes grants, monetary donations, gift card and merchandise donations. If you have received an Aerie Real Foundation™ Community Grant this year, you are not eligible to apply for another grant until the following year.
  • Name of Program or Project – What is the name of the program/project for which you are requesting funding?
  • Amount Requested – How much funding is your organization requesting from the Aerie Real Foundation? Requests for this program should be between $5,000 and $10,000.
  • Time Period of Program/Project – Over what time period will the programming/project for which you are requesting funding take place?
  • If awarded, how will the funds be used during this time period? – How will your organization use the funds requested during the specified time period? Please include information as it pertains to programming expenses, materials, staffing, and other costs.
  • Program/Project Purpose – What is your program/project providing to the community? What area of our Aerie Real Foundation mission does this serve? How will it address real and pressing needs?
  • Program/Project Goals – What are your goals for the program/project during the specified funding period for this grant?
  • Target Populations – Who is the intended population to be served by ONLY this program/project? As available, please include information related to age, race, geographic location/community to be served, income-level, disability status, etc.
  • Individuals Impacted – Approximately how many individuals will be impacted, or indirectly benefit from this funding in the specific program/project referenced in this proposal?

Terms and Conditions

The Aerie Real Foundation shall interpret, apply, and administer the Aerie Real Foundation™ Community Grants program. The Aerie Real Foundation may request additional supporting documentation as necessary. Aerie Real Foundation reserves the right to suspend, change, revoke, or terminate the Aerie Real Community Change Grants program at any time. No individual or organization will acquire any rights, license, ownership interest with or against the Aerie Real Foundation by reason of the establishment of the Aerie Real Foundation™ Community Grants program, the failure to approve a request for funds, or the suspension, change, revocation or termination of the program. Decisions made by the Aerie Real Foundation regarding this program are in its sole discretion and final.

If selected, the Aerie Real Foundation™ Community Grant recipient 501(c)(3) organization (“Selected Organization”) hereby grants to the Aerie Real Foundation a worldwide, royalty-free license and right to use, publish, and distribute in any and all formats and for any purposes (i) the Selected Organization’s name, trademark, and logo; (ii) any images or materials the Selected Organization submitted to the Aerie Real Foundation (collectively the “Materials”). Selected Organization represents and warrants it has the power and authority to grant the above rights and such Materials shall not infringe any third party trademarks, trade names, copyrights, or other rights.

Questions can be directed to:
AerieRealFoundation@ae.com