Important information for nonprofit organizations
The information below is intended to help charitable organizations craft appropriate grant proposals to Symantec. Specific questions can be addressed to community_relations@symantec.com.
About Symantec Foundation
What do we fund?
Symantec works to improve the communities in which we have presence. As a partner both at a local level and global level, Symantec Community Relations funds charitable organizations that have an international charter, a national charter, or an individual community charter in communities within 50 miles of a the largest Symantec offices.
While we prefer programmatic support, we will consider requests for general operating support. Decisions for general operating support depend on the strategic alignment of the organization's mission with Symantec’s philanthropic goals.
A strong proposal has the following components:
- Engages K-12 students, minorities or women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education; focuses on family online safety; equal access to education; or quality of life issues.
- A sustainable approach, with a diverse funding stream, high level of efficiency, documented expertise in their focus area, and strong leadership.
- Objectives are specific, obtainable, and able to show documented progress.
- Administrative costs account for no more than 20% of total operating budget.
Ineligible Organizations
- Individuals
- Organizations that are not classified as 501(c)(3)
- Religious*, veterans, or fraternal organizations
- Political causes and candidates
- Courtesy advertising
- Capital campaigns
- Conferences or symposia
- Any organization deemed detrimental to Symantec's business goals or that can be classified as "anti-business"
- Private foundations
- Individual K-12 schools
- For-profit ventures
* Religious organizations that perform a secular community service are eligible for funding, provided the finances and operations of the organization's secular outreach are completely separate from the finances and operations of the organization's religious activities.
Grant Cycle and Typical Grant Amounts
Regional grants are those organizations that serve communities within 50 miles of a Symantec site. Office locations include:
| Alexandria, Virginia | Orem, Utah |
| Beaverton, Oregon | Paris, France |
| Beijing, China | Pune, India |
| Culver City, California | Reading, United Kingdom |
| Cupertino, California | Roseville, Minnesota |
| Dublin, Ireland | San Francisco, California |
| Heathrow, Florida | Singapore |
| Herndon, Virginia | Springfield, Oregon |
| Houston, Texas | Sydney, Australia |
| Linden, Utah | Tokyo, Japan |
| Mountain View, California | Waltham, Massachusetts |
| Newton, Massachusetts |
First time regional applicants may not exceed a $15,000 grant. Grant decisions are made on a semi-annual basis in September and March. All proposals are due 6 months prior to a decision. Only applications submitted online will be considered.
- For September decision – Proposals are due by April 15
- For March decision – Proposals are due by October 15
To apply for a regional grant, click here.
In order to be eligible for a grant over $15,000, applicants must be returning regional partners or have a national or international charter.
Grants over the $15,000 threshold will be considered on a quarterly basis - in March, June, September, and December. Deadlines are as follows:
- For March decision - Proposals due by January 15
- For June decision - Proposals due by April 15
- For September decision - Proposals due by July 15
- For December decision - Proposal due by October 15
Grants to organizations with an international or national scope typically range from $15,000 to $200,000 USD. Grants for community-based organizations typically range from $5,000 to $15,000 USD. These grant amounts are given only as guidelines - Symantec maintains the right to assign appropriate grant amounts based on the strategic fit and scope of the proposed project.
Additional Requirements
Symantec requires tax receipts for all charitable donations. Failure to provide a tax receipt will prohibit the organization from receiving future funding. Each organization who receives a grant over $5,000 USD is required to submit a final report online before they can be considered for a grant renewal.
We request notification of any intent to use the Symantec logo or name on the web, in print, or in any other way.
Timeline and Notification Expectations
Organizations will receive email confirmation of proposal receipt. Proposals will pass through an initial Corporate Philanthropy review, then a second review by the grant committee. You may be contacted for a follow-up meeting at any point in this process.
All questions can be addressed to community_relations@symantec.com.
Proposal Submissions
Symantec only accepts proposals via the web. You can apply for a programmatic grant or for a sponsorship using the link below. If you have not received a grant from Symantec in the past three years, you will be directed to a Letter of Intent application. If your application is approved, you will receive notification to submit a full application.