Community Involvement Program

The Hallmark Community Involvement Program is a corporate philanthropy initiative funded by Hallmark Cards and the Hallmark Corporate Foundation. The program reflects the company’s belief that strong, healthy communities directly contribute to both employee well-being and long-term organizational success. The Hallmark Corporate Foundation is an endowed entity funded solely by Hallmark, and while it operates under certain legal restrictions, it shares the same mission and application process as the corporate giving arm. Together, these entities provide cash contributions to nonprofit organizations aligned with Hallmark’s community priorities. The primary purpose of the program is to support initiatives that strengthen communities in meaningful and measurable ways. Hallmark focuses on four central outcomes: ensuring that children grow into healthy and productive individuals, enriching communities through arts and cultural experiences, maintaining strong infrastructure of essential services for those in need, and fostering a culture of civic responsibility and volunteerism. Funding is intended to support programs that directly contribute to these goals rather than general organizational support or unrelated activities. Funding is limited to specific geographic areas where Hallmark maintains major operating facilities. These locations include the Kansas City metropolitan area, Center in Texas, Lawrence and Leavenworth in Kansas, Liberty in Missouri, and Metamora in Illinois. Organizations must serve these communities to be considered eligible. The program prioritizes direct programmatic funding rather than indirect support such as sponsorships, marketing partnerships, or fundraising events. Additionally, Hallmark does not typically provide in-kind retail merchandise donations through its Halls department store. Eligibility is restricted to nonprofit organizations with verified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Organizations must also demonstrate non-discriminatory practices in employment and service delivery across a wide range of protected characteristics. Certain types of organizations are explicitly excluded from funding consideration, including individuals, sports teams, social clubs, and organizations whose primary purpose is fundraising for national research rather than local service delivery. Religious organizations may qualify only if they provide community-wide services and maintain clear separation between religious and funded activities. There are also restrictions on the types of projects and expenses that may be supported. Hallmark generally does not fund past operating deficits, endowments, travel, conferences, research initiatives, or scholarship funds. The program emphasizes tangible, community-facing outcomes and prefers to invest in initiatives that deliver direct benefits to local populations. Proposals related to media production, such as film, television, or radio programming, are also excluded from consideration. The application process is conducted through a shared online system used by both Hallmark Cards and the Hallmark Corporate Foundation. While specific application timelines, deadlines, and award cycles are not detailed in the provided material, applicants are expected to review eligibility requirements carefully before beginning the process. Organizations must ensure alignment with Hallmark’s mission and geographic focus prior to submission. No specific evaluation criteria, award amounts, or performance periods are outlined, but funding decisions are guided by alignment with the program’s core community impact goals.