The CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation (a 501(c)(3) organization) was established by CenturyTel with the fundamental belief that companies have an obligation to improve the quality of life where they do business.

Following the example set by its founder, Clarke M. Williams, the Foundation is committed to contributing to endeavors that improve the well-being of people in need throughout its communities. CenturyTel is committed to enhancing the lives of those around us in a meaningful way. We deliver leading technologies that keep people and businesses connected and enrich the communities we serve. It's all about advanced communications with a personal touch. That's our goal.

Focus

The focus of the CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation is to fund programs that support the following areas of focus in the communities CenturyTel serves:

• Family
• Children
• Safety
• Substance abuse prevention
• Disaster relief

The Foundation values projects that take a creative and innovative approach to fundamental community issues.

Criteria

• Only proposals from eligible tax-exempt organizations in certain 501(c)(3) subsections as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be considered.
• 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. The project must benefit residents of a CenturyTel service area.

Timeline

Grant requests will be fulfilled annually in the first quarter of each year on requests received by October 31 of the previous year.

The CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation secretary will notify the appropriate CenturyTel PR Manager when their area is selected for a grant.

Checks will be issued during the first quarter and distributed by local management.

Ineligible purposes and organizations

For the most part, only public charitable organizations operating in CenturyTel communities will be eligible to receive grants. In addition, CenturyTel has determined it will not make grants to the following:

• 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 United Way
• Scholarships
• Sports, athletics or other extra-curricular activities

Apply for a grant from the CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation.

For more information on the CenturyTel Clarke M. Williams Charitable Foundation, email or call Kristy LaCroix at 318.388.9500.