Philanthropy & Development

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation® is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that integrates philanthropy and development into every facet of its programming. The Foundation, with guidance from the Philanthropy & Development Committee, aspires to put forward a philanthropic portfolio that:

- Addresses critical challenges impacting the Spirits community with creative programs and resources
- Nurtures nascent and emerging projects and organizations that are reflective of and responsive to community needs
- Promotes the Foundation’s mission to Educate, Advance, and Support the hospitality industry

TOTCF has granted more than $350,000 in awards to those who are actively improving the global hospitality landscape.

The Philanthropy & Development Committee is made up of key industry stakeholders who advise the committee on promoting the welfare of the global hospitality industry. The Committee advises on the Foundation’s entire suite of giving efforts, including, but not limited to:

Grant-giving and Direct Relief

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s grant-giving and direct relief programs aim to support emerging and existing organizations and individuals that demonstrate a vision, determination, and ability to make meaningful change in the global hospitality industry across a spectrum of diverse topics. 2022 Grant-giving and direct relief programs will be announced on a rolling basis. Check out our past grant recipients and direct relief programs below.

Beyond the Bar Activations and Day of Service

Through TOTCF’s signature Beyond the Bar programming, the Foundation looks to address serious issues within the global drinks industry, including; mental and physical wellness, substance abuse, workplace inclusivity & safety, diversity, and sustainability. Wellness workshops and service projects are active throughout the year.

Policy & Advocacy Work

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation partners with a variety of policy experts to amplify & advocate for improved and equitable benefits and resources for the U.S. hospitality industry while calling the community to action. Interested in advocating for the rights of hospitality workers? Send us a message at education@talesofthecocktail.org

Non-profit Partnerships

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation partners with a variety of hospitality-focused nonprofit organizations aimed at improving the mental & physical health of workers in the

Interested in a partnership or applying for a grant? Please contact grants@talesofthecocktail.org + education@talesofthecocktail.org

Giving Tuesday 2022

To support the Bartender Welfare & Well-being Fund, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is participating in Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for individuals, groups, organizations, or nonprofits to participate in sustaining our 2023 grant-giving cycle through financial underwriting.

Donate Here

What is Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Bartender Welfare and Well-Being Fund?

A unique grant giving program where individuals, groups, organizations, or nonprofits can apply for funding. This grant-giving program for the hospitality industry aims to improve the lives of hospitality workers in the areas of :

Diversity & equity
Healthcare
Mental health
Education
Advocacy
Sexual harassment & Workplace Safety
Other topics, which focus on bartender well-being and welfare, and do not fall squarely into the above categories, will be considered

TOTCF is encouraging our global drinks community to participate in Giving Tuesday, individual or group contributions of any kind will always be welcome! With support, TOTCF can assist in underwriting dedicated individuals and organizations devoted to bartender welfare & well-being. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation aims to disburse $100,000 USD to those devoted to bartender welfare & well-being.

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation® is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and your donation will be tax-deductible.

Interested in making a donation to the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation?

DONATE HERE

2023 Philanthropy Dates & Deadlines

November 29, 2022 - Giving Tuesday

To support the Bartender Welfare & Well-being Fund,Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is participating in Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for individuals to participate in sustaining our 2023 grant-giving cycle through financial underwriting.

Donate to support the Bartender Welfare and Well-being Fund

January 3, 2023 - Grant Proposal Period OPENS

February 3, 2023 - Grant Proposal Period CLOSES

The Grant Proposal Period will close on February 3, 2023.

The grant proposal process is broken down into four phases:

Submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI)
Invitation to Interview
Invitation to submit final proposal
1. Finalists are selected and invited to TOTC 2023
2. Finalists are able to re-submit final proposal
3. Committee reviews and selects recipients
Final recipients awarded fall of 2023

For a full breakdown of this process, please refer to the F.A.Q.

March - April 2023 - Phone Interview Period

May 2023 - Invitation to submit a final proposal

July 2023 - Tales of the Cocktail Grant Finalist Showcase

The grant program finalists will be flown to New Orleans and invited to present at Tales of the Cocktail 2023. These finalists will have the opportunity to meet with brands, fellow Tales attendees, and other organizations during their Grant Finalist Showcase in the Beyond the Bar space at the Hotel. Being selected as a finalist does not guarantee funding from the 2023 TOTCF Grants Process.

October 20, 2023 - Grant Recipients Awarded

2023 Grant Process

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s grant-giving program aims to support emerging and existing organizations and individuals that demonstrate a vision, determination, and ability to make meaningful change in the global hospitality industry across a spectrum of diverse topics. To date, TOTCF has granted more than $350,000 in awards to those who are actively improving the global hospitality landscape.

The 2023 grant process is focused on bartender welfare & well-being. Applicants can be individuals, organizations, or 501(c)3 non-profits. The 2023 grant program is accepting proposals for projects that improve the lives of bartenders and hospitality workers in the areas of: equity, advocacy, healthcare, mental health, education, sexual harassment prevention & workplace safety, and other topics that focus on bartender well-being and welfare.

Grantees are selected by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Philanthropy & Development Committee, who are key stakeholders with a passion for improving the industry. The committee will review applicants’ Letter of Intent, invite applicants to a phone interview to expand on their proposal, and invite a select group of applicants to submit a final proposal for consideration of the grant.

The 2023 proposal period is open from January 3, 2023 – February 3, 2023. Please refer to the TOTCF Grants F.A.Q for any questions regarding the grant process.

Grant Categories that fall under Bartender Welfare & Well-being:

Diversity & Equity
- Fair access, opportunity, and advancement is essential to bartender well-being because creating a safe environment where industry workers feel protected and valued is the foundation of a good workplace.
Healthcare
- The hospitality industry was severely impacted by COVID-19, and though individuals were labeled essential workers, many still do not have access to important medical care. A broad range of creative health-related initiatives may be considered in this grant category.
Mental Health
- The Department of Labor has labeled bartending as one of the most stressful professions in the country due to the physically demanding work and emotional labor that occurs on the job. Organizations and projects focusing on supporting the mental health of bartenders will be considered.
Education
- Bartender education can be presented in a variety of formats and topics: financial education, certification programs, and free or low-cost continuing education fall into this grant category.
Advocacy
- Advocacy Initiatives aimed at addressing benefits, living wage, and other micro and macro policies of hospitality workers will be considered.
Workplace Inclusivity & Safety
- Initiatives and organizations that provide training, resources, and innovative solutions to workplace safety in bars are invited to apply.
Other
- A variety of topics, which focus on bartender well-being and welfare, and do not fall squarely into the above categories, will be considered.

Past Grant Recipients

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s previous grant-giving to projects have supported new and established programs with a vision and determination to make meaningful change in the hospitality industry across a wide spectrum of diverse issues.

2021

Mardi Gras Gives

This grant initiative provided $62,500 in immediate relief funds to New Orleans’ furlough and laid-off bartenders and barbacks affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible bartenders and bar backs were invited to apply for first-come, first-served relief funds. To be eligible for a one-time, $250 grant, bartenders or barbacks must be working in Orleans Parish at a standalone bar or nightclub (not restaurant or hotel) and able to demonstrate loss of employment or furlough status between February 2020 and February 2021. At least 50% of the grant money available will be allocated to eligible applicants who identify as women, members of the BIPOC community and/or applicants over the age of 60.

2020

The Farm Distilled

In partnership with Historic Locust Grove, The FARM DISTILLED project equips underrepresented food and beverage talent; women and people of color, to explore professional development and entrepreneurship in the spirits industry through the exploration of history and trade. In addition, the project aims to advocate for the employment of this talent pool to fulfill projected workforce shortages.

Made in New Orleans Foundation (MiNO)

MiNO’s Equity Program provides practical tools to create unified and equitable workspaces. The program assesses practices that may leave bars and restaurants weak to biases that create barriers for people of color and the business. The eight-month program provides customized solutions to improve business and drive growth for management, staff, and patrons.

Turning Tables

Turning Tables advocates for diversity, visibility, and inclusivity in the hospitality industry by providing educational tools, platforms for exposure, and a network of support for underserved and underrepresented communities of New Orleans. Our vision is to change the face of hospitality by creating a model for equitable access to career pathways through hands-on training, mentorship, industry exposure, and wrap-around support services.

2019

The Benevolent

THE BENEVOLENT’s mission is to provide help and support to current and former employees of the drinks industry and their families. As a charity we currently assist over 450 members of the trade with a variety of problems ranging from issues with debt, long-term illness, and support for mental health difficulties through a series of mental health first aid courses across cities within the UK that will be available for bartenders to attend completely free of charge.

Beyond Bars Akademia

Created in 2017, BEYOND BARS AKADEMIA is a hospitality school rehabilitating women ex-inmates through a holistic approach to reintegration and access to employment in South Africa.

CORE (Children of Restaurant Employees)

Founded in 2004 by beverage industry professionals. Almost twenty years later, CORE continues to dedicate its mission to providing financial relief to food and beverage service employees with children when navigating an injury, family death, natural disaster or other qualifying circumstance.

Liberty’s Kitchen

For nearly 10 years, LIBERTY’S KITCHEN has supported disconnected young people—predominantly black youth—on their journeys towards stability and self-efficacy. Using food and hospitality as a launching pad, we enable young adults to build careers and become agents of change in their communities through advanced beverage exposure and training courses focusing on bar history and basics, technical skills training, bartending career exposure, and mentorship.

2018

Camper English; Cocktail Safe

CocktailSafe.org is a directory of ingredients and techniques, each linking to a page. CocktailSafe provides information about cocktail ingredients and techniques to promote making safer drinks.

Chad Arnholt

Chad Arnholt produced a documentary following Mezcaleros of southern Jalisco, as encroaching avocado farms change their landscape and deplete groundwater, while the rainy season shrinks by the year. This documentary is an acute example of how global agriculture exacerbates the impact of climate change on local ecosystems and traditional food systems, impacting the beverage industry.

CORE (Children of Restaurant Employees)

Crescent Care

Crescent Care’s mission is to offer comprehensive health and wellness services to the community, to advocate empowerment, to safeguard the rights and dignity of individuals, and to provide for an enlightened public. CrescentCare’s 2019 campaign was aimed to positively impact the health care access and quality of life for those working in the hospitality sector and to provide those individuals with a medical home at CrescentCare.

Healthy Hospo

Healthy Hospo aims to inspire others and make steps towards a healthier, happier industry. Working with hospitality focused individuals, outlets, brands, and organisations along with renowned experts from the fields of health, nutrition, exercise and beyond, we develop bespoke training and solutions for the specific needs of those who this amazing industry we call hospo.

Laura Green, M.Ed., LPC

Research grant focused on health in the beverage industry: with the purpose to develop some interventions in the workplace to help mitigate the effects of stress, implement them in a true experiment, and measure the outcomes. Laura has gone on to create Healthy Pour.

The Pin Project

The Pin Project is a collective of bartenders and service industry professionals based in the Bay Area looking to create a movement of healing and understanding for those among us caught up in the often dangerous context that comes from working within close proximity of alcohol.

PRISM

The work is the creative media campaigns to highlight the diverse bar industry. PRISM reflects the different faces of our industry and having those stories told and voices heard. PRISM wants to inspire, motive, support, and encourage.

86 Waste; No Waste Festival

Through Community Organizing, 86 Waste aims to empower people, bars, spirit brands, festivals to address their own wastefulness. This is done through providing a resource for the creation, implementation, and sharing of proven successful steps toward becoming waste neutral.